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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/storyofbaptistmiOOherv 


THE  STORY 


OF 


Baptist  Missions 

IN  FOREIGN  LANDS, 


FROM  THE  TIME  OP  0AREY  TO  THE  PRESENT  DATE, 


By  rev.  G.  AVIKFEED  HERVET,  M.  A. 

an  3ntrobuctton 

Bv  EEV.  A.  H.  BUELINGHAM,  D.  D. 


ST.  LOUIS: 
Chancy  E.  Barns. 
1886. 


IHt  L!BR*«Y 
Of  Hit 

yWVM«»TT  OY  IVWROIS 


COPYRIGHT. 
CHANCY  Pv.  BARNS, 
1882. 


COPYRIGHT. 
CHANCY  R.  BARNS, 
1884. 

All  Rights  Reserved, 


PREFACE. 


The  want  of  a history  of  our  foreign  missions  has  of  late  been 
felt,  and  occasionally  expressed.  In  attempting  to  supply  this 
want  we  have  made  the  work  as  comprehensive  as  possible, 
including  all  Baptist  foreign  missions,  as  well  British  as  Ameri- 
can, and  embracing  every  period,  from  the  earliest  date  to  the 
present  time.  The  more  recent  operations  here  described  are, 
for  the  most  part,  of  great  general  interest,  but  it  is  now  too 
soon  to  form  a just  estimate  of  their  historical  value.  Truth 
is  the  daughter  of  Time.’^ 

We  have  thought  best  to  consult  the  wants  of  the  many  ratlier 
than  of  the  few.  And  hence  incidents  which  may  be  regarded 
as  beneath  the  dignity  of  history  find  a welcome  place  in  the 
simple  and  familiar  annals  of  our  own  missionaries.  Still,  the 
most  advanced  student  of  missions  will  perhaps  observe  that  we 
have  not  refused  to  solve  any  difiacult  problem  or  to  answer  any 
living  question  that  belongs  to  our  subject. 

Any  history  of  this  kind,  we  are  well  aware,  is  exi)osed  to  the 
charge  of  narrowness  of  views,  and  especially  of  making  too 
much  of  baptism.  This  ordinance,  we  shall  again  be  told,  is 
only  a form.  Yes,  it  is  a form,  and  so  is  the  pond  lily : it  ap- 
pears to  be  a flower  that  lives  and  floats  on  the  surface  of  the 
water  j but  its  stem  aud  roots  lay  hold  on  the  soil  beneath,  on 
vast  telluric  influences  and  on  the  mysterious  life  of  the  whole 
vegetable  world.  In  like  manner,  as  this  volume  abundantly 
proves,  true  baptism  is  vitally  and  fixedly  connected  with  the 
power  of  Christ’s  resurrection,  with  universal  obedience,  the 
Great  Commission  and  the  conversion  of  all  nations. 


795191 


IV 


PREFACE. 


l>nt  wliil(‘-  llio.  v^rifor  is  rcqiiirod  to  limit  lii.s  survey  to  P»n])tist 
tdn'if^nj  missions,  In*  is  not  Mind  to  tli(‘.  aelii(‘vements  of  mission- 
;ni(‘S  of  olh(‘r  names.  So  far  tVom  it,  lie  lias  deiived  slren^dli 
and  eonra^e  tVom  tlie  tlion^lit-  tliat,  liowevm*  linmhle  Ids  own 
S(‘rvi(U‘s,  lie  n(‘V(‘rtlieless  Im'Ioii^s  to  tliat  ^ii-eat  army  of  niission- 
ari(‘s  Avlios(‘,  eominests  and  trinmplis  tin*  niornin^^  ever  se(‘s  in 
advance,  as  sli(‘-  runs  her  career  ai’onnd  the  world. 

Onr  f»rat(‘fnl  aeknowh'd *;ni(‘nts  are  din^  to  Ik  15.  I'ndeihill, 
ICs(|.,  LL.  I).,  Honorary  Seercdary  of  tin*  Ilaptist.  ^Missionary 
Society,  of  London;  to  A.  II.  llayin's,  Ks(|.,  Lli.  I).,  (Icmeral 
Secretary  of  th(‘  sann*.  soeicdy ; to  tin*  Lev.  J.  X.  Murdock,  I). 
I).,  Corr(‘S])ondin^’  S(‘eretary  of  the  Amei  iean  LaptistAIissionaiy 
Union,  of  Lostoii;  to  tin*,  Ihiv.  II.  A.  Tnpp(‘r,  I).  I).,  author  of 
the  admiral)h‘,  History  of  tin*,  Uoi(M;L,ni  ^Missions  of  tin*  Sonth(*rn 
llaptist  Convention  and  Correspond injj;*  S<*eretary  of  the  forei;(n 
work  of  the  Convention;  to  Professor  AVilliam  (lamnudl,  the 
elegant  author  of  the  History  of  the  earlier  periods  of  the,  Ilaji- 
tist  foreign  missions;  and  to  the  Rev.  S.  f\  Smith,  I).  1).,  whose*, 
missionary  letters  and  sketeh(*s  shine  Avith  the  ])0(‘t’s  sniiernal 
light.  To  the  imhlished  Avritings  of  all  the  authors  aboAT. 
named,  we  are  indebted  for  Amlnable  historic  and  biograjdiical 
materials.  f)iir  grateful  regards  are  likeAvise  due  to  the  Kev.  C. 
11.  Carpenter,  J).  1).,  author  of  ‘CSelf-IIelp  in  Passein,”  to  Kev. 
H.  AV.  Pierson,  author  of  the  noAV  A'ery  rare  American  Alission- 
ary  Memorial,’^  and  to  several  others,  for  A^aluable  engravings 
copied  into  this  Aa^lume. 

Our  prayer  is  that  many  of  our  readers,  who  are  now  perhaits 
plucking  wayside  flowers,  may  lift  up  their  eyes  and  look  on  the 
ripe  harvest-fields  which  are  to-day  brought  near  them,  enter 
and  reap,  receive  wages  and  gather  fruit  unto  life  eternal. 

G.  AY.  H. 


CONTENTS 


Page. 

INTKODUCTION, xiii 

I.  WILLIAM  CAKEY  AND  THE  MISSION  IN  HINDUSTAN,  1 

11.  PLANTING  THE  ACOKN, 6 

HI.  THE  GROWTH  OF  CAREA^’S  MISSION, 15 

IV.  DEBATES  AND  VICTORIES, 21 

V.  VICISSITUDES  OF  MISSIONARA"  LIFE, 27 

VI.  THE  WORK  IN  ENGLAND, 43 

VH.  WILLIAM  WARD  AND  THE  PRINTING-HOUSE  AT 

SERAMPORE, 51 

VHI.  BRAHMA  AND  THE  RELIGION  OF  HINDUSTAN, 61 

IX.  A FURTHER  ANAIA'SIS  OF  BRAHMINISM, 77 

X.  HINDU  CASTES  AND  CUSTOMS, 87 

XL  STRANGE  GODS  AND  THEIR  WORSHIP, 96 

XII.  /.DONIRAM  JUDSON  AND  THE  MISSION  IN  BURMAII,  107 
XHI.  GAUTAMA  AND  THE  RELIGION  OF  BURMAII, 117 

XIV.  THE  LIFE  OF  JUDSON  IN  THE  PALACE  AND  IN  THE 

PRISON, 13U 

XV.  BRUISED,  BUT  NOT  FORSAKEN, 144 

XVI.  THE  RELEASE  OF  JUDSON  AND  HIS  SUBSEQUENT 

CAREER, 152 

XVH.  THE  LAST  DAA^S  OF  A LIFE  OF  SACRIFICES, 163 

XVHI.  LUTHER  RICE  AND  IHS  SERVICES  AT  HOME  AND 

ABROAD, 172 

XIX.  THE  BAPTIST  TRIENNIAL  CONVENTION, 186 

XX.  LOTT  CAREA"  AND  THE  AFRICAN  MISSION, 199 

XXL  THE  CLiMATE,  SCENERA^  AND  PRODUCTIONS  OF 

INDIA, 208 

XXH.  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  REV.  JOHN  CHAMBERLAIN,  218 

XXHI.  THE  REV.  DR.  MARSHMAN  OF  SERAMPORE, 226 

XXIV.  SIR  HENRY  HAVELOCK,  THE  CHRISTIAN  SOLDIER,  212 
V XXV.  BOARDMAN,  THE  FOUNDER  OF  THE  KAREN  MISSION,  263 


vi  CONTENTS. 

Pagt. 

XXVI.  MRS.  AXX  IIASSET/rrXE  .TUDSOX, 277 

XXVir.  MRS.  SARAH  r.OARDMAX  .TCDSOX, 201 

XXVIir.  MRS.  KMII.Y  C.  JITDSOX 30J 

XXIX.  EUGEXIO  KIXCAII),  THE  BURMAX  EVAXCIEMST,  :no 

XXX.  THE  REV.  GROVER  S.  COMSTOCK  AXI)  ARRACAX,  .TIO 

XXXI.  MRS.  SARAH  DAVIS  COMSTOCK 

XXXH.  MR.  VIX'I'OX  AXI)  THE  KE.MMEXDIXE  MISSIOX,  Tm 

XXXIH.  MRS.  VIXTOX  AXD  THE  KAREXS, :i(J8 

XXXIV.  THE  KAREXS  OF  THE  GOLDEX  CHERSOXESE,  37(> 

XXXV.  REV.  DR.  FRAXCIS  MASOX, 

XXXVI.  MRS.  H.  :\I.  G.  MASOX 107 

XXXVH.  WADE,  BIXXEY,  ABBOTT,  BEECHER  AXD  CAR- 

PEXTER, 417 

XXXVHI.  THE  TWO  KAREN  APOSTLES, 413 

XXXIX.  THE  REV.  HOWARD  MALCOLM,  D.D.,  LL.D., 

XL.  JOXES  AXD  DEAX  OF  SIAM, 4G1 

XLI.  MISSIONS  IN  SIAM  AXD  SHAXLAND, 47U 

XLII.  THE  RELIGIONS  OF  CHINA, 481 

XLTII.  MISSIONS  IX  CHINA, .GOO 

XLIV.  JAPAN,  ITS  RELIGIONS  AXD  MISSIONS 530 

XLV.  BRITISH  MISSIONS  IN  HIXDCSTAN,  CEYLON  AXD 

ORISSA 541 

XLVI.  THE  RELIGIONS  OF  AFRICA, 557 

XLVH.  SKINNER,  CROCKER  AXD  BOWEN,  OF  THE  AFRI- 
CAN MISSION 

XLVHI.  MISSIONS  OF  THE  BRITISH  BAPTISTS  IN  THE 

WEST  INDIES, 611 

XLIX.  THE  ASSAM  AXD  TELUGU  MISSIONS, 630 

L.  THE  AMERICAN  BAPTIST  FREE  MISSIOX  SOCIETY,  676 
LI.  MISSIONS  IX  FRANCE,  BRITTANY  AXD  GERMANY,  681 
LH.  MISSIONS  IN  DENMARK,  NORWAY  AXD  SWEDEN,  707 

LHI.  MISSIONS  IN  GREECE,  ITALY  AXD  SPAIN, 726 

LIV.  WOMEN'S  FOREIGN  MISSION  SOCIETIES, 750 

LV.  FINAL  INQUIRIES  AND  CAUTIONS, 767 

APPENDIX, 783 

INDEX, 795 


OF  T!^E 


■'THE  CONSECRA’-ED  COBBLER 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 
9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 
21. 
22. 

23. 

24. 

25. 

26. 

27. 

28. 

29. 

30. 

31. 


Page. 

THE  CONSECRATED  COBBLER,* Frontispiece. 

THE  DOVE  OF  PEACE,  Vignette* Title  page. 

WILLIAM  CAREY,  Portrait,  * 3 

ANDREW  FULLER,  Portrait,  t 7 

OUTWARD  BOUND, 10 

AN  INDIGO  FACTORY, 13 

THE  GODDESS  KUANON, 14 

MISSION  PREMISES  AT  SERAMPORE, 15 

KRISHNA  PAL 16 

MINIATURE  TEMPLE, 20 

TYPES  OP  THIRTEEN  LANGUAGES, 30 

ENGLISH  WILD  FLOWERS, 39 

HOUSE  AT  KETTERING, 42 

PALANQUIN  TRAVEL  IN  INDIA, 50 


WILLIAM  WARD,  Portrait,  f 53 

HINDU  PALM-LEAF  BOOK  AND  STYLE, 59 

CAR  OP  JUGGERNAUT,... 60 

BRAHMA, 7 63 

VISHNU, 65 

SHIVA, 67 

HANUMAT, 73 

THE  R AM AYAN A PLAY,  * 74 

A GHAUT  ON  THE  GANGES, 75 

ANOTHER  REPRESENTATION  OF  BRAHMA, 78 

SHIVA  ON  THE  SACRED  BULL, 83 

PRAYING  PARROTS, 86 

A HINDU  SUTTEE, 93 

THE  GODDESS  KALI, 97 

LUCKSHME,  WIFE  OP  JUGGERNAUT, 98 

GATEWAY  OF  THE  TEMPLE  OP  JUGGERNAUT, 99 


ANOTHER  VIEW  OF  THE  CAR  OF  JUGGERNAUT,...  100 


Viii  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

.T2.  DROWNING  THE  RARY 101 

SAUGOK  ISLAND, I0:{ 

M.  TEMl’LE  OF  KATJ,  AT  CAT.CUTTA 101 

:35.  PROCESSION  ON  THE  GANGES  IN  HONOR  OF  (lAN- 

ESA, 

M.  THE  CUSHION  OF  SPIKES, 10(J 

:37.  ADONIRAM  JUDSON,  Portrait* 100 

:38.  THE  JUDSON  HOMESTEAD,! HI 

,‘30.  GAUTAMA, 110 

40.  RUDDIEST  SHRINE  AND  O'EMFLE 121 

41.  CAVE  TEMPLE  AT  CARLEE, IJl 

42.  JUDSON  IN  PRISON  AT  OUNG-FEN-LA i:3U 

4:3.  ARREST  OF  MR.  JUDSON, 141 

44.  MR.  JUDSON  PEGGING  MILK  FOR  HIS  RAF.E L'lO 

45.  JUDSON  AND  THE  LAS'P  LEAF  OF  THE  I3URMAN  RIFLE  102 

4G.  HINDUS  CARRAHNG  OFFERINGS  TO  AN  IDOL, 180 

47.  REV.  AVM.  STOUGHTON,  D.D.,  Portrait, 188 

48.  REV.  RICHARD  FURMAN,  D.D.,  Portrait, 105 

40.  HINDUS  RRINGING  OFFERINGS  TO  A DRIEST 108 

50.  AFRICAN  FOLIAGE, 108i 

.51.  A VILLAGE  ON  THE  NIGER, 108i 

52.  “WHITHER,” 100 

53.  A HINDU  RURNING  PLACE, 212 

,54.  AN  ADJUTANT, 213 

55.  HINDU  FAMILY 217 

56.  THE  TAJ  MAHAL, 221 

57.  GATEWAY  OF  THE  TAJ, 223 

58.  MINARET  AT  DELHI, 225 

59.  GOVERNMENT  BUILDINGS,  CALCUTTA, 220 

60.  REV.  JOSHUA  MARSHMAN,  D.D.,  Portrait,* 2.33 

61.  RAMMOHUN  ROY,  PorirmL 237 

62.  BARRAKPORE, 238 

63.  BRAHMIN  WORSHIP  ON  THE  GANGES, 241 

64.  GREAT  PAGODA  OF  SHWAY  DAGONG 242 

65.  HENRY  HAVELOCK,  Portrait,^ 243 

66.  CABOOL, 249 

67.  HOUSE  OF  MASSACRE,  CAWNPORE, 256 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS.  ix 

GS.  SHRINE  AT  CAWNPORE, 258 

G9.  NANA  SAHIB,  Portrait^ 2G0 

70.  GEORGE  D.  BOARDMAN,  Portrait^ 2G4 

71.  A BURMESE  ZAYAT, 270 

72.  KAREN  MISSION  COMPOUND  AT  MAULMAIN, 273 

73.  BAPTISM  OF  KARENS, 274 

74.  TEMPLE  AT  MAIIABALIPOORAM, 27G 

75.  ANN  HASSELTINE  JUDSON,  Portrait, \ 279 

7G.  MRS.  JUDSON’S  VISIT  TO  HER  HUSBAND  IN  PRISON, 

WITH  LITTLE  MARIA, 2SG 

77.  BOATING  ON  THE  IRRAWADDA^  RIVER, 288 

78.  THE  GRAVE  OF  ANN  H.  JUDSON,* 290 

79.  MISSIONARIES  ATTACKED  BY  PIRATES,*. 299 

80.  MRS.  EMILY  C.  JUDSON,  Portrait,^ 305 

81.  ‘ PAGODA  AT  MAULMAIN, 311 

82.  DURGA,  CONSORT  OF  SHIVA, 315 

83.  EUGENIO  KINCAID,  Portrait, 317 

84.  A BURMESE  COURT  OF  JUSTICE, 321 

85.  A YOUNG  CATHAYAN  HELPING  MR.  KINCAID  TO 

ESCAPE, 329 

86.  REV.  GROVER  S.  COMSTOCK,  Portrait, 341 

87.  A KAREN  VILLAGE, 347 

88.  AN  OLD-FASHIONED  HINDU  VILLAGE  SCHOOL, Ulh 

89.  A STATE  PROCESSION  IN  INDIA, 347^ 

90.  MRS.  SARAH  DAVIS  COMSTOCK,  Portrait, 348 

91.  RETURNING  FROM  A SACRIFICE, 354 

92  KO  THAH-A,  Portrait, 355 

93.  REV.  JUSTUS  H.  VINTON,  Portrait, 357 

94.  ELEPHANT  TRAVEL, 363 

95.  INDRU,  KING  OF  MINOR  DEITIES, 367 

96.  MRS.  CALISTA  HOLMAN  VINTON,  Portrait, 369 

97.  AN  UNWELCOME  VISITOR, 371 

98.  VISHNU  ON  HIS  SERPENT  COUCH, 375 

99.  SCHOOL  FOR  KAREN  GIRLS,  TOUNGOO, 387 

100.  KAREN  NORMAL  SCHOOL,  TOUNGOO, 391 

101.  HINDU  CONCEPTION  OF  THE  UNIVERSE, 394 

102.  REV.  FRANCIS  MASON,  D.D.,  Portrait,* 397 


X LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

in:L  A MISSIONARY'S  (IKAVE 417 

lOl.  REV.  .TONATIIAN  WADE,  D.D.,  Portrait, 418 

105.  MOUNG  SIIWAY  MOUNG,  Portrait 421 

100.  REV.  ELISHA  L.  AIHIOTT,  Portrait, 423 

107.  JNIAIJ  YAY,  l^ortrait, 425 

108.  REV.  .70IIN  S.  BEECHER,  Portrait, 431 

100.  ROUGH  BOAI’ING, 433 

110.  KAREN  MISSION  HOUSE,  B.ASSEIN, 430 

111.  GIRLS’  SCHOOL  HOUSE,  BASSE  IN 411 

112.  KO  THAH-BYU  MEMORIAL  HALL 415 

113.  BIRTH-PLACE  OF  SAU  QUALA, 4.52 

114.  VIEW  OF  BANGKOK, 103 

115.  REV.  WILLIAM  DEAN,  Portrait,* 400 

110.  MRS.  MARIA  MAINE  DEAN.* 470 

117.  THE  WHITE  ELEPHANT  OF  SIAM, 171i 

118.  PORTAL  TO  ROALVL  AUDIENCE  HALL,  BANCiKOK...  172 

119.  A SIAMESE  PRINCE  ROYAT>, 171 

120.  WHEELBARROW  TRAVEL  IN  CHINA, 480 

121.  DRUM  AND  GONGS  OF  A CHINESE  TEMPLE 482 

122.  WRITING  AND  SALE  OF  PRAYERS  AND  CHARMS,....  487 

123.  CHINESE  BUDDHA, 401 

124.  THE  WORSHIP  OF  ANCESTORS, 470 

125.  CHINESE  GODDESS  OF  MERCA^ 408 

120.  A CHINAMAN’S  FIRST  ATTEMPT  TO  WORSHIP  JESUS,  504 

127.  REV.  J.  LEMTS  SHUCK,  Portrait,* 510 

128.  A BOWL  OF  RICE, 520 

129.  CHINESE  SENDING  A PAPER  PRAYER  TO  HEAVEN,  5.33 

130.  JAPANESE  BONZES, 5.39 

131.  DAI  BLITZ,  AN  IDOL  OF  JAPAN, .541 

132.  STANDING  DEVOTEE 54U 

133.  DEVOTEE  WITH  A STIFF  ARM, 54U 

134.  DEVOTEE  WITH  T5VO  STIFF  ARMS 54U 

135.  A BABE  EXPOSED  TO  VULTURES, 54U 

136.  TEMPLES  AT  BENARES, 542 

137.  RUINS  OF  BEJAPOOR, 542 

138.  A COLLEGE  AT  CxiLCUTTA, 543 

139.  THE  LAST  PRINCE  OF  DELHI, 545 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS.  xi 

140.  A STREET  IN'  DELHI, 648 

141.  VIEW  IN  BOMBAY, 548 

142.  AN  IDOL  OF  CEYLON, 650 

143.  A PEARL  MERCHANT  OF  CEYLON 552 

141.  DRESSING  JUGGERNAUT, 654 

145.  A HINDU  RAJAH, 655 

146.  PERILS  OF  MISSIONARY  TRAVEL, 557 

147.  A POPULAR  AMERICAN  FETICH, 558 

148.  NIAM-NIAMS,  WITH  AKKA,  OR  PIGMY, 566 

119.  A GROUP  OF  FAKIRS, 567 

150.  A CAMP  OF  ARAB  SLAVE  TRADERS, 568 

151.  MAHOMETANS  OF  INDIA, 572 

152.  MOSQUE  OF  AURUNGZEBE, 575 

153.  ARAB  CHILDREN  LEARNING  TO  WRITE, 581 

154.  WILLIAM  G.  CROCKER,  Por^ra^V 587 

155.  EXECUTION  FOR  WITCHCRAFT 590 

156.  ARABS, 598 

157.  FANTEE  WARRIORS 600^ 

158.  A FREQUENT  OBSTACLE, 607 

159.  BAMBOO 610 

160.  A DEVOTEE'S  LEAP, 635 

161.  TELUGU  MISSION  CHAPEL  AT  ONGOLE, 647 

162.  VILLAGE  COSTUMES,  SOUTHERN  INDIA, 651 

163.  EDUCATED  HIGH-CASTE  TELUGUS, 655 

164.  BRAHMIN  TEMPLES  ON  PRAYER-MEETING  HILL,. . . 659 

165.  PRIESTS  OF  THE  TEMPLE  OP  VISHNU, 661 

166.  BAPTISMAL  SCENE  AT  ONGOLE,* 664i 

167.  REV.  JOHN  E.  CLOUGH,  Portrait* 669 

168.  MISSIONARY  TENT  LIFE, 671 

169.  MR.  CLOUGH'S  HOUSE  AT  ONGOLE,t 674 

170.  A WAR  ELEPHANT, 675 

171.  BAPTIST  CHAPEL  IN  PARIS, 690 

172.  REV.  J.  G.  ONCKEN,  Portrait* 705 

173.  COAST  SCENE,  NORWAY, 712 

174.  A CHURCH  IN  NORWAY, 714 

175.  BRAHMIN  TEACHERS  AND  PUPILS, 725 

176.  A GREEK  PATRIARCH, 727 


xii  T.IST  OF  ILLUSTKATIONS. 


177.  ULYSSES  TSI.E,  (.'OKFU, 7.10 

178.  PEASANTS  OF  COPFU, 7:{2 

171).  P.EV.  JONAir  G.  AVAKREX,  J'ortrnif  * 751 

180.  INTERIOR  OF  A HINDU  DWELLING 7511 

181.  A HINDU  VILLAGE, 7.50 

182.  ZENANA  TEACHING, 700 

1811.  DEVA  DASI,  OR  DANCING  GIRT>, 700 

181.  THE  STEAMEIi  HENRY  REED 701 

185.  LEOPOLDVIT.LE  STATION,  S'fANLEY  PGOl. 703 

ISO.  REV.  A.  V.  TIMPANAL  Portrnif  * 800 

I''ngravc(l  expressly  f*)r  this  volume  hy  .\.  M.  lOaiicharO  SI.  Louis, 
f Engraved  expressly  for  this  volume  by  J’.  .1.  Mur])hy. 


SCHEDULE  OF  PAGES  IN  THE  VOLUAIE. 


Pages  Eegnlarly  Numbered  - - - 820 

Front  Matter,  i to  xx,  . . - - 20 

Inset  Pages  and  Pages  of  Engravings 

not  included  in  numbering  - - . 44 

Total  number  of  pages  - - - 884 


INTRODUCTION. 


We  are  living  in  a century  of  missionary  work  such  as  no 
previous  age  of  the  Christian  Church  has  witnessed.”  A 
cursory  glance  at  Christain  missions  proves  the  truth  of  these 
words  of  Christlieb.  Before  this  century^  in  modern  times,  but 
little  had  been  done  in  giving  the  Gospel  to  heathen  nations. 
Before  the  day  of  William  Carey,  no  attemx)t  was  made  to  call 
general  attention  to  the  duty  of  Christians  to  herald  universally 
the  Great  Salvation.  Occasionally  an  earnest,  blazing  soul 
broke  out  and  rose  above  the  ordinary  dead  level  of  indifference 
and  ignorance  concerning  the  heathen  world.  Xavier  and 
Schultze,  Schwartz  and  Hans  Egede,  Eliot  and  Brainerd,— all 
self-forgetful,  self-sacrificing  and  heroic, — are  most  eminent  ex- 
amiiles  of  intelligence,  devotion  and  courage  in  their  successful 
efforts  to  make  Christ  known  to  heathen  peoples. 

But  these  renowned  and  honored  missionaries  were  individual 
and  sporadic  instances  of  missionary  zeal  and  comprehensive 
Christian  endeavor,— but  occasional  lights  shot  into  the  dense 
darkness  of  Pagan  night,  and  mostly  with  wide  intervals 
between.  There  were  no  adequate,  permanent  missionary 
organizations  to  support  them  and  to  institutionalize  their  great 
work.  The  missionary  societies  which  did  exist  previously  to 
1792,  with  the  possible  exception  of  the  Moravian,  had  not 
reference  to  heathen  as  such,  I think,  but  to  the  foreign  residents, 
and  to  the  heathen  jieople  in  the  colonies  of  their  respective 
countries. 

But  when  Carey,  manifestly  chosen  by  Divine  Providence  to 
inaugurate  a wider  and  grander  missionary  movement  than  the 
world  had  seen  before,  inspired  by  the  great  truth  with  which 
God  had  pervaded  his  earnest  soul,  that  the  Gosiiel  is  for  every 
human  being,  independently  of  the  accidents  of  race,  realm  or 
time,  came  forth  to  fulfill  his  apostleship  in  modern  Gentile 


XIV 


INTRODUCTION. 


('vniif^eliznf ion,  as  Paul  v*as  nsliorod  in  to  fnllill  liis  in  anciont. 
tiiiK*, — and  vIkmi  Cari'y  liad  braviMl  Ids  vay  on  till  Ids  inoldniid 
inissionaiy  convicdion  and  niMincncliabli'.  zoal,  in  sjdt^*  (d‘  almost 
nidversal  ajiatliy  and  o])])osil ion,  IoiccmI  tlio-  (H-;,ondzat ion  of  tin* 
first  Foreign  JVI issionary  Socioty  of  tin's  cnniicidly  inissionaiy 
a^(‘,  tluj  r>a])tist  Society  of  Jbi^land, — then  ;i  movciiicnt  vas 
started  uldeli  lias  j^one  on  in  evc'i-widenin^  ]>ro;;ress  to  tin*, 
jiresent  tiiM(‘,  and  is  di'stined  to  a sweep  eoinniensnrat(‘-  with 
the  grandeur  of  the  (losiiel  and  of  (lod’s  assurances  of  its 
trininiihs. 

So  ready  are  all  tldn^j^s,  so  oiion  and  rijie  are  all  the  foreif,oi 
fields,  and  so  ehallenfi'eful  are  their  waving  harvc'sts  to  th(‘, 
gleaming  sickles  of  inultipliisl  reaiiers;  so  rapidly  is  the>  con- 
viction growing  among  Christians  at  hom(‘.  that  the*,  broadest 
interiiretatioii  must  be  given  to  Christ’s  last  command  and  to 
Paul’s  confession  of  universal  (hddorshij),  and  that  the  work 
of  preaching  the  Cospel  must  be  wide  and  thorough  enough 
to  touch  the  outmost  lioundary  and  to  satisfy  the  k(‘enest  sense 
of  duty,  and  that  iireacldng  it,  as  a loving  service  to  Cod 
and  man,  must  be  as  tender,  as  tearful,  as  all-eiidiracing  as 
the  heart  of  desns, — it  would  seem  inpiious,  criminal,  cowardly, 
to  doubt  the  continiu'd  glorious  ])rogress  and  the  tinally  all- 
conquering  spiritual  ])ower  of  this  last  missionary  camiiaign,  as 
now  pressed  all  along  the  lines  and  by  all  the  cohorts  of  the  vast 
legions  of  the  Prince  Immanuel. 

We  have  more  than  the  great  principles  and  cardinal  elements 
which  underlie,  pervade  and  vitalize  Christian  missions,  to 
encourage  us  in  their  prosecution,  though  these  were  enough. 
The  Divine  commands,  the  greatness  and  self-assertion  of  the 
Gospel,  the  needs  of  the  perishing,  and  their  right  to  know 
of  the  Great  Eedemption,  from  those  who  have  received  it — the 
love  of  Christ,  hindered  in  its  outflow  by  no  boundaries  which 
Geography  can  flx,  and  by  no  barriers  which  ages,  races  and 
nations  can  uplift — would  seem  enough  to  keep  us  toned  in  mis- 
sionary purpose,  alive  in  zeal,  and  consistent,  earnest  and  hope- 
ful in  action.  But  we  have  the  inspiration  of  marvellous  facts 
and  of  stupendous  victories  for  Christ  j in  modern  foreign  evan- 


mTRODUCTION. 


XV 


gelization,  successes,  yes,  Pentecosts,  as  wonderful  as  Paul  and 
Peter  ever  knew ! Carey,  during  his  forty  years  in  India,  aided 
by  his  coadjutors,  Marshman  and  Ward,  gave  the  Bible,  trans- 
lated into  their  own  tongues  and  thrown  off  from  his  own  mission 
presses,  to  three  hundred  and  thirty  millions  of  heathen  x)eople. 
The  work  begun  by  Adoniram  Judson  in  Burmah,  and  prosecuted 
for  many  years  amid  such  unparalleled  dangers  and  sufferings, 
has  long  since  reached  gigantic  proportions. 

Since  these  missionary  i)ioneers,  representing  the  two  dominant 
Christian  nations  of  the  earth,  began  their  labors,  missions  have 
rapidly  multiplied,  gifts  have  vastly  increased,  great  numbers 
of  men  aiid  women  have  gone  forth,  into  nearly  all  the  tongues 
of  heathen  and  Mahometan  nations  the  Bible  has  been  trans- 
lated. Schools,  colleges  and  seminaries  have  been  planted  in  all 
these  fields,  and  many  hundreds  of  thousands  of  idolaters  have 
forsaken  their  gods  and  embraced  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and 
have  become  His  obedient  disciples.  All  the  great  quarters  of 
the  globe,  and  the  more  notable  islands  of  all  the  sea,  have  been 
reached  by  the  missionaries  of  the  Cross.  Obstacles  have  given 
way,  and  the  gates  of  the  nations  have  been  swung  open  before 
them.  The  most  of  heathen  and  Mahometan  Asia,  all  its  great 
empires,  h'hve  been  made  the  theatre  for  missionary  work,  and 
on  some  of  these  fields  the  triunii)hs  have  been  truly  marvellous. 
In  the  Pacific  and  Southern  Archipelagoes,  once  so  dark  and 
brutal,  the  light  of  the  Gospel  now  shines,  and  in  many  of  these 
islands  Christianity  is  now  the  supreme  religion.  The  followers 
of  Christ  there  are  now  counted  by  the  scores  of  thousands.  In 
IS’orthern,  Southern  and  Western  Africa,  missions  have  made 
great  progress. 

And  now  Central  Africa,  the  last  great  section  of  the  globe 
lying  in  undisturbed  heathenism  for  all  the  centuries  past,  is 
thrown  open  to  Christian  nations  by  Livingstone  and  Stanley. 
A hundred  and  fifty  millions  of  people,  till  Avithin  eight  years 
almost  entirely  unknown  to  the  world,  are  thrown  up  to  univer- 
sal view  by  their  Avell-nigh  super-human  exploits.  In  his  march 
of  nine  hundred  and  ninety-nine  days,  from  Zanzibar  across  the 
continent  to  the  mouth  of  the  Congo,  Stanley  saw  not  one  Chris- 


\V1 


TNTKODrrTTON. 


linii  nor  (mo,  of  nil  tlio  fifty  iiiillioiis  iiiluibil iri^  tlio  ooiiiilrv 

li(‘  trjiV(“rso(l,  who  Imd  over  lionid  of  tli(‘  (los|>ol.  l)oiis(‘,  dni  K, 
oni(‘l  lM‘nth(misiii,  iinhi-okim  niid  iiiinl Inokod,  brooded  over  niid 
orushod  down  those*  inillions,  foi*  whom  Livin^^stono  died  nnd 
whos(‘.  sav;i^^(‘ry  Stnnloy  binv(‘d.  Ibit  tin'  woik  of  disoovoiy 
and  i>(‘ao(‘ablo  intor-dwollinji-,  whothor  for  ^ain  or  (dii  ist,  is  dono. 
I0lhio])iai  str(*tohos  out  hor  hands  unto  (lod.  Mon  and  women 
who  love  (lod  jne  h(‘arin^^  the  h(‘art-eri(‘s  of  th(>s(‘  millions,  who, 
in  th(*mselv(‘S  .and  in  th(*ii'  eiiaaimstanees,  have  vast  ('hristian 
])ossibilities  ; and  are  imshin^^  in  to  tell  tln'in  that  (lod  loves 
them  and  llis  tSon  has  di<*d  for  them.  When  the*  tribes  of 
Central  Africa  are  one(‘,  fuiiiished  with  missionari(‘s,  and  tin* 
Christian  world  knows  them,  inays  and  j^ivt's  for  them,  even  as 
now  for  the  other  ])oi  tions  of  ^Vfriea,  for  Asia,  and  for  I'olynesiji 
and  the  vast  island  world  of  tin*.  South  Se^as,  ltM*n  the  woik  of 
universal  evangelization  Avill  have  be(*n  faiily  b(‘;,nin,  and  Cod’s 
])eoi)le  may  liope  for  hn-<i’er  and  larj^c'r  eominests  foi*  .b'sns,  till 
the  morniiif*'  eometh  which  ushers  in  tin*  glorious  day  of  his 
iindisi)uted  dominion. 

Ibit  the  work  to  be  done,  bedbn*.  (.'hrist’s  sway  shall  have  b(‘en 
made  eomjilete,  demands  yet  broader  pni  jioses, bolder  hands  and 
bi'jiver  liearts.  Etlbrts  eommensnrat(‘  with  the  ^i-eatm'ss  of  tin* 
task  can  only  come  with  a lar^’(‘ness  of  view  and  an  intenseness 
of  devotion  begotten  by  the  thought  that  ^^The  ti(‘Id  is  the 
world. Eight  hundred  and  fifty  millions  of  human  beings  yet 
nnevangelized  is  a treinendons  motor  to  Christian  men  and 
women  who  fully  take  in  the  thonght.  As  yet,  territorially, 
Ileatheiubnn  almost  immeasurably  overlajis  Christendom.  In 
watching  the  cimqnering  march  of  the  dominant  and  ever 
aggressive  Caucasian  race,  we  are  in  danger  of  forgetting  that 
it  constitutes  but  a fragment  of  the  human  family.  In  seeing 
the  amazing  advance  Christianity  is  making  in  these  modern 
days,  by  the  glare  and  glory  thereof,  we  are  exiiosed  to  the  peril 
of  not  seeing  the  seven  tenths  of  the  world’s  pox)nlation 
yet  in  heathenism.  Feeling  the  power,  and  impressed  by  the 
rightful  dominance  of  Christianity,  we  are  in  danger  of  conclud- 
ing that  all  heathen  systems  of  religion  are  effete  and  in  rapid 


INTRODUCTION. 


XVll 


decay.  The  heathen  religions,  so  old,  and  holding  such  uncount- 
ed myriads  in  their  grasp,  must  finally  give  way,  and  perhai)S 
some  of  them  already  begin  to  show  signs  of  self-confessed 
weakness  and  of  self-adjudged  deformity.  But  not  yet  do  we 
see  them  much  shorn  of  their  strength,  nor  much  abridged  in 
their  sway.  Mahometanism  and  Buddhism  especially  still  show 
great  vitality,  aggressiveness  and  success,  even  when  working 
side  by  side  with  Christianity.  In  the  conflict  they  are  not 
abashed  and  seem  not  weary.  Even  Fetichism  still  holds  in  its 
most  degrading  bondage  vast  millions  of  the  human  race.  But 
the  Man  of  Sm  at  length  must  bow  to  Christ.  All  nations  must 
confess  the  supremacy  of  Jesus.  England  and  the  United 
States,  the  two  most  eminent  Christian  nations  of  the  earth, 
came  forth  from  a genesis  of  heathenism,  loathesome  and  blight- 
ing. We  have  been  made  Christian  by  the  touch  and  i)Ower  of 
Christ’s  Gospel  in  the  hands  of  missionaries  sent  to  our  common 
ancestry.  We  must  transform  other  heathen  nations  by  the 
same  means. 

The  missionary  spirit  of  the  Baptist  denomination  is  its 
greatest  strength,  and  its  missionary  record  its  greatest  glory. 
Without  boastfulness,  and  with  no  fear  of  being  misunderstood 
or  intelligently  disputed,  it  may  be  said  that  Bai)tists,  though 
perhaps  having  fewer  missionaries  and  certainly  contributing  less 
money  to  Foreign  Missions  than  several  other  great  denomina- 
tions in  this  country  and  Great  Britain,  are  second  to  none  in  mis- 
sionary success.  Their  successes  among  the  Karens  in  Burmah 
and  the  Telugus  in  India  are  confessedly  without  a parallel  in 
missionary  annals,  modern  or  primitiv'e.  A history  of  our  mis- 
sions, like  this,  covering  the  efforts  and  results  of  both  English 
and  American  Bax)tists,  of  all  designations,  on  foreign  fields,  is  a 
desideratum.  It  is  needed  to  instruct  the  young  in  our  churches 
and  the  children  in  our  Sunday-schools  in  the  greatest  work  our 
denomination  is  doing,  and  to  familiarize  our  peoi)le  generally 
with  the  inspiring  facts  of  our  signally  successful  missionary 
history.  Especially  has  such  a work  a place  in  our  denomina- 
tional history  in  order  to  call  attention  to  what  seems  to  be 
carelessness  in  others  as  to  the  facts  pertaining  to  the  Baptists ; 


will 


INTRODUCTTON. 


if  not  Ji  f('n(l(‘iicy  to  sii])i)r(*ss,  or  at  Irast  to  tonrli  very  li;^lilly 
tli(‘  most  salient  ])oints  in  tlieir  sneeesses  on  tnr(‘i;;n  ti«*l<ls. 

It  is  not  without  si;4nitiean<*(‘  that  the  T.isliop  of  Ossory,  tlie 
lii^iit  Rev.  Ihikcailiam  ^^'aIsll,  I ).!).,  in  liis  iceeiif.  l)0(»k, 
“ JMo(l(‘rn  JIero(‘s  of  lli(‘.  Mission  I'iehl,”  ;;ives  the  place  ()f  Iioimh’ 
in  his  exe(‘llent  bio^^raphies  to  Henry  Martyn,  and  not  to  NN'illiani 
(hir(‘y,  and  dedends  th(‘,  sectarian  collocation  of  these  eiiNiHOit 
and  sainted  names  by  savin;:-,  ‘‘It.  is  most  natural,  and  api)ro- 
])riat(3  also,  eonsiderin;:’  tin*  imr]K)se,  for  which  thes(‘,  sketches 
wm-e  writtmi,  that  a immilxM' of  the  (’hnreh  of  lbi;:hind  should 
enjoy  this  distinction.” 

The  Scdmlf-IIerzo;^  IbieyelopCMlia,  jinblished  in  1SS;5,  in  its 
;;’eneral  article  on  ]\I issions,  is  eontmit  t<>  mention  onr  missions 
ainoipi^  the  Karens  and  T(*bi;:ns,  with  tin*  dates  (d’  their  or;:aniz- 
ation  ; it  has  no  S(‘parate  noti*,  and  no  intimation  of  the  wonder- 
ful work  of  the  (lospel  amon;,^  the.  Tebi;:ns  nndei’  onr  baptist 
missionaries.  J>nt  the  er(*dit  awardc'd  by  ('hiistlieb,  in  his 
remarkably  excellent  work  on  .Missions,  is  an  otVset  to  this  bare, 
allusion:  “ It  is  without  iiarallel  that  the.  American  I>ai)tists 
bajitized  iu  one-and-a-lialf  months  (the  Ihth  of  Jiimi  to  the,  .‘Hst 
of  duly,  1878,)  eight  thousand  six  hiindriMl  and  ninety-oiu'  hea- 
then in  ^sAdlore.”  Ilis  only  oversight  is  in  not  putting  Ongoh; 
in  place  of  Xellore.  Herzog’s  article  on  the  Karens  is  tame 
when  compared  with  the  general  article  on  ^Missions  in  the  orig- 
inal German  edition  of  Herzog,  published  in  18.78.  In  the  latter 

e read  that  the  Avork  among  the  Karens  is  so  glorious  as  the 
history  of  Missions  scarcely  anyAvhere  else  presents,”  and  “ as 
well  nigh  the  fairest  and  most  blessed  among  all  the  uussions  of 
the  world.” 

The  last  edition  of  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  in  its  gen- 
eral article  on  Missions,  ignores  the  services  of  Judson  in  Bnr- 
mah,  robs  Carey  and  Marshman  of  all  credit  of  founding  British 
missions  in  India,  and  makes  them  the  pioneer  missionaries  of 
Burmah  ! The  author  of  this  article  also  gives  all  the  credit  of 
our  unexampled  success  among  the  Telugus  to  the  missionaries 
of  Pedo-baptist  societies. 

Another  error  is  persistently  republished.  We  are  still  told 
that  Dr.  Morrison  was  the  first  to  translate  the  Bible  into  Chi- 


INTRODUCTION. 


XIX 


nese  j whereas  it  is  demonstrated  by  Mr.  Hervey  that  Dr.  Marsh- 
man  was  the  first  to  translate  the  wliole  Bible  into  that  language. 
Dr.  Morrison’s  version  was  not  only  second  in  the  order  of 
time,  but  it  was  in  part  confessedly  borrowed  from  Homan 
Catholic  sources.  Other  current  errors  are  corrected  by  Mr. 
Hervey.  It  is  well  that  these  blunders,  whether  they  result 
from  carelessness,  ignorance  or  narrowness,  be  corrected. 

I think  no  effort  has  ever  before  been  made  to  i)lace  in  the 
hands  of  the  universal  Baptist  family  a comprehensive,  illus- 
trated, i)opular  history  of  its  Missions  in  Foreign  Lands.  We 
have  histories  of  our  English  Baptist  missions,  and  of  our 
American  ones,  but  no  work  which  brings  down  the  record  to 
the  present  time,  as  is  done  so  ably  and  attractively  in  this 
work.  The  book  is  in  good  form  and  substance,  and  is  issued 
by  the  publisher  in  superior  mechanical  taste  and  skill.  Mr. 
Barns  is  to  be  congratulated  upon  his  originality  and  enterprise 
in  i)rojecting  and  issuing  so  valuable  a book,  and  for  securing 
one  so  comiietent  as  Mr.  Hervey  to  furnish  him  the  letterpress 
and  to  aid  him  in  selecting  fit  illustrations. 

As  an  author,  Mr.  Hervey  is  at  once  practical  and  profound. 
His  originality  occupies  itself  with  objects  of  Christian  utility, 
and  is  guided  by  sound  and  various  knowledge.  In  his  “ System 
of  Christian  Ehetoric,”  he  is  the  first,  and  I believe  he  is  the 
last,  to  reduce  Homiletics  to  a scientific  method  and  to  establish 
it  upon  authorities  which  are  universal  and  supreme.  The 
British  editor  of  one  of  his  works,  in  preparing  it  for  issue  in 
England,  says  that  he  ranks  with  Lord  Bacon  for  the  rare 
wisdom  of  his  maxims.  We  may  add  that  Mr.  Hervey  has 
done  for  Homiletics,  by  his  System  of  Christian  Ehetoric, 
what  Lord  Bacon  has  done  for  natural  sciences  by  his 
Novum  Organum.  Mr.  Hervey  has  been  for  many  years  de- 
voted to  evangelical  literature  in  general,  and  the  present 
volume  is  his  first  and  only  denominational  work.  And  of 
the  i^resent  book  the  intelligent  reader  can  judge  for  himself. 
It  is  full  of  choice  matter,  skilfully  arranged,  and  conveyed 
in  a clear  and  animated  style.  He  treats  the  subject  with 
great  breadth  of  view,  and  gives  us  the  valuable  results  of 
much  reading,  during  many  years,  in  the  great  libraries  of 


XX 


INTRODUCTION. 


England  and  America.  Tlie  book  is  frangiit  with  Imman  iiit<‘r- 
est,  and  the  reader’s  attention  is  attiaef(‘d  and  lH‘ld,  from  ]>ag(i  <(» 
l)age,  l)y  tlie  vari(dy  and  freshn(‘ss  of  tlie,  matter,  as  well  as  hy 
oeeasional  gleams  of  Immor,  and  by  ineichmts  that  evince  a 
lively  syni])athy  with  human  nature. 


A.  11.  EUKLINdllAM. 


New  York,  Dee.  loth,  1881. 


CHAPTER  I. 


WILLIAM  CAEEY  AND  THE  MISSION  IN  HINDUSTAN. 

Scene  in  the  Shoe-shop  at  Moulton. — Glanee  at  Carey  and  Fuller. — Carey 
as  a Shoemaker  and  Gardener. — Early  History  of  Carey. — His  Conversion 
and  Baptism. — His  Ordination  and  Settlement. — He  writes  a pamphlet  on 
Missions. — Origin  of  the  English  Baptist  Mission  Society. — Amount  of 
first  Subscription. 


MONO  the  great  beginnings  of  modern  Christian  progress 
was  the  meeting  of  two  obscure  men  in  a shoe-shop  in 
the  little  village  of  Moulton,  England.  Andrew  Fuller  had 
stepped  in,  perhaps,  to  ask  William  Carey  to  fasten  a shoe 
buckle,  when,  to  his  astonishment,  he  saw  hanging  up  against 
the  wall  a very  large  map,  of  primitive  make,  consisting  of 
several  sheets  of  paper  which  Carey  had  pasted  together,  and 
on  which  he  had  traced  with  a pen,  the  boundaries  of  all  the 
nations  of  the  known  world,  and  had  entered  on  the  vacant 
spaces  such  items  as  he  had  found  in  his  reading  relative  to 
their  religion  and  their  population. 

There  sat  young  Carey  on  his  bench  at  work,  with  a book 
placed  before  him.  In  person  he  is  a man  of  small  pattern, 
with  a head  prematurely  bald.  He  is  bashful  and  awkward,  of 
few  words;  very  much  of  a silent  reader.  There  he  sat,  al- 
though he  then  knew  it  not,  in  training  for  great  service,  on 
the  other  side  of  the  terraqueous  globe,  among  millions  of  his 
fellow  worms,  “blind  and  in  love  with  darkness’’  and  led  by 
blind  guides,  who,  in  their  pride  and  tyranny,  had  raised  them- 
selves three  or  four  grades  or  “ castes  ” above  them.  There  sat 
the  little  rustic  cordwainer,  learning,  by  all  sorts  of  humiliation. 


2 


THE  STORY  OF  RAITIST  MISSIONS. 


to  down  into  full  syinpatliy  witli  every  ssnl,  liard-M’orkinfj 
and  scantily-fed  Hindu  “elineklcr” — wliicli  is  hy  interi)retalion, 
shoemaker,  or,  if  yon  |)leas(‘,  maker  of  sandals. 

And  wlio  is  tins  Andrew  Fnller?  A man  of  commandiiifif  pres- 
ence, massive  head  and  lar^e  eyes,  ov(‘r  wliich  heavy  brows 
hang,  like  grape-vines  over  two  cottage  windows.  TI(‘.  is  now  only 
a very  obscure  Ihiptist  pastor,  but  destined  to  be  oin^  of  the  great  - 
est of  theologians,  the  morning-star  of  modern  Calvinism,  tlie 
easy  vaiKjnisher  of  the  great  Unitarian  i)liilosopber  Pi  iestly,  tin* 
exploder  of  the  eloquent  Robert  Hall’s  beautiful  theory  of  oven  - 
free  Commnnion,  the  real  antbor  of  the  principal  snbjeet-matter 
of  Chalmers’  grandiloepient  discourses  on  Astronomy.  And 
yet  this  man  of  great  thoughts  has  room  in  his  soul  fora  world- 
embracing benevolence.  It  needs  but  a live  coal  to  set  all  ablaze; 
and  young  Carey  is  to  be  the  tongs  to  take  it  from  the  altar  of 
God  and  convey  it  to  his  lips.  Tlie  bashful  little  shoemaker  is 
even  now  collecting  matter  for  a i)amphlet  on  Missions,  in  which, 
among  other  things,  he  is  to  prove  that  it  is  not  necessary  for 
the  Two  Witnesses  in  Revelation  to  be  slain  before  the  heathen 
can  be  converted. 

It  has  been  said  by  a German  author,  who  has  written  a very 
learned  treatise  on  the  making  of  shoes,  that  there  may  be 
no  end  of  faults  in  a single  pair  of  shoes,  none  of  which  can  be 
detected  except  by  an  expert.  Young  Carey,  however,  had  no 
skill  in  thus  deceiving  the  eyes  of  his  customers.  He  turned 
out  substantial  and  honest  work.  He  knew  no  such  word  as 
sham.  Mr.  Old,  for  whom  he  had  w^orked  as  a journeyman,  kept 
on  exhibition  a pair  of  shoes  young  Carey  had  made  in  his  shop, 
as  a model  and  memorial  of  good  workmanship.  It  was  a 
hopeful  sign  that  the  young  man  could  and  would  make  shoes 
on  Christian  principles.  “Were  I not  a preacher,”  says  John 
Tauler,  “ I would  gladly  be  a shoemaker,  and  I would  try  and 
make  shoes  so  well  as  to  be  a pattern  to  all.” 


CAREY  AND  THE  MISSION  TO  HINDUSTAN. 


3 


It  was  likewise  to  the  credit  of  this  Christian  slioemaker  that 
he  had  a great  liking  for  flowers,  and  a little  garden  of  his  own. 
More  than  once  was  he  compelled  to  remove  his  ‘‘kit  and 
boodle’^  from  village  to  village:  but  no  sooner  had  he  estab- 
lished his  bench  again  than  he  would  go  out  in  search  of  some 
little  patch  of  ground,  covered  with  weeds  and  briers,  where  he 
would  dig  early  and  late,  until  in  a few  months,  with  the  help  of 
the  Almighty,  he  would 
show  you  a small  sec-  — ' " 


tion  of  Eden  coming- 
back  again.  It  was 
while  thus  at  work  on 
a marshy  piece  of  land 
that  he  caught  the  fe- 
ver which  caused  the 
hair  to  fall  off  the  top 
of  his  head.  His  lamen- 
tation was  that  when- 
ever he  had  got  a gar- 
den into  a high  state  of 
cultivation,  he  was  gen- 
erally called  to  leave 
it. 


William  Carey. 


But  this  busy  and  much-enduring  young  man  was  already  at 
work  in  a garden  of  another  description.  At  this  time  he  was 
laboring  as  pastor  of  a little  Baptist  church  at  Moulton,  receiv- 
ing a salary  not  exceeding  seventy-five  dollars  a year.  With 
a wife  and  two  children,  he  and  his  family  were  compelled 
to  live  for  a great  while  together  without  tasting  meat,  and 
of  vegetable  food  they  often  had  but  a scanty  supply. 

But  it  is  high  time  to  go  back  and  learn  something  about  the 
younger  years  of  this  shoemaker,  pastor  and  explorer  of  the 
natural  and  religious  condition  of  the  human  family.  William 


1 


THE  JiTUKY  ()E  r.APTlST  MISSIONS. 


Carey  was  born  ai  Pjiiiierspiiry,  a few  iiiilos  fi  om  Xorl liniiiptoii, 
August  IV,  Ilis  latliei’,  Ikmh^  iiarisli  NclioolmaHlor,  pivo 

liis  eldesC  cliild  a ])etter  training?  in  the  riidiiiionls  of  knowlod^r. 
than  most  otlier  (diildren  of  Ids  a;;e  onjoyed.  II(‘  was  always 
beiidin^^  over  books,  daring;  school  hours  and  after,  lie  liked 
exceedingly  l)ooks  of  science,  history  and  voyages.  11c  was 
disgusted  with  novids  and  plays,  but  found  amnscniKOit  in  ro- 
malices  and  the  Pilgrim’s  Progress.  While  yid.  a boy,  he  was 
fond  of  studying  scientifically  tlowers,  insects  and  birds.  Such 
was  his  manifest  love  of  knowledge  while  young,  that  a sensibh* 
neighbor  said  of  him  that  were  ^Villiam  to  live  eviu’  so  hing,  he 
would  never  cease  to  lie  a learner,  and  would  always  be  in  pur- 
suit of  something  farther.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  lie  was  bound 
apprentice  to  a shoemaker.  The  exact  time  of  his  convmsion 
is  not  known.  We  follow  him  from  llackelton  to  Olney,  where 
we  now  find  him,  being  of  age  and  without  a iienny  in  his 
pocket,  attending  a P>ai)tist  Association,  lie  fasts  all  day  be- 
cause ho  cannot  purchase  a dinner,  and  at  niglit  reijeives  the 
gift  of  a glass  of  wine.  Dr.  Kyland  baptized  him  in  the  river 
Nen,  not  far  from  Dr.  Doddridge’s  meeting-house,  at  North- 
ampton, October  5,  1783;  little  thinking  what  the  ])Oor  journey- 
man shoemaker  was  yet  to  be,  to  dare  and  to  do.  When  first 
asked  to  preach,  he  complied  “because,”  said  he  “I  had  not  a 
sufficient  degree  of  confidence  to  refuse.”  In  August,  1787,  he 
was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Moulton. 

At  the  time  of  3Ir.  Fuller’s  calling  at  his  shop,  Mr.  Carey  was 
preparing  a pamphlet,  which  was  afterwards  entitled,  “An 
Inquiry  into  the  Obligation  of  Christians  to  IJse  Means  for  the 
Conversion  of  the  Heathens.”  He  always  sat  at  the  bench 
with  a book  under  his  eye,  and  his  compassion  for  men  be- 
nighted was  first  awakened  by  the  reading  of  the  voyages  of 
Captain  Cook.  After  composing  his  pamphlet,  Mr.  Carey  found 
that  he  had  not  the  money  necessary  to  print  it.  A good  deacon. 


CAREY  AND  THE  MISSION  TO  HINDUSTAN. 


5 


incidentally  discovering  that  he  had  written  the  “ Inquiry,”  and 
had  not  the  means  to  publish  it,  cheerfully  contributed  ten 
pounds  (about  fifty  dollars),  and  in  the  following  year  the  now 
scarce  production  came  into  the  Christian  world. 

At  the  Association  held  at  Nottingham,  in  May,  1792,  Mr. 
Carey  preached  a sermon  founded  on  Isaiah  liv.,  2-3.  He  took 
up  the  spirit  of  the  passage  in  two  exhortations,  namely,  “ Ex- 
pect GREAT  THINGS  FROM  GOD ; ATTEMPT  GREAT  THINGS  FOR 
God.”  speaking  of  the  effect  of  this  sermon.  Dr.  Eyland  says : 
“ If  all  the  people  had  lifted  up  their  voice  and  wept,  as  the 
children  of  Israel  did  at  Bochim  (Judges  ii.),  I should  not  have 
wondered  at  the  effect ; it  would  have  only  seemed  proportion- 
ate to  the  cause ; so  clearly  did  he  prove  the  criminality  of  our 
supineness  in  the  cause  of  God.”  The  result  was  that  it  was 
resolved  to  prepare  a plan,  to  be  laid  before  the  next  meeting, 
for  forming  a “Baptist  Society  for  propagating  the  Gospel 
among  the  Heathens.”  And  accordingly,  at  the  ministers^  meet- 
ing at  Kettering,  October  2, 1792,  the  society  was  organized  and 
subscriptions  made,  amounting  in  all  to  £13 : 2s : 6d — a memo- 
rable sum  of  money,  which  we  shall  never  hear  the  last  of! 


(’HA  VT  KH  I I . 


PLAXTIXO  TUi:  ArOTlX. 


Dr.  Thomas  as  Fropnrin^  tlio  Way  for  tlio  Mission. — TTis  Knrly  Attonipts  to 
do  ^Mission  A^'ork  in  India. — 'I'lio  I )ifrK*ultios  to  ho  Ovoroomo  l)y  Carey 
and  'riiomas. — Caroy's  Fatlior  and  Wife  ()j)pos(‘  his  rndortakiii;^. — 'J’ln- 
Tiondon  Ikistors  that  Favor  Ids  Fnt(‘rj)risc. — 'Dio  (.'ontrilnition  of  Dust 
and  Ashos.*' — d'ho  ( )p])osition  of  tho  East  India  Company. — I)r.  Thomas 
in  Foonniary  Ti’onhlo. — Mrs.  Carey  J’orsnadocl  to  ^o  out  to  Iridia. — Wlio 
Avill  F>ear  the  Expense  ? — JohnXewton’s  ]h*i»ly  to  Carey. — ?hid)arkation 
and ’Voyage. — A Cyclone. — Arrival  at  Calcutta. — Settle  Temporaril}' sit 
Malada. — IMannfaetnring  Indigo  and  Translating  the  Fihhi  into  Ben- 
gali.— Settle  F(‘rmanently  at  Serampore. — Purchase  a IIon.s<;  for  Chai)el, 
School  and  ITinting  Business. — Small  Hope  and  Large  Success. 


flllLE  the  tireless  Carey  was  firing  the  hearts  of  his 
brethren  in  Fhigland  with  zeal  for  Foreign  .Missions, 
the  Lord  of  the  liarvest  was  already  prei)aring  the  way  for  his 
going  to  the  East.  In  178.3,  the  same  year  that  Carey  was  bap- 
tized, Dr.  Thomas,  of  London,  went  out  to  India  as  surgeon.  In 
1785  he  returned  to  London,  and  the  next  year  was  baptized  ]»y 
Dr.  Stenuett,  and  licensed  to  preach.  In  1780  he  again  xu-o- 
ceeded  to  Hindustan,  and  was  persuaded  by  some  friends  at 
home  and  in  Calcutta  to  remain  and  labor  for  the  conversion  of 
the  natives.  After  spending  two  or  three  years  in  i:>reaching, 
in  the  x^ractice  of  medicine,  and  in  attempting  to  translate  the 
^Xew  Testament  into  Bengali,  he  returned  a second  time  to  Eng- 
land; and  while  employed  in  London  in  trying  to  raise  a fund 
for  a mission  to  India,  and  to  obtain  a man  to  assist  him  in  his 
work,  he  was  induced  to  accept  the  patronage  of  the  Baptist 
Missionary  Society,  and  return  to  India  as  their  missionary. 


PLANTING  THE  ACORN. 


i 


Mr.  Carey  was  asked  by  the  committee,  at  its  meeting  held  in 
Mr.  Fuller^s  study,  January  10th,  1793,  to  accompany  Dr.  Thomas. 
He  readily  promised  to  go.  Late  in  the  evening,  the  committee. 


being  still  in  session,  were  greatly  surprised  by  the  unexpected 
arrival  of  Dr.  Thomas.  He  had  heard  of  Mr.  Carey  as  a possi- 
ble colleague,  and,  impatient  to  see  him,  entered  the  room  in 


8 


TJIK  STUUV  OF  liAFl'IST  MLS.SIUMS. 


haste;  and,  Mr.  Carey  risin^^  from  Ids  eliair,  they  fell  on  eaeli 
otlier’s  neeks  and  wej)!. 

Many  and  p-eat  wine  tlie  dinicadlii's  to  lx*  ovcrcoim*  l>efore 
these  two  demoted  missionaries  found  tliemselves  fairly  under 
way  to  Hindustan.  AVlien  C'arey  tirst  mentioneil  to  his  father 
liis  i)uri)os(‘  of  be(*()miiig  a missionary  to  tin*  hiaitlien,  the  ^ood 
man  exedaimml:  “William,  are  you  mad!*’  ex])eeted  his 

wife  to  ae.comi)any  him;  but  for  a long  time  she  rid’usml  to 
think  of  it,  and  said:  “Come  what  will,  I and  my  children  shall 
remain  in  England.’’  Mr.  Carey  and  the  friends  of  missions 
feared  tliat  if  ^Irs.  Carey  continued  unwilling  to  go,  the  enemies 
of  the  cause  would  raise  a lamentation  over  the  dej)ravity  of 
missionaries  in  leaving  their  wives  and  families  at  home  to  take 
care  of  themselves.  At  one  time  ^Ir.  Carey  fejired  he  would 
liave  to  leave  her  behind,  and  taking  his  eldest  son,  Felix,  with 
him,  leave  the  rest  of  his  family  under  the  care  of  the  Society. 

Nor  was  this  all ; it  was  not  easy  to  ])ersuade  the  Haptists  of 
that  day  to  give  money  to  meet  the  first  expenses  of  the  enter- 
prise. jMr.  Fuller  called  upon  many  of  his  wealthy  brethren  in 
London,  and  tried  to  obviate  their  objections  to  the  giving  of 
sums  sulUcient  to  meet  the  immediate  demand.  Some  said: 
“Think  of  the  heathen  at  our  owimloors;”  others  said:  “Con- 
sider our  unemployed  starving  ])Oor.”  Mr.  Fuller  was  at  times 
forced  to  retire  from  the  more  iiublic  streets  into  the  back 
lanes  to  weep  in  secret  for  his  small  success.  But  still,  the 
Bev.  Dr.  Samuel  Stennett,  and  the  venerable  Abraham  Booth, 
and  the  hymn-writer  Mr.  Eippon,  and  their  well-to-do  friends, 
made  liberal  contributions,  while  Dr.  Thomas,  who  visited  sev- 
eral inland  towns^  met  with  warm  responses  "to  some  of  his 
appeals  — more  especially  from  plain  working  people.  Thus, 
after  a collection  at  Worcester,  one  poor  woman,  who  had  put 
live  shillings  into  the  plate  in  the  evening,  came  next  morning 
with  tears  in  her  eyes  and  gave  sixteen  shillings  and  sixpence 


PLANTING  THE  ACORN, 


9 


more.  “I  asked  her  name,’’  says  Dr.  Thomas,  “hut  she  would 
not  have  it  repeated.  ’Set  me  down,^  said  she,  ‘as  ivorthless 
dust  and  ashesP^  The  Doctor  noted  her  subscription  accord- 
ingly. But  the  needed  amount  was  slow  in  coming;  and  Carey 
still  had  his  days  of  dejection. 

Another  difficulty  rose  before  Fuller  and  Carey.  At  that 
time  the  East  India  Company,  to  which  had  been  given  the 
virtual  supremacy  of  Hindustan,  was  unwilling  that  the  religion 
of  Christ  should  be  preached  to  the  natives  of  India.  Some 
of  its  directors  had,  by  the  corrupt  use  of  money,  been 
placed  in  the  House  of  Commons,  partly  for  the  purpose  of 
preventing  any  such  interference  with  the  idolatry  and  super- 
stition of  the  natives  as  threatened  to  diminish  the  revenues 
of  the  Company.  It  seemed  doubtful  whether  Carey  would  be 
permitted  to  go  out  to  India  in  one  of  the  ships  of  the  Com- 
pany. Dr.  Thomas,  for  his  part,  having  been  in  the  employ  of 
the  Company  as  surgeon,  did  not  doubt  that  he  would  obtain 
passage  for  himself,  and  took  Carey  on  board  without  giving 
the  India  House  any  information  about  the  special  purpose  of 
their  voyage.  After  their  baggage  had  been  carried  on  board, 
a letter  was  received  by  the  captain,  admonishing  him  not  to 
set  out  with  any  passengers  unlicensed  by  the  Company.  They 
were,  therefore,  compelled  to  disembark.  The  fact  was.  Dr. 
Thomas,  who  was  incapable  of  doing  business,  had  long  before 
been  involved  in  bankruptcy  in  London,  and  was  now  pursued 
by  some  of  his  old  creditors.  Carey  was  discouraged,  and 
Fuller  abandoned  all  hope.  But  Dr.  Thomas  rose  a very  Phoe- 
nix out  of  the  ashes  of  the  aromatic  herbs  which  had  consumed 
him.  Clearly,  he  had  not  become  bankrupt  as  a London  phy- 
sician for  the  lack  of  determination  and  great  hopefulness. 
While  Carey  was  writing  a letter  to  his  wife.  Dr.  Thomas  went 
out  in  search  of  some  Swedish  or  Danish  vessel  about  to  sail 
to  Bengal  or  any  part  of  the  East  Indies.  To  the  great  joy  of 


10 


'I'lir:  s'roij . of  ijaftis'i'  aii.ssion.s. 


liis  bruiKcd  lieart,  ]i(3  ascortninod  tliat  a Daiiisli  I-:asf  ludianiaii 
Avjis  liourly  expected  at  Dover  Doads.  The  Doctor  ran  IkicU  Io 
tell  Carey  the  good  news;  when  both  “fled”  to  the  onic(M)f 
the  London  agent  and  found  out  I he  t(*i  ni.s  .or  |)aMsengci’s. 
“ more  tears  that  night.”  TIk'v  rejoiced  >,i  the  |U’ospee-t  of 


Outward  Bound. 

re'^cliiiig  India  in  a ship  which  was  not  the  ])roperty  of  the  mis- 
sion-hating Company.  They  set  off  that  night  for  Piddington, 
and  breakfasted  with  Mrs.  Carey  the  next  morning.  She  still 
refused  to  go  to  the  East.  Mr.  Carey  wept,  and  Dr.  Thomas 
reasoned  with  her  a long  time,  to  no  purpose.  They  now 
started  to  go  and  see  Dr.  Eyland,  of  Northampton,  to  ask  for 
money.  On  their  way.  Dr.  Thomas  turned  back  to  try  once 
more  to  persuade  Mrs.  Carey  to  accompany  them  to  India.  Mr. 
Carey  said  further  reasoning  was  of  no  use ; all  his  hopes  of 
her  going  were  extinguished.  The  Doctor  returned,  and  again 
begged  her  to  consent  to  go.  Among  other  things  he  said  to 


PLANTING  THE  ACORN 


11 


her : “ If  you  do  not  go,  you  will  repent  it  as  long  as  you  live.’^ 
The  Doctor  repeated  these  words.  She  finally  determined  to 
go.  She  afterwards  told  the  Doctor  that  this  last  saying,  fre- 
quently repeated,  had  such  an  effect  upon  her  mind  that  she 
was  afraid  to  stay  at  home;  “We  now  set  off  for  Northamp- 
ton,’^ says  the  Doctor,  “like  two  different  men;  our  steps  so 
much  quicker,  our  hearts  so  much  lighter.” 

Other  mountains  of  difficulty,  however,  were  still  before 
them.  “How  can  we  obtain  the  sum  of  seven  hundred  pounds, 
needed  to  pay  the  passage  of  eight  persons  ? ” However,  new 
friends  of  missions  appeared;  terms  marvellously  low  were 
accepted  for  the  passage,  so  that  they  had  no  further  anxiety 
on  this  point.  But  Carey,  never  weary  of  taking  counsel  of  his 
fears,  had  one  more  dark  thought.  “ What,”  said  he  to  the 
venerable  John  Newton;  “ Wbat  if  the  Company  should  send 
us  home  on  our  arrival  at  Bengal  ? ” Events  proved  that  this 
was  no  chained  lion  by  the  wayside.  And  yet  the  answer  of 
Newton  is  worth  remembering:  “ Then  conclude  that  your  Lord 
has  nothing  there  for  you  to  accomplish.  But  if  he  has,  no 
power  on  earth  can  hinder  you.” 

This  band  of  missionaries  put  to  sea  June  13th,  1793,  and  saw 
the  coasts  of  their  native  island  sink  beneath  the  western 
waves.  The  timid  Mrs.  Carey  was  very  homesick ; she  was  like 
Lot’s  wife  until  the  Kron  Princess  Maria  had  passed  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope ; then  she  turned  all  her  hopes  to  a safe  arrival 
in  Bengal.  She  had  good  health  all  the  passage,  and  her  little 
babe,  born  three  weeks  before  leaving  home,  grew  to  be  a stout 
little  fellow.  The  voyage  was  without  great  events  until  the 
ship  began  to  double  the  Cape  of  Agulhas  the  most  southern 
part  of  Africa.  At  that  point  a bank  extends  about  eighty 
leagues  into  the  sea,  upon  which  runs  a very  strong  current, 
which,  whenever  it  meets  a cyclone,  raises  the  waves  to  a 
height  almost  beyond  belief.  Little  after  midnight  on  the  26th 


THE  iSTOltV  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


\2 

of  August,  ill  soiitli  latitude  d8°,  tlic  sea  rose  luoiiiitaius 
and  Hung  tlie  sliij)  violently  and  afar  in  all  directions.  “The 
sldp,^^  says  Carey,  “mounted  on  the  top  of  a s<‘a  which  c.ould 
not  be  Jess  than  tifty  or  sixty  yards  in  height,  from  which  she 
descended,  head-foremost,  as  from  the  loof  of  a house.  Tlie 
])lunge  was  dreadful.  All  on  bonrd  declared  th(‘y  never  saw 
anything  like  it,  and  (included  the  ship  was  going  to  the  bot- 
tom.’^ Were  Mr.  Carey  at  all  njd  to  exaggerate,  we  might 
suspect  that  in  this  case  his  imagination  got  the  better  of  his 
judgment. 

After  a voyage  of  nearly  five  months,  they  arrived  at  Calcutta 
oil  the  mil  of  November.  Carey,  who  had  (uunmitted  money 
matters  entirely  to  the  imiirovident  Dr.  Thomas,  soon  found 
liimself  and  family  without  any  means  of  support.  Uncertain 
of  receiving  aid  from  home,  he  resolved  to  engage  temporarily 
in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  Hence  he  and  his  colleague  each 
took  charge  of  an  indigo  factory,  sixt(‘en  miles  ai)art,at  ^lalada, 
about  three  hundred  miles  from  Calcutta.  Here,  for  six  years, 
Carey  occuiiied  himself  in  the  manufacture  of  indigo,  studying 
languages,  translating  the  Bible  into  Bengali,  iireacliing  to  the 
English  and  to  the  natives.  In  1708  he  had  translated  the  Pen- 
tateuch, eighty-five  psalms  and  the  New  Testament,  when  he 
was  brought  to  a stand  by  two  events  which  threatened  to  jiut 
an  end  to  the  mission.  The  owner  of  the  indigo  works  failed, 
and  the  directors  of  the  East  India  Company  were  unwilling 
that  the  missionaries  should  settle  in  Bengal.  Four  Baptist 
missionaries,  Marshman,  Ward,  Brundsen  and  Grant,  having 
arrived  at  Calcutta  in  an  American  vessel,  were  ordered  by  the 
Government  to  leave  the  country.  They  were  treated  with  the 
more  severity  because  the  Calcutta  Gazette^  in  noticing  their 
arrival,  had,  through  mistake  perhaps,  spoken  of  them  as 
^^Papist  missionaries,^’  thus  leading  the  oflicials  to  suspect  that 
they  Avere  Jesuit  priests. 


PLANTING  THE  ACORN. 


13 


These  newly-arrived  missionaries  found  a refuge  at  Seram- 
pore,  a Danish  settlement  on  the  banks  of  the  Hoogly,  fifteen 
miles  from  Calcutta.  The  village  contained  about  fifty  houses, 
and  was  inhabited  by  refugees  of  various  nations,  and  natives 
of  a low  class.  The  Governor,  who  had  enjoyed  the  instruc- 
tions of  the  celebrated  Schwartz,  welcomed  them  cordially 


An  Indigo  Factory 

and  gave  them  full  protection.  In  January,  1800,  they  were 
joined  by  Carey,  who  resolved  to  establish  the  mission  in  that 
place.  On  the  next  day  after  his  arrival  he  was  presented  to 
the  Governor  and  was  kindly  received.  A large  house  in  the 
middle  of  the  village  was  purchased  for  about  $4,000.  It  con- 
sisted of  a spacious  verandah  and  hall.  On  one  side  was  a 
store-house,  which  was  afterwards  used  as  a printing-office. 
The  front  looked  out  on  the  waters  of  the  Hoogly;  the  veran- 


M 


'I' HI-:  s'i’oFJV  oi-'  HAri’isr  ]\iissh>\.s. 

wliicli  wjis  ill  llic  n-iir,  liuM-d  ;i  lawn,  iM-yond  wliicli 

w;is  a.  garden  willi  a tank,  or  jiool,  ol'watca*  in  if. 

At  first  Mi(‘ir  liojx*,  was  lo  inaki'  lids  fin'  (•cidro  of  a lillln 
niissionaiy  si‘ltl(*in(*id,  1ml,  in  no  loii^j^  I iiin*  il  Ix'caiin*.  Iln;  ;,H’(*at 
jninlinj,^  and  ])ul)lisliin<;  lioiisc*.  for  all  P.iilisli  India. 


The  Goddess  Kuanon. — See  page  534. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE  GEOWTH  OF  CAREY^S  JHSSIOY. 

Success  of  Carey's  Preaching  at  Serampore. — Baptism  of  the  First  Hindu, 
Krisha  Pal.— -Insanity  and  Death  of  Dr.  Thomas. — The  Attitude  of  the 
East  India  Company. — The  Doubtful  Course  of  Claudius  Buchanan. — 
The  Relations  of  the  Danish  Government  to  the  Mission. — John  New- 
ton's Faith  in  Carey.— Carey  appointed  Professor  of  Sanskrit  and 
Bengali  in  the  College  of  Fort  'William. — Translation  of  Bengali  Bible 
Completed. — The  sending  out  of  Missionaries  in  American  Ships. — The 
■Vellore  Massacre. — Captain  Weekes,  of  Philadelphia,  brings  out  Two 
New  Missionaries.  — Controversies  in  England.  — Sydney  Smith  and 
Robert  Southey. 


r^IIE  first  year’s  work  of  the  mission  at  Serampore  was 
^ marked  by  cheering  success.  Mr.  Carey  began  to  preach 
five  or  six  sermons  a week  to  the  natives,  besides  a Sunday 


Mission  Premises  at  Serampore. 

service  for  Europeans.  On  Sunday  he  had  a very  mixed  con- 
gregation, consisting  of  English,  Danes,  Norwegians,  Americans, 


TIIK  STOJIY  OF  ]{AFTIST  .AITSSTONS. 


'10 


AriMCiiiaiis,  Clrcek  jind  n l\r;il}il)}ir.  II in  two  hohh,  jiiid 

AVilliain,  tlic  one  tiftccMi  jnid  tlio  otlier  tldrt(‘(‘ii  ^ciirs  of  ajrc*, 
were  among  tlio  fruits  of  this  year’s  juaycMs  and  (*xertioiis. 


tlio  Ganges  by  ])ai)tizing  tbe  first  Hindu,  Krishna,  and  Ids  own 
son  Kelix.  Three  or  four  otlier  eandidates  were  ready;  but 
some  eireumstanees  delayed  their  baiitism.  They  were  baj)- 
tized  about  one  o’clock,  just  after  the  English  service,  in  the 


river  in  front  of  the  ]\Iis- 
sion  House.  The  Gov- 
ernor and  a considerable 
number  of  Ihiropeans 
were  jiresent.  Poor  Dr. 
Thomas  was  permitted 
to  witness  the  S(;ene. — 
He  had  been  insane  for 
a week,  and  was  now  a 
confirmed  lunatic.  He 
had  before  been  occa- 
sionally afflicted  with 
mental  disease,  but  this 


Krishna  Pal. 


attack  was,  as  ]Mr.  Carey  thought,  hastened  by  the  joy  he  expe- 
rienced in  prospect  of  seeing  the  baptism  of  the  first  Hindu 
convert,  Krishna,  or  rather  Krishna  Pal.  He  was  soon  set  at 
liberty,  but  his  health  was  much  broken,  and  he  died  a few 
months  after.  The  baptism  of  the  first  Hindu  caused  great 
excitement  among  the  natives.  He  had  broken  caste,  and  was 
imprisoned  because  of  his  love  for  his  Kedeemer.  Krishna  Pal 
lived  to  preach  the  Gospel  for  more  than  twenty  years,  with 
great  simplicity,  meekness  and  acceptation.  i 
It  was  also  in  the  course  of  the  present  year  that  Mr.  Carey 
and  his  co-laborers  gained  some  new  assurances  that  no  oppo- 
sition would  be  made  by  the  Governor-General  to  the  work  of 
1.  See  Appendix,  4. 


PKOGRESS  AT  SERAMPORE. 


17 


the  mission.  Although  the  missionaries  were  under  the  pro= 
tection  of  the  Danish  Government,  yet  they  were  still  British 
subjects,  and  the  issues  of  the  press  at  Serampore  would  be 
circulated  throughout  British  India.  One  day,  as  Mr.  Carey 
was  leaving  the  house  of  a friend  in  Calcutta,  he  met  the  Eev. 
Claudius  Buchanan,  since  so  celebrated,  and  had  a pleasant 
talk  with  him  about  the  Governor-GeneraPs  opinions  respect- 
ing the  mission.  It  was  three  years  since  they  had  met.  Mr. 
Buchanan  assured  him  that  he  would  be  perfectly  safe  in  Cal- 
cutta, and  might  have  preached  anywhere  in  the  town  if  he  had- 
not  proposed  to  assemble  a congregation  before  the  Government 
House.  He  said  that  the  Marquis  of  Wellesley,  when  he  first 
heard  of  the  printing-press  at  Serampore,  supposed  that  it  was 
the  work  of  some  wild  Democrat,  a refugee  from  Calcutta,  who 
had  got  protection  under  the  Danish  Government ; but  now  that 
the  Governor-General  understood  the  design  of  the  mission, 
he  was  perfectly  well  satisfied  with  it.  How  far  this  language 
could  be  trusted,  Mr.  Carey  did  not  then  know.  But  facts  since 
brought  to  light  evince  that  the  Marquis  of  Wellesley,  or  some 
of  his  friends,  had  imposed  on  the  credulity  of  Mr.  Buchanan, 
while  the  latter  had,  two  or  three  years  before,  tried  to  use  his 
influence  in  England  to  the  prejudice  of  Mr.  Carey  and  his  fel- 
low-laborers. Thus,  from  a lately-published  Memoir  of  Eev. 
John  Newton,  we  learn  that  Mr.  Buchanan  had  written  to  Mr. 
Newton,  expressing  himself  slightingly  of  the  Baptist  Mission. 
This  grieved  Mr.  Newton,  who  wrote  a kind  but  faithful  reply, 
telling  him,  in  substance,  that  it  was  easy  for  him,  in  his  superior 
and  favored  position,  to  look  down  upon  the  devoted  men  who 
were  bearing  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day,  and  adding:  “I 
do  not  look  for  miracles,  but  if  God  were  to  work  one  in  our 
day,  I would  not  wonder  if  it  were  in  favor  of  Mr.  Carey.-’ 
Ultimately,  however,  the  Eev.  Dr.  Buchanan  gave  the  Baptist 
missionary  his  cordial  ai)proval,  and  rendered  him  very  consid- 
erable service.  3 


18 


Till-:  STOIfV  OF  J?A1’TIST  MISSI(>NH. 


In  1801  Cnroy  was  ajjpoinfcd  I*r()f(‘s.s()r  of  SaiiwUrit  and  H(‘n- 
gali  in  the  new  College  of  Fort  William,  founded  hy  the  then 
Governor-General,  and  brother  of  the  famous  Dnke,  of  Wel- 
lington. When  he  was  proposed  for  tin*,  otlici*,  Welh'sley  asked 
if  lie  were  well  affected  to  the  State.  In  undertaking  the  ditli- 
cnlt  duties  of  his  chair,  he  was  obliged  to  prepare  his  own 
eleinentary  grammar,  and  vocabularies  for  instrnetion  in  the 
Sanskrit  and  Bengali.  The  Rev.  Clandins  Rnehanan  was  at  tin*, 
same  time  apiiointed  classical  tutor.  Dining  the  same  year  he, 
saw  the  whole  Bible  translated  into  Bengali,  ainl  all  the  Xew 
Testament  iirinted,  and  the  first  volume  of  the  Obi  T(*stam(‘nt 
almost  ready  to  ajiiiear.  Such  was  the  success  of  the  printing- 
house  that  it  was  almost  able  to  sujiport  itself. 

About  two  years  later,  Carey  wrote:  “The  Lord  still  smiles 
upon  us.  I,  some  time  ago,  baptized  three  natives  and  my  sou 
AVilliam.  Our  number  of  baptized  natives  is  now  twenty-five, 
and  the  whole  number  of  church  members  thirty-nine.’’  In 
1805  he  writes:  “This  year  God  has  added  to  us  thirty  i)ersons 
by  baptism — twenty-seven  of  the  natives  and  three  Euroi)eans. 
Several  of  the  natives  have  gifts  for  preaching  the  Gospel.” 
The  same  j ear  he  published  the  grammar  of  the  Mahratta 
language  and  opened  a mission  church  in  the  Ball  bazaar  at 
Calcutta. 

The  opening  of  this  chapel,  and  the  sending  of  Baptist  mis- 
sionaries to  preach  in  it,  aroused  anew  the  hostility  of  the 
Government.  What  tended  to  deepen  the  suspicions  of  the 
Government  was  the  practice  of  sending  out  the  English  Bap- 
tist missionaries  in  American  ships.  As  early  as  1800,  Mr.  Carey 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Captain  Hague,  of  the  ship  Amelia, 
of  New  York,  and  in  1803,  John  Chamberlain,  afterward  a Bap- 
tist missionary  of  no  small  distinction,  went  out  to  India  by  way 
of  America.  The  Marquis  of  Wellesley  winked  at  these 
evasions  of  the  rules  of  the  East  India  Company,  but  during 


PROGRESS  AT  SERAMPORE. 


19 


his  absence  in  England,  while  Sir  George  Barlow  was  in  tem- 
porary authority,  two  British  missionaries,  Chater  and  Robinson, 
arrived  in  an  American  ship,  the  Benjamin  FranMin,  commanded 
by  Captain  Weekes,  of  Philadelphia.  They  were  at  first  ordered 
to  return,  but  through  the  intercession  of  Mr.  Carey  they  were 
permitted  to  settle  at  Serampore.  The  Yellore  mutiny  had 
just  spread  general  alarm  in  British  India;  and  hence  similar 
orders  were  sent  out,  based  on  the  pretence  that  this  mutiny 
of  the  native  troops  was  in  part  occasioned  by  attempts  to 
proselyte  the  Hindus.  Dr.  Carey  and  the  other  Baptist  Mis- 
sinaries  were  not  to  preach  to  the  natives  nor  suffer  the  Hindu 
converts  to  persuade  their  countrymen  to  embrace  the  religion 
of  Christ.  Through  the  auguments  of  Dr.  Carey,  the  second 
order  was  never  fully  carried  into  execution. 

In  no  long  time  tidings  of  these  acts  of  intolerance  went  to 
England,  and  very  lively  discussions  followed  in  the  Court  of 
Directors,  in  the  Court  of  Proprietors  and  in  the  British 
Parliament.  Meanwhile  combats  of  pamphlets  took  place,  and 
finally  these  pamphlet^  were  made  the  occasion  of  articles  in 
the  leading  Reviews.  The  article  by  Sydney  Smith,  in  the 
Edinburgh  Review  for  April,  1808,  is  notorious.  In  this,  the  witty 
Prebendary  of  St.  PauPs  holds  up  to  ridicule  and  contempt  Mr. 
Carey  and  his  fellow  Baptist  missionaries,  through  thirty  long 
pages.  On  the  other  hand,  the  poet  Robert  Southey,  though  a 
zealous  Churchman,  came  to  the  defence  of  Carey,  Ward  and 
Marshman  in  the  London  Quarterly  Review  for  February,  1809. 
A few  of  his  sentences  are  worthy  of  being  quoted  once  more  : 
“ These  low-horn  and  low-hred  mechanics^  as  they  are  called,  have 
translated  the  whole  Bible  into  Bengali,  and  have  by  this  time 
printed  it.  They  are  printing  the  l!Te  w Testament  in  the  Sanskrit, 
the  Orissa,  Mahratta,  Hindustani  and  Guzarat ; they  are  trans- 
lating it  into  Persic,  Telinga,  Karnata,  Chinese,  the  language  of 
the  Sikhs  and  of  the  Burmans:  and  with  four  of  these  languages 


1>() 


'rili:  STOJIV  OF  3?APT1ST  missions. 


Ihcy  iiH!  -(.iiifr  on  will!  |h,.  I!il,l,..  Kxlnioidiniiiy  iis  (I, is  is,  it 
will  aiijieiir  iiioic,  so,  wlioii  it  is  icinciiilicnMl  (lial  of  tlioso  iiion, 
Olio  WHS  orif’Miiilly  JI  sliooiiiiikcr,  aiiotlici- a |)iiiitcr  at.  Mull,  anil 
till!  tliird  till!  master  of  a cliarity  school  at  ISristol.  Only  four- 
teen  years  have  elajiseil  since,  Thomas  ami  Carey  set  foot  in 
India;  in  fourteen  years  these  low-born  and  Iow-IiiimI  mechanics 
liave  done  more  towards  s|.readin;;  the  knowled-e  of  the  !Scri|.. 
tines  anioiiK  the  heathen,  than  has  been  accomi.lished  by  all  the 
world  besides.” 


Miniature  Temple. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


DEBATES  AND  VICTORIES. 

New  Wine  in  old  skin  Bottles. — Conservatism  and  Progress. — The  Acrimo- 
nious Speech  of  Charles  Marsh,  Esq. — Dr.  Carey  represented  as  a Tub 
Preacher  ill  the  streets  of  Calcutta. — Lively  Debate  in  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  Scotland. — “Kax  me  that  Bible.” — Kev.  Sydney  Smith  writes  an 
article  on  the  Missions  in  India. — Some  of  its  contents  indicated. — 
Hindus  to  be  Christianized  by  Coercion. — Carey’s  Keply  to  the  Governor- 
General. — Son  of  a Member  of  the  India  Council  converted  by  the  Sect 
his  father  had  denounced. 

Wr^  almost  all  great  Christian  movements,  the  historian 
^ observes  the  simultaneous  action  of  currents  and  of  counter- 
currents;  the  one  wafting  the  good  people  forward;  the  other 
driving  bad  people  in  an  opposite  direction.  The  thunder- 
cloud of  Summer  often  floats  towards  us,  apparently  right  in 
the  teeth  of  the  wind  that  sweeps  along  our  dusty  path ; the 
vast  iceburg  moves  southward  under  the  immense  force  of  a 
rapid  river,  all  hidden  from  the  mariner  who  rolls  along  be- 
fore the  tide,  the  wind  and  the  waves.  The  progressive  and  the 
conservative  elements  of  society  are  always  more  or  less  at  war 
with  each  other.  It  never  answers  to  put  new  wine  in  old  skin 
bottles.  Dr.  Harvey,  the  discoverer  of  the  law  of  the  circu- 
lation of  the  blood,  was  compelled  to  confess  that  no  physician 
past  forty  years  of  age  could  be  made  to  accept  his  doctrine ; 
and  the  scientific  world  of  to-day  is  cursed  with  volumes 
not  a few  that  were  written  by  professors,  who  ten  or  twenty 
years  ago  ceased  reading.  They  came  to  be  so  full  of  their  past 
attainments  and  their  self-conceit  that  they  seem  to  have  im- 


22 


THE  STORY  OF  J5APTIST  MISSIONS. 


aginod  that  it  would  he  dangerous  for  tliein  to  diseover  a new 
idea,  lest  tlie  new  wine  sliould  burst  the  old  skin  bottles. 
These  are,  I am  sorry  to  say,  i)lain  matters  of  fant  which  hav<*. 
come  within  my  knowledge  as  a literary  man. 

The  same  thing  happened  when  the  subject  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions was  pro])Osed  to  many  good  Christian  jumple  of  niiddb^, 
or  advanced  age.  It  was  feared  that  the  idea  might  ferment 
and  so  be  too  much  for  them  and  tlun'r  i)recious  vestments. 

In  the  Fritisli  rarliament  the  most  abusive  language  was 
poured  forth  against  the  missionaries,  while  the  newspaju'rs 
published  the  most  absurd  statements  concerning  men  who 
were  so  far  away  that  they  could  not  timefully  contradict  tlunn. 
Thus,  Charles  ]\Iarsh, Esq., in  a si)eechin  ]\irliament,  sarcastically 
demands:  “Will  these  people,  crawling  from  the  homes  and 
caverns  of  their  original  destination,  apostates  from  the  loom 
and  anvil,  and  renegades  from  the  lowest  handicraft  employ- 
ments, be  the  match  for  the  cool  and  sedate  controversialists 
the}’  will  have  to  encounter,  should  the  Brahmins  condescend  to 
enter  into  the  arena  against  the  maimed  and  crippled  gladiators 
who  presume  to  grapple  with  their  faith  ? AVhat  can  be  appre- 
hended but  the  disgrace  and  discomfiture  of  whole  hosts  of  tub 
preachers  in  such  a conflict.’’ 

The  allusion  to  the  tub  was  founded  on  the  report  that  the 
missionaries  had  transferred  to  Calcutta  the  pecular  i)ractices  of 
the  London  street  preachers.  Dr.  Carey,  in  one  of  his  letters, 
takes  notice  of  one  of  these  false  reports,  which  had  found  its 
way  into  the  London  Times,  According  to  this,  a Mr.  Pendegrast 
stated  that  he  had  seen  Carey  standing  on  a hogshead  har- 
ranguing  the  natives;  that  a mob  was  raised,  and  Carey  was 
saved  by  the  police.  The  report  was  totally  false.  Keither 
Carey  nor  any  one  else,  whether  European  or  native,  had  ever 
preached  in  the  streets  of  Calcutta. 

About  the  time  Mr.  Carey  and  Dr.  Thomas  were  toiling  against 


‘‘RAX  ME  THAT  BIBLE 


23 


untold  adversities  at  Miidnabatty,  the  question  of  foreign  mis- 
sions began  to  be  agitated  by  ministers  and  members  of  the 
Kirk  in  Korth  Britain.  The  party  of  the  “Moderates’^  in  the 
Church  of  Scotland  were  opposed  to  foreign  missions.  There 
was  a memorable  debate  in  the  General  Assembly  on  the  resolu- 
tion “that  it  is  the  duty  of  Christians  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the 
heathen  world.”  The  most  prominent  and  eloquent  of  the 
adversaries  of  this  resolution  was  the  Kev.  Dr.  Hamilton,  of 
Strathblane,  father  of  the  late  Eev.  Dr.  James  Hamilton,  of  Lon- 
don. Among  other  things,  he  maintained  that  it  was  absurd  to 
make  the  Gospel  go  before  civilization.  “ Men,  ” said  he,  “must 
be  polished  and  refined  in  their  manners  before  they  can  be 
properly  enlightened  in  religious  truths.  ” At  the  close  of  his 
speech,  he  demanded,  with  the  air  of  a victor : “ Where  do  we 
find  the  great  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles  ? Is  it  among  barbarians 
such  as  those  to  whom  it  is  now  proposed  to  carry  the  Gospel  ? 
Or,  is  it  not  rather,  in  the  polished  cities  of  Athens  and  Eome?  ” 
When  this  orator  sat  down,  the  profoundly  learned  Eev.  Dr. 
John  Erskine,  of  Edinburgh,  rose  with  great  dignity,  and  in  a 
calm  but  energetic  tone  uttered  these  thrilling  words : “ Moder- 
TOR,  RAX  ME  THAT  Bible  ! ” ( reach  me  that  Bible ).  The  Bible 
was  handed  to  him,  and  the  Assembly  was  awed  into  a death-like 
silence  while  this  man  of  God,  venerable  for  years,  character, 
learning  and  noble  descent,  turned  up  the  sacred  volume,  and  read 
in  an  audible  voice  the  account  of  St.  Paul’s  reception  at  Melita, 
where  we  read:  “ The  harharous  people  showed  us  no  small  kind- 
ness.” “Do  you  think,”  said  Dr.  Erskine,  “ that  when  Paul 
wrought  his  miracles  at  Malta,  and  was  supposed  to  be  a god,  he 
did  not  preach  Christ  to  these  barbarians,  and  explain  who  it  was 
through  whose  name  such  power  was  given  unto  men?  ” The 
rest  of  the  speech  was  equally  telling.  His  opponents  quailed  be- 
fore it ; but  the  resolution  was  lost.  The  “ Moderates  ” voted  it 


24 


THE  STORY  OF  ]{ ARTIST  MISSIONS. 


down  l)y  ii  majority,  and  rewarded  tlieir  elnimpion,  T)r. 

Iljunilton,  by  electinji^  liim  Moderator. 

The  most  j)owerful  assault  on  tlie  Scrampore  ])retliren  was 
that  alluded  to  on  a ])recedin^  pafje,  made  by  the  Kev.  Sydney 
Smith,  Prebendary  of  St.  T^iuPs,  in  an  article  first  published  in 
the  Edinburgh  Hcvieiv  in  1808,  and  republished  under  his  own 
su])ervision  in  1839.  Tt  abounds  in  the  humor,  sarcasm, common 
sense  and  apparent  love  of  fact  and  reason  which  are  apt  to 
make  an  article  very  iiopular  and  efl'ective.  It  comiiHMices  with 
a.  summary  of  the  news  from  Vellore  resjiecting  the  massacre. 
It  ])roceeds  to  quote  the  i)roclamation  of  the  Governor  of 
Madras,  in  which  he  asserts  that  many  jiersons  have,  for  mali- 
cious purposes,  tried  to  impress  upon  the  native  troops  the 
belief  that  it  is  the  wish  of  the  British  Government  to  convert 
them  to  Christianity  by  forcible  means.  He  also  quotes  sev- 
eral pages  of  matter  from  the  reports  of  the  Baptist  Missions, 
particularly  from  the  first,  second  and  third  volumes  of  the 
Magazine.  He  then  goes  on  to  discuss  the  four  following  jiro- 
positions:  I.  It  appears  to  us  hardly  possible  to  push  the 
business  of  proselytisni  to  any  length  in  India  without  the  risk 
of  losing  our  empire ; II.  Another  reason  for  giving  up  the 
task  of  conversion,  is  the  want  of  success;  III.  The  duty  of 
conversion  is  less  plain  and  less  imperious  when  it  exposes  the 
convert  (as  it  does  in  the  case  of  the  Hindus)  to  great  present 
misery;  .IV.  Conversion  is  no  duty  at  all  if  it  merely  destroys 
the  old  religion  without  really  and  effectually  teaching  the  new 
one. 

In  one  part  of  the  article  he  insinuates  that  the  Baptist 
missionaries,  whom  he  calls  “Anabaptists,”  would  teach  insur- 
rection. “ If,”  he  says  in  another  place,  “ proselytism  were  to 
grow  as  rapidly  as  the  most  visionary  Anabaptist  could  dream 
or  desire,  in  what  manner  are  these  people  to  be  taught  the 
genuine  truths  and  practices  of  Christianity?”  He  then 


SYDISTEY  SMITH  IN  OPPOSITION. 


25 


endeavors  to  prove  that  if  the  Hindus  are  persuaded  to  aban- 
don their  own  religion  and  to  become  merely  formal  proselytes 
to  Christianity,  they  will  be  without  tlie  motives  they  now  have 
to  pass  lives  of  decency  and  morality.  In  answer  to  those  who 
argue,  in  reply,  that  by  degrees  the  Hindus  would  become 
better,  and  that  in  a century  true  Christianity  may  prevail,  he 
says,  “We  may  reply  to  such  sect  of  Jacobin  converters,  what 
Mr.  Burke  said  to  the  Jacobin  politicians  of  his  time:  ‘To 
such  men  a whole  generation  of  human  beings  are  of  no  more 
consequence  than  a frog  in  an  air-pump.’  For  the  distant  pros- 
pect of  doing  what,  most  probably,  after  all,  they  will  never  be 
able  to  effect,  there  is  no  degree  of  present  misery  and  horror 
to  which  they  will  not  expose  the  subjects  of  their  experiment.” 
“Let  any  man  read  the  reports  of  the  Anabaptist  missions;  can 
he  do  so  without  deeming  such  men  pernicious  and  extravagant 
in  their  own  country,  and  without  feeling  that  they  are  benefit- 
ting  us  much  more  by  their  absence  than  the  Hindus  by  their 
advice?”  Having  proved  to  his  own  satisfaction  the  Baptists 
to  be  fanatics,  he  closes  this  article  with  these  unjust  and  intem- 
perate words ; “ The  baseness  and  malignity  of  fanaticism  shall 
never  prevent  us  from  attacking  its  arrogance,  its  ignorance, 
and  its  activity.  For  what  vice  can  be  more  tremendous  than 
that  which,  while  it  wears  the  outward  appearance  of  religion, 
destroys  the  happiness  of  man  and  dishonors  the  name  of 
God?” 

Sydney  Smith  ought  to  have  been  ashamed  of  such  an  article. 
But  he  was  not;  and  thirty  years  later  he  republished  it  in  a 
complete  edition  of  his  works.  His  predictions  and  alarms, 
however,  were  groundless.  The  Baptist  Mission,  so  far  from 
causing  the  loss  of  the  British  empire  in  India,  was  eventually, 
as  is  now  admitted,  the  means  of  saving  it  from  destruction. 
One  of  Smith’s  arguments  was:  “It  is  true  the  Hindus  drown 
themselves  in  the  Ganges,  torture  themselves  in  various  ways. 


26 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


and  burn  their  widows.  But,  then,  it  must  be  considered  that 
they  do  this  willingly,  and  in  the  cheerful  performance  of 
religious  duties.  These  missionaries,  however,  would  coerce 
them  into  suffering  the  greatest  hardships,  as  the  renunciation 
of  caste  and  the  unwilling  discharge  of  the  duties  of  a religion 
that  is  hateful  to  them.’^  It  is  astonishing  to  what  extent  this 
misrepresentation  prevailed.  The  Governor-General,  on  one 
occasion,  said  to  Mr.  Carey:  ‘‘Do  you  not  think  it  Avould  be 
wrong  to  force  the  Hindus  to  become  Christians'?^^  “My 
Lord,”  was  the  reply,  “the  thing  is  impossible;  we  may  indeed 
compel  men  to  be  hypocrites,  but  no  power  on  earth  can  force 
them  to  become  Christians.” 

So  far  from  the  Mission  being  a political  injury  to  British 
India,  it  not  only  saved  it  from  ruin,  but  was  of  untold  benefit 
to  the  souls  of  very  many  of  the  British  residents  who  were, 
on  the  arrival  of  the  Serampore  brethren,  living  in  infidelity 
and  vice.  When  the  subject  of  the  toleration  of  missionaries 
was  discussed  in  the  Council  in  Calcutta,  one  member  was  very 
bitter  against  the  Baptists.  “If  these  men,”  said  he,  “had 
belonged  to  any  of  the  more  respectable  sects  of  Dissenters, 
thej’  might  have  been  tolerated ; but  to  think  of  tolerating  Bap- 
tists^ the  smallest  of  the  sects,  and  the  straitest;  that  is  not  to 
be  borne.”  And  yet  it  is  remarkable,  as  the  Eev.  Dr.  Boaz, 
afterwards  a Congregational  missionary  at  Calcutta,  states,  that 
a son  of  this  same  member  of  the  Council  was  converted  by 
means  of  a newspaper  containing  an  extract  from  the  writings 
of  Baxter  or  Doddridge,  which  had  been  printed  at  the  Baptist 
Mission  press,  and  which  had  found  its  way  to  him  while  he 
was  at  one  of  the  hill  stations  in  India.  He  came  down  from 
his  solitary  hill  station  to  seek  further  Christian  instruction, 
and  was  baptized  and  admitted  to  one  of  the  Baptist  churches. 


CHAPTER  V. 


VICISSITUDES  OF  MISSIOKABY  LIFE. 

Arrangement  for  Preventing  the  Serampore  Brethren  from  Printing  Trea- 
sonable Matter. — Death  of  Mrs.  Carey. — Second  Marriage. — Literaiy 
Character  of  his  Second  Wife. — Her  Danish  Origin  and  Belations. — 
Anecdote  of  Prayer  Answered  for  Jahez. — Natives  regard  the  Print- 
ing-Press as  an  English  Idol. — Printing-House  Burned, — Dr.  Carey's 
Attainments  and  Thoroughness. — Effect  of  Excessive  Study  of  Lan- 
guages.— Carey’s  Humility. — A Plodder,  yet  a Genius. — Cannibalism. — 
Warm  Missionary  Better  than  Cold. — Carey’s  Preaching  Misrepresented. 
“No  Likes  in  your  Sermons.” — Eustace’s  Defects  as  a Writer. — He  Mis- 
leads Eobert  Hall. — Carey’s  Favorite  Pundit. — He  could  not  Disturb  Dr. 
Carey  while  Enjoying  a Foretaste  of  Nirvana. — Carey’s  J^ove  of  Flow- 
ers.—The  English  Daisy.— Carey’s  Third  Marriage. — The  Death  of 
Ward. — His  own  Death. — Inscription. — An  Estimate  of  his  Labors. — 
Political  Influence  of  the  Mission. — As  a Sanskrit  Scholar,  Carey  Under- 
rated by  Professor  Wilson. 

a HE  storm  of  controversy  still  raged  in  England,  but  the 
differences  in  India  had  already  been  composed.  The 
possibility  of  printing  treasonable  and  revolutionary  matter 
was  prevented  by  requiring  the  missionaries  to  send,  previ- 
ously to  publication,  copies  of  their  issues  to  the  Governor  of 
Serampore,  to  be  transmitted  by  him  to  the  Governor-General 
of  India.  The  missionaries  observed  a day  of  thanksgiving  for 
this  rescue  from  the  danger  of  being  compelled  to  stop  preach- 
ing, and  of  being  sent  home  to  England. 

In  the  meanwhile,  great  changes  were  taking  place  in  Br. 
Carey’s  household.  In  1808,  Mrs.  Carey  went  to  her  heavenly 
rest.  She  had  been  in  India  five  years.  As  the  mother  of  Felix, 
Jabez,  William,  Peter  and  Jonathan,  she  will  ever  be  remem- 


28 


THE  STORY  OF  BAI’TIST  ISflSSIONS. 


bered  witli  lionor;  ])ut,  iinliappily,  slie  liad  for  twelve  years 
suffered  from  attacks  of  mental  derangement.  The  second 
marriage  of  Dr.  Carey  was  providentially  ])re})ared.  As  early 
as  1801,  in  writing  home  an  account  of  the  j)rogress  of  the  Mis- 
sion, he  closes  his  letter  with  these  words:  “I  have  no  doubt 
of  the  conversion  of  a German  lady  who  came  liither  for  her 
health;  her  name  is  Miss  Rumohr,  from  the  Duchy  of  Schles- 
wig. Her  father  was  a nobleman.  ITer’s,  however,  is  true 
nobility.  She  speaks  French  fluently,  but  wished  to  learn 
English.’’  At  the  request  of  the  Danish  Governor,  Mr.  Carey 
gave  her  occasional  lessons  in  the  English  language.  Such  was 
her  diligence  in  the  study  of  English,  that  in  a few  months  she 
understood  divine  worship  in  that  language,  and  was  able  to 
talk  with  the  English  residents  of  Serampore.  Although 
brought  up  in  the  Lutheran  Church,  she  had  lived  a skeptic 
until  she  read  “Pascal’s  Thoughts,”  which  led  to  a genuine 
conviction  of  her  sinfulness.  Becoming  acquainted  with  the 
various  members  of  the  Mission  family,  she  often  talked  with 
them  on  religious  subjects,  and  was  thus  led  to  the  Friend  of 
sinners.  She  had  always  thought  it  wrong  to  baptize  infants; 
and  she  was  now  convinced  that  it  was  her  duty  to  receive 
believer’s  baptism.  She  obeyed  the  command  of  the  Master 
concerning  this  ordinance,  June  13th,  1802;  and  from  that  time 
she  took  a lively  interest  in  the  prosperity  of  the  Baptist  Mis- 
sions in  India.  About  six  years  after  her  admission  to  the 
church  she  was  married  to  Dr.  Carey.  As  Lady  Rumohr  had 
always  led  the  life  of  a student,  and  her  mind  was  cultivateVi 
by  extensive  reading,  while  she  now  shared  his  zeal  for  the 
conversion  of  the  Hindus,  she  became  a most  congenial  com- 
]>anion  for  the  learned  Missionary.  She  seems  to  have  been 
among  the  lirst  to  think  of  establishing  Zenana  schools.  When 
her  daughter-in-law  was  about  to  open  a school  for  native  girls 
at  Cutwa,  she  took  on  lierself  the  entire  expense  of  the  school. 


KEMAEKABLE  ANSWER  TO  PRAYER. 


29 


She  also  gave  to  the  brethren  of  the  Mission  a house  she  had 
built  for  her  own  residence : the  rent  of  it  was  to  be  constantly 
appropriated  to  the  support  of  native  preachers.  Her  father, 
it  may  possibly  be  well  to  add,  was  the  Chevalier  de  Eumohr, 
and  her  mother  the  Countess  of  Alfeldt.  At  the  time  of  her 
marriage  she  had  a sister  who  was  a serious  Christian,  the  wife 
of  Chevalier  Warnstadt,  Chamberlain  to  the  Kmg  of  Denmark. 
The  relations  of  the  Baptist  Mission  at  Serampore  and  the 
Danish  Court  had  always  been  pleasant,  so  that  it  occasioned 
no  surprise  when  the  King  sent  to  Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward 
a letter  expressing  his  approbation  of  their  labors,  accompanied 
by  a gold  medal  for  each;  but  they  must  have  been  somewhat 
astonished  when,  a few  days  later,  a royal  order  arrived,  con- 
veying to  the  Baptist  Mission  a large  house  and  adjoining 
grounds  belopging  to  his  Danish  Majesty. 

An  incident  concerning  Carey’s  son  Jabez  is  worthy  of  men- 
tion here.  After  the  conversion  of  two  of  his  sons.  Dr.  Carey 
became  very  anxious  about  the  soul  of  Jabez,  who  had  just 
commenced  the  practice  of  law.  He  wrote  to  his  friend,  Mr. 
Fuller,  on  the  subject.  At  the  next  annual  meeting  of  the 
Society  in  London,  Mr.  Fuller,  while  preaching,  adverted  to 
the  happiness  of  the  beloved  Carey  in  seeing  two  of  his  sons 
devoted  to  the  Mission,  but  added,  ‘‘There  is  a third  who  gives 
him  pain;  he  has  not  yet  turned  to  the  Lord;”  then,  making  a 
long  and  solemn  pause,  he  said,  with  tears  and  pathetic  tones, 
“Brethren,  let  us  send  up  a united  and  fervent  prayer  to  God, 
in  solemn  silence,  for  the  conversion  of  Jabez  Carey.”  For  two 
minutes,  more  than  a thousand  persons  bowed  their  heads,  and, 
with  deep  devotional  feeling,  joined  in  silent  prayer.  The  result 
was  striking.  Months  later,  the  intelligence  arrived  that  the 
conversion  of  Jabez  occurred,  nearly,  if  not  just  at  the  time, 
of  this  united  and  heartfelt  intercession. 

For  twelve  years  the  Missionary  Printing-House  had  been 


30 


THE  HTOKY  OF  BAPTLST  MISSIONS. 


enlarging  its  business,  until  it  bad  become  an  immense  estab- 
lislimeut.  It  was  one  liundred  and  seventy-four  feet  long  and 
lifty  broad,  to  which  were  attached  a store-room  one  hundred 
and  forty  feet  long,  and  a room  for  casting  type.  Kear  it  was  a 

1 d 33!5i5lf5  aCLi 

3 sit  5iqr  I®  ^ wst 

gicRi  jq^^c^PTsTT 

^„Oo(5’5'o’t>cS$30tSS  €r»S3<ai 

e TesScjSi  xS)'^sCot>  *^-g<3(SSSa 

*7  ?J5*  »»  KJ^  *4  Vf 

8 @3^|6g5|f  ^5anwti§^C^33g|o^c»£o£co 

9 ^ (3^0(3  affWLb.  Oi^diiU  0fiv/flrl^^C0|B’5 

10  2fg@c5to  q!2j>2rf®ea^0(Sc3:3i 

1 1 ^ i*  SywA  t/i^^  •sC» 

Types  of  Thirteen  Eastern  Languages. 

paper-mill.  The  natives  frequently  visited  the  place,  as  a new 
Ihiropean  wonder.  One  day,  as  some  of  them  turned  away 
fiorn  the  first  view  of  a printing-press,  they  said,  ^Ot  is  an  Eng- 
lish idol!”  There  were  forty  or  fifty  learned  natives  employed 


No.  1.  The  lieng.'ilee.  No.  5*  TheTelingr.  No.  9.  TheTamul. 

2.  'i’lio  OrisBa  6.  The  Kunuita.  10.  The  Cingalese. 

3.  The  Hin«U)08tanee.  7.  The  Allglian.  11.  The  Malay. 

4.  The  Sanskrit.  8.  I'ho  niirmaii.  12.  The  Chinese. 

.No.  13.  The  Multanee. 


BUENING  OF  THE  SERAMPOEE  PRINTING-HOUSE. 


31 


ill  translating  or  in  correcting  proof-sheets  of  the  Scriptures. 
Besides  these,  there  were  Mahometans,  pagan  Hindus  and 
naiive  converts  all  busy,  some  composing,  others  distributing, 
others  correcting.  A dozen  Mahometans  were  employed  in 
binding  parts  of  the  Bible. 

But  destruction  was  to  visit  this  busy  scene.  On  the  evening 
of  March  11th,  1812,  the  printing-house  was  destroyed  by  fire- 
A large  quantity  of  paper  (two  thousand  reams)  and  many  vol- 
umes of  Scriptures  fed  the  flames.  Fonts  of  type  in  thirteen 
languages,  and  manuscripts  in  seven  languages,  were  consumed. 
The  loss  was  estimated  at  £12,000,  or  about  $00,000.  But  there 
were  parts  of  the  loss  that  could  not  be  remedied  by  money. 
Among  these  were  Dr.  Carey’s  manuscript  dictionary  of  Sans- 
krit, the  work  of  many  years,  and  nearly  ready  for  the  press ; 
also  a large  quantity  of  materials  for  an  universal  dictionary  of 
the  Oriental  languages  derived  from  the  Sanskrit.  Neither  of 
these  works  was  ever  resumed.  Happily,  no  lives  were  lost, 
though  Mr.  Ward,  the  missionary  printer  and  scholar,  was  in 
very  great  danger  of  being  suffocated  with  smoke.  He  ran 
into  the  place  as  soon  as  the  fire  broke  out,  to  save  whatever 
he  could  seize.  The  next  morning,  as  Dr.  Carey,  in  company 
with  a friend,  walked  over  the  smoking  ruins,  with  tears  in  his 
eyes,  “In  one  short  evening,”  said  he,  “the  labors  of  many 
years  are  consumed.  How  unsearchable  are  the  ways  of  God! 
The  Lord  has  laid  me  low  that  I may  look  more  simply  to  him.” 
However,  the  presses  and  the  matrices  of  the  Oriental  types 
were  saved;  and  no  sooner  did  tidings  of  the  calamity  reach 
England  and  America  than  Christians  of  every  name  united  to 
repair  the  loss.  In  fact,  the  great  fire  at  Serampore  cast  gleams 
into  thousands  of  minds  that  before  were  totally  ignorant  of 
the  doings  of  Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  in  India;  it  warmed 
the  cold  hearts  of  a multitude  of  wealthy  formalists  and  vota- 
ries of  fashion.  Eventually  did  it  aj)pear  that  the  conflagration 


4. 


32 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  IVnsSIOKS. 


brought  to  light  some  of  tlie  brightest  treasures  that  fire  ever 
melted  out  of  the  ore  of  dark  mystery. 

This  conflagration  of  manuscripts  called  the  attention  of  the 
Christian  world  to  Dr.  Carey’s  linguistic  labors.  Into  twenty-six 
languages  was  he  translating  the  Scriptures,  as  early  as  1814. 
lie  was  a master  of  Sanskrit  when  instruction  in  that  sacred 
tongue  was  in  its  infancy.  He  became  familiar  with  the  litera- 
ture it  embalms,  and  spoke  it  with  fluency  and  correctness.  It 
was  this  knowledge,  as  Dr.  Francis  Mason  tliinks,  that  enabled 
him  to  learn  so  many  of  the  other  languages  of  the  East  which 
are  dialects  of  the  Sanskrit. 

The  care  with  which  Dr.  Carey  made  his  versions  has  never, 
we  think,  been  fully  appreciated.  We  never,”  says  he  in  1805, 
“ print  any  translation  until  every  word  has  been  revised  and 
re-revised.  Whatever  helps  we  employ,  I have  never  yet  suf- 
fered a single  word,  or  a single  mode  of  construction,  to  pass 
without  examining  it  and  seeing  through  it.  I read  every 
proof-sheet  twice  or  thrice  myself,  and  correct  every  letter 
with  my  own  hand.  Whatever  helps  I use,  1 commit  my  judg- 
ment to  none  of  them.”  Dr.  Marshman’s  words  are  well  worth 
reading,  marking  and  digesting : “ Seven  years  have  formed  the 
shortest  period  which  has  been  occupied  with  any  version,  and 
it  was  not  till  those  in  the  chief  cognate  languages  of  India  had 
been  finished  that  the  secondary  versions  were  suffered  to  pass 
through  the  press  even  in  so  small  a space  as  seven  years.  The 
chief  cognate  branches  occupied,  in  general,  about  ten  years 
each  ; and  to  those  wherein  the  discrepancy  was  greatest,  nearly 
twelve  years  were  given.”  As  there  were  in  1814  only  certain 
parts  of  Scripture  printed  in  twenty-six  languages,  or  rather 
mostly  dialects,  it  is  necessary  that  the*  general  reader  should 
bear  in  mind  that  Dr.  Marshman  takes  for  granted  that  several 
of  these  vcn-sions  were  being  made  and  i)rinted  in  parts  at  the 
same  time.  In  j)rinting  second  editions  of  these  parts  of  the 


CAREY  AS  vV  TRANSLATOR. 


33 


New  and  Old  Testament,  Dr.  Carey  availed  himself  of  the  crit- 
icisms which  learned  natives  and  Europeans  had  made  upon 
the  first  editions. 

So  devoted  was  our  scholar  to  the  work  of  translating  from 
Hebrew  and  Greek  into  strange  tongues,  that  he  at  one  time 
feared  he  might  be  secularized  by  his  l)ias  towards  seeking  out 
words,  phrases  and  idioms  of  speech.  The  exclusive  study  of 
languages  is,  however,  as  injurious  to  the  intellect  as  to  the 
heart.  DeQuincy  has  justly  characterized  it  as  “the  dry-rot 
of  the  mind.’’  And  yet  such  was  Carey’s  natural  aptitude  for 
the  acquisition  of  languages  that  he  could  make  rapid  progress 
in  the  knowledge  of  other  tongues,  while  giving  much  time 
daily  to  preparing  sermons,  or  teaching  in  the  College  of  Fort 
William,  or  attending  to  the  many  other  avocations  that  were 
incident  to  his  official  position  and  relations.  Too  low  an  esti- 
mate has,  I think,  been  set  on  Carey’s  natural  endowments; 
indeed,  in  his  occasional  fits  of  “wild  humility”  (to  use  the 
words  of  Dr.  Eyland),  his  own  account  of  himself  and  his 
achievements  was  to  be  received  as  unjust.  How  often,  for 
example,  do  we  hear  quoted  these  self-depreciating  words: 
“ Eustace,  if,  after  my  removal,  any  one  should  think  it  worth 
his  while  to  write  my  life,  I will  give  you  a criterion  by  which 
you  may  judge  of  its  correctness.  If  he  give  me  credit  for 
being  a plodder^  he  will  describe  me  justly.  Anything  beyond 
this  will  be  too  much.  I can  plod,  I can  persevere  in  any  defi- 
nite pursuit.  To  this  I owe  everything.”  But  Eustace  here,  as 
in  some  other  places,  does  not  stop  to  inquire  whether  such 
statements  are  supported  by  the  facts  he  narrated.  Thus,  we 
find  him,  amidst  various  occupations,  as  shoemaker  and  as 
pastor  at  Moulton,  while  composing  his  elaborate  “Inquiry’^ 
and  attending  to  all  the  cares  of  his  family,  amusing  himself 
with  the  study  of  the  Dutch  language.  Some  one  having  made 
him  a present  of  a folio  volume  in  Dutch,  for  the  sake  of  read- 
4 


34 


THE  STOIIY  OF  F.APTIST  MISSIONS. 


iiig  it  he  obtained  a grammar  and  learned  tlie  language.  “Tliis 
I know/^  says  Andrew  Fuller,  “that  soon  afterwards  a Dutch 
l)amplilet  was  put  into  his  hands,  and  he  actually  translated  it 
and  made  a present  of  the  translation  to  me,  which  I have  still 
by  me.^^  That  mere  jdodding,  without  any  natural  talent  for  the 
study  of  languages,  would  have  enabled  him  to  i)erform  such 
exploits,  passes  all  understanding,  and  is  beyond  rational  belief. 
Competent  judges  of  his  intellectual  powers,  as  well  in  England 
as  in  India,  in  their  tributes  to  his  memory,  agree  in  ascribing 
to  him  a singular  facility  in  acquiring  languages.  Add  to  this 
the  life-long  pleasure  he  took  in  storing  his  memory  with  the 
names  of  all  flowers,  beasts,  birds  and  minerals;  could  a 
mere  plodder  have  possibly  acquired  all  this  dry  technical 
knowledge  ? The  learned  commentator,  Thomas  Scott,  who 
knew  Carey  when  he  was  working  as  a shoemaker  in  Mr.  Old^s 
shop,  said,  many  years  after:  “ From  the  first,  I thought  young 
Carey  an  extraordinary  person.’^  Long  afterwards,  when  “the 
consecrated  cobbler’’  had  become  famous,  Mr.  Scott,  while  pass- 
ing the  deserted  and  tumble-down  little  shop,  would  say  to  his 
sons:  “That  is  Mr.  Carey’s  college.”  ilo  intelligent  person 
can  read  any  candid  estimate  of  Dr.  Carey’s  literary  character 
without  concluding  that  he  was  not  only  a scholar,  but  a man 
of  genius.^ 

Tlie  manifold  duties  of  Dr.  Carey  very  seldom  permitted  him 
to  make  excursions  beyond  Calcutta;  but  he  undertook  one 
noteworthy  journey  into  Bootan,  on  the  borders  of  Thibet.  So 
great  a contrast  he  had  never  seen  between  two  neighboring 
nations,  as  the  Bootans  and  the  Hindus.  Our  space  does  not 
allow  us  to  give  a particular  account  of  this  excursion.  Dr. 
Carey  likewise  watched  the  growth  of  missions  in  other  parts 
of  the  woi’ld,  and  lamented  the  failure  of  the  missions  in 

l.SiiKMi  writing  llic  abovc^,  1 liiid  Unit  Mr.  J.  C.  Mursliinan  concurs  with 
me:  “Ih;  was  indeed  a plodder,”  says  he,  “but  it  was  the  xilodding  of 
g(niins,” 


BAKED  MISSIONARY -HOT  PREFERRED. 


35 


Africa.  His  attention  was  one  day  called  to  the  importance  of 
planting  a mission  in  Sumatra,  by  the  visit  of  a captain  of  a 
ship  in  the  Eastern  trade,  a man  of  undoubted  veracity.  He 
was  accompanied  by  a little  boy.  “ ‘ Can  you  imagine,’  said  the 
captain,  ‘how  I came  by  this  boy?’  I said,  ‘No.’  Said  he, 
‘ I was  on  the  coast  of  Sumatra,  when,  having  occasion  to  go 
on  shore,  my  attention  was  arrested  by  three  little  boys  whom 
I saw  there.  I asked  a Malay  who  they  were.  He,  without 
hesitation,  replied  that  they  had  been  stolen  from  a neighboring 
island,  and  would  be  sold  for  food  to  the  Battas  (a  tribe  inhab- 
iting part  of  Sumatra)  as  soon  as  they  were  fatted.  I asked 
their  price,  and  was  told  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  With- 
out thinking  of  the  price,’  said  he,  ‘I  went  on  board  and 
brought  the  money,  with  which  I bought  them,  and  then  carried 
them  on  board  ship.’”  A French  consul  to  the  Figians  (and  a 
French  consul  is  to  be  believed  when  he  tells  the  truth)  relates 
that  when  he  called  one  day  to  see  one  of  the  kings  or  chiefs, 
he  found  him  suffering  from  pain  in  the  inward  parts.  Presum- 
ing to  inquire  into  the  cause  of  his  majesty’s  unhappiness,  he 
replied ; “ It  is  all  because  I have  been  dining  off  a dish  of  cold 
missionary.  Harken  to  the  voice  of  experience,  and  whenever 
you  dine  off  that  dish,  have  it  served  up  warm,’’’’  Pretty  certain 
I am  that  warm  missionary  is  better  than  cold  any  time  of  day 
and  all  the  world  over.  A young  missionary,  who  went  out  a 
few  years  ago  to  one  of  the  Cannibal  Islands,  wrote  home, 
saying  he  had  just  enjoyed  the  melancholy  jileasure  of  looking 
into  the  oven  in  which  his  predecessor  was  baked.  We  hope 
this  circumstance  will  not  induce  any  young  student  of  theol- 
ogy to  decide  against  going  into  a foreign  field ; for  he  may  be 
assured  that  there  are  not  a few  churches  and  church  edifices 
in  our  Christian  villages  and  cities  which  have  often  served, 
figuratively,  as  ovens  for  the  thorough  roasting  of  young  and 
tender  teachers  of  our  faith. 


TJ4I0  STOJtY  OK  I'.AKTIST  MISSIONS. 


;3G 


l>ut  tliis  is  neither  liere  iiortlierej  althoii^li  it  suggests  to 
me  a piece  of  injustice  whicli  lias  been  done  to  Dr.  Carey  as  a 
writer  and  preaclier.  Tlie  impression  is  conveyed  by  all  liis 
biographers  that  ho  was  singularly  unskillful  in  the  use  of 
figurative  language,  and  lacked  all  capacity  for  every  style 
excejit  the  idaiii  and  the  dry.  The  fact  is,  that  he  was  some- 
what chargeable  with  the  deticiency  in  Ms  youth^  and  on  account 
of  a severe  and  memorable  criticism  he  then  received  from  Mr. 
Hall,  of  Arnsby  (the  father  of  the  celebrated  Kobert),  it  has 
been  falsely  inferred  that  he  could  not  amend  his  style  in  later 
years.  The  criticism  is  often  repeated:  “ Brother  Carey,  you 
have  no  Uhes  in  your  sermons,’’  etc.  Truth  to  tell,  however.  Dr. 
Carey’s  letters  and  other  productions  will  compare  favorably 
with  Mr.  Hall’s  “Helps  to  Zion’s  Travellers”  in  point  of  figura- 
tive language  and  the  right  use  of  the  imagination.  He  seldom 
descended  to  the  feeble  and  common-place  with  a view  to 
popular  effect;  his  illustrations  were  chosen  from  some  great 
object  or  law  of  the  visible  creation.  “Never,”  he  would  say 
to  his  nephew  Eustace,  “have  recourse  to  a figure,  unless  it 
shall  render  the  idea  more  clear  or  more  forcible  than  it  would 
be  without  it.  Let  your  figures  also  be  congruous  and  agree- 
able.” But,  alas,  for  poor  Eustace ! He  never  acquired  the  art 
of  composition,  to  say  nothing  of  rhetoric.  His  uncle  was 
every  way  superior  to  him  in  both  arts,  and  yet  Eustace  owes 
his  escape  from  oblivion  to  the  one  fact,  that  the  great  Bobert 
Hall  made  to  him  an  immortal  address.  The  latter,  becoming 
very  partial  to  Eustace,  wrote,  at  his  instigation,  his  unjust  and 
intemperate  letter  on  the  Serampore  Mission  — a letter  whose 
contents  .Mr.  Hall  afterwards  disavowed;  and  yet  it  must  be 
j)ublislied  in  the  early  editions  of  Hall’s  Works,  in  spite  of  the 
great  John  Eoster’s  ten  days’  labor  in  the  waj^  of  remonstrance. 

Dr.  Carey’s  favorite  i)undit,  Mrityunjaya,  was  especially  at- 
tached to  his  service  as  Professor  in  the  College  of  Port 


A FOEETASTE  OF  KIEV  ANA. 


37. 


William.  In  Mr.  Hume^s  picture  of  Dr.  Carey,  liis  i)ortrait  iiS 
included.  He  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  master,  and  was 
always  associated  with  him  in  literary  occupations.  Mr.  Jona- 
than Carey  tells  us  an  anecdote  which  serves  to  illustrate  the 
habits  of  his  father,  as  well  as  the  manners  of  the  Hindus.  For 
some  years  Dr.  Carey  went  to  Calcutta  three  days  every  week 
to  instruct  his  classes  in  the  College.  During  this  period  three 
pundits  attended  him  alternately  through  the  day  — one  in  the 
morning  before  breakfast,  another  after  breakfast  until  his 
College  duties  commenced ; the  third  during  the  afternoon.  It 
was  the  Doctor^s  habit  during  the  hot  months  to  rest  half  an 
hour  in  the  afternoon.  One  day,  pressed  with  engagements,  he 
requested  his  pundit  to  wake  him  in  a quarter  of  an  hour,  and, 
leaving  his  watch  on  the  table  to  direct  the  pundit,  he  retired 
to  his  room.  At  the  appointed  time  the  pundit  went  softly  to 
the  room  to  awake  him,  but,  finding  him  sound  asleep,  could 
not  summon  courage  enough  to  disturb  him,  and  came  back  to 
the  table.  Five  minutes  later  he  made  a second  attempt,  but 
the  pundiFs  resolution  again  failed.  About  ten  minutes  after 
the  time  appointed,  the  Doctor  awoke,  and,  coming  out  to  look 
at  his  watch,  admonished  the  pundit  for  his  neglect.  The  latter 
informed  him  of  his  repeated  attempts,  and  pleaded,  as  his 
excuse,  the  custom  of  the  natives  not  to  disturb  any  person  in 
sound  sleep.  It  is,  as  it  would  appear,  regarded  as  a foretaste 
of  the  highest  felicity  or  nirvana. 

The  great  missionary  and  scholar  carried  to  India  his  youthful 
passion  for  flowers.  He  could  not  take  with  him  the  English 
lark,  which  he  had  so  often  seen  singing  and  soaring  to  meet 
the  first  rays  of  the  rising  and  the  last  rays  of  the  setting  sun ; he 
could  not  hear  the  church-bells  of  a Sunday  morning,  nor  “ sigh 
,at  the  sound  of  a knell, nor  listen  to  “ the  drowsy  tinklings  of 
the  distant  folds.’^  Untunable  gongs,  drums,  and  every  sound 
of  discord — dialects  more  harsh  than  were  spoken  by  those  who 


38 


THE  STOllY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


left  Babel  in  mutual  disgust — daily  and  nightly  rasi)ed  upon  his 
ears.  But  there  was  one  mitigation  of  his  misery:  he  found 
on  experiment  that  lie  could  make  live  in  India,  at  least  for  a 
season,  the  roses,  cowslips,  violets  and  bluebells  of  his  dear  old 
native  land.  lie  now  learned  to  love  even  the  common  weeds, 
nettles  and  thistles  of  England.  How  ho  begged  his  friends  to 
send  the  seeds  of  them  to  him,  and  even  reproached  them  as 
being  less  mindful  of  him  in  this  regard  than  his  more  remote 
friends  in  America.  Once,  after  having  carefully  unpacked  a 
bag  of  seeds  which  he  had  received  from  a friend  in  England, 
he  shook  out  the  bag  in  a corner  of  his  garden,  and  in  due  time 
discovered  something  spring  up  on  the  spot,  which,  to  his  great 
delight,  proved  to  be  one  of  those  daisies  which  spangle  every 
English  walk  and  meadow.  In  writing  home,  he  expressed  his 
joy  on  making  this  discovery.  The  incident  suggested  to  James 
Montgomery  his  poem  ‘‘The  Daisy We  have  room  for  only 
one  of  the  six  stanzas: 

“ Thrice  welcome,  little  English  flower! 

To  me  the  pledge  of  hope  unseen  : 

AVhen  sorrow  would  my  soul  overpower 
For  joys  that  were  or  might  have  been, 

ITl  call  to  mind  how  fresh  and  green 
I saw  thee  waking  from  the  dust, 

Then  turn  to  heaven  with  brow  serene 
And  place  in  God  my  trust.” 

It  is  doubtful,  however,  whether  he  could  make  the  daisy 
flourish  in  such  a tropical  climate.  At  any  rate  the  Hon.  Emily 
Eden  writing  in  183G,  laments  that  nobody  had  ever  seen  a daisy, 
although  she  had  often  sojourned  at  Barrackpore,  on  the  opposite 
banks  of  the  Hoogly.  Carey’s  fondness  for  his  garden  remained 
to  the  last.  Under  his  care  it  had  become  the  best  and  rarest 
collection  of  plants  in  the  East.  Often,  when  he  could  no  longer 
walk,  he  Avas  drawn  into  the  garden  in  a chair  placed  on  a 
board  with  four  wheels.  It  Avas  Avith  much  distress  that  he 


O A KEY’S  LAST  DAYS. 


39 


quitted  this  little  Eden  for  the  last  time,  his  exceeding  weak- 
ness not  permitting  him  again  to  visit  his  favorite  retreat.  The 
privation  was  the  more  painful  because  it  was  in  this  Paradise 
that  he  had  enjoyed  his  most  pleasant  seasons  of  secret  medi- 
tation and  communion  with  Him  who  was  once  mistaken  for  a 
gardener. 


English  Wild  Flowers. 


Agriculture,  next  to  Horticulture  in  his  esteem,  also  enjoyed 
much  of  his  attention  •,  he  issued  a circular  on  the  subject  which 
resulted  in  the  formation  of  a society  for  its  encouragement. 

In  May,  1821,  Dr.  Carey  was  greatly  afflicted  by  the  loss  of  his 
second  wife.  Three  years  after,  he  married  again.  Writing  to 
his  old  friend  Dr.  Eyland  respecting  this  event,  he  says : “ 1 think 
I informed  you  in  my  last  of  my  third  marriage.  I can  add,  that 
my  present  wife  is  a person  who  fears  God,  and  that  I have  as  good 
a share  of  domestic  happiness,  perhaps,  as  those  who  are  most 
favored  in  that  respect.’^  In  1822  he  was  called  to  lament  the 
death  of  his  co-laborer,  William  AYard. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1823,  as  Dr.  Carey  was  stepping  from 
a boat,  his  foot  slipped  and  he  fell  heavily  to  the  ground,  cahsing 


40 


THE  STOllY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


a violent  contusion  of  tlie  liip-joint.  Fevers  and  oMier  disorders 
followed,  which  succeeded  in  breaking  down  his  constitution  and 
disqualifying  him  for  hard  study.  But  still,  such  was  the  forc.e  of 
habit  that  he  would  return  daily  to  his  desk,  where  he  si)ent 
most  of  his  time  in  reading,  llis  last  days  were  tilled  with  ex- 
pressions of  gratitude  and  hope.  He  suffered  from  debility,  lint 
was  almost  free  from  jiain  for  six  months  before  his  deiiarture. 
lie  was  now  delirious  at  ttmes.  In  the  wanderings  of  his 
mind  ho  would  often  ask  to  be  taken  to  his  desk,  that  lie  might 
write  a letter  of  thanks  to  his  friends  at  home  for  all  their 
kindness.  His  weakness  went  on  increasing  until  June  9th, 
1834,  when  his  spirit  took  its  joyful  flight  to  its  eternal  palace. 
By  his  express  direction,  he  was  buried  by  the  side  of  his  sec- 
ond wife,  and  on  the  plain  cenotaph  which  was  erected  to 
her  memory  was  cut  the  following  inscription,  and  nothing 
more : — 

WILLIAM  CAREY, 

Born  17th  August,  1761;  Died  9th  June,  1834. 


“A  wretched,  poor  and  helpless  worm, 

On  thy  kind  arms  I fall,” 

In  his  last  days,  the  venerable  man  would  often  talk  of  the 
favorable  changes  that  had  taken  place  since  he  arrived  in  In- 
dia, forty  years  before,  and  exclaim,  “ What  hath  God  wrought ! ’’ 
Space  would  fail  us  to  dwell  upon  the  progress  of  the  spirit  of 
Missions,  in  his  own  land  and  in  America;  upon  the  revolution 
that  had  taken  i)lace  in  the  minds  of  statesmen  at  home  and 
in  the  jiolicy  of  the  Indian  government;  upon  the  spread  and 
growth  of  missions  in  many  parts  of  the  East;  and  upon  the 
decay  of  idolatry  and  its  cruel,  debasing  rites.  To  Baptists 
l)eloi)g  the  honor  of  having  giAxn  to  British  India  the  Scrip- 
tui(js  iij  various  diahu'ts,  of  having  been  the  first  to  encourage 


THE  RESULTS  OF  CAREY’S  LABORS. 


41 


the  cultivation  of  Bengali,  and  of  establishing  there  a news- 
paper, of  high  character  and  extensive  influeuce.  ‘‘  We  are  now 
able  to  see  says  a living  British  author,  of  the  Congregational 
faith,  “that  this  Mission  may  be  said  to  have  saved  India  to  the 
British  Empire.  It  not  only  created  the  scholars  to  whom 
we  have  referred,  and  the  band  of  holy  pioneers  and  heralds, 
but  also  the  sagacity  of  Lord  Lawrence  and  the  consecrated 
courage  of  Sir  Henry  Havelock.  We  are  therefore  prepared 
to  maintain  that  we  are  indebted  more  to  William  Carey  and 
his  £13 : 2 : 6 than  to  the  cunning  of  Clive  and  the  rapacity  of 
Warren  Hastings. 

Nor  were  the  statistical  results  of  Dr.  Carey’s  labors  mean 
and  inconsiderable,  even  during  his  lifetime.  From  the  Seram- 
pore  press  had  issued  before  his  death  212,000  copies  of  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  in  forty  different  languages  — the  vernacular 
tongues  of  about  330,000,000  of  immortal  souls,  of  wliom  more 
than  100,000,000  were  British  subjects.  He  lived  till  he  had 
seen  expended  upon  the  grand  object  for  which  the  first  small 
offering  at  Kettering  ( of  £13 : 2 : 6 ) was  presented,  a sum  a little 
short  of  $500,000.  ^ 

1 . A fair  estimate  of  his  literary  character  has  never  been  given  to  the  world ; 
and  if  it  had  been,  it  would  be  too  hard  reading  to  be  justly  re-i)roduced  in 
a volume  designed  for  general  circulation.  During  the  great  fire  at  Seram- 
pore,  the  manuscrix)t  results  of  eighteen  years  labor  in  the  Sanskrit  were 
probably  stolen  by  the  incendiary,  so  that  scholars  can  never  judge  of  the 
quality  of  the  work  done  on  the  Sanskrit  dictionary,  which  was  nearly  ready 
for  the  press.  His  Sanskrit  grammar  was  the  very  first  elementary  work  in 
this  language  that  was  published.  He  was  Professor  of  this  tongue  in  the 
Fort  William  College  for  thirty  years.  Professor  H.  H.  Wilson,  of  Oxford, 
whose  article  on  the  subject  is  printed  in  his  Life,  was  not  qualified,  either 
by  character  or  attainments,  or  by  his  membership  in  the  Court  of  Direct- 
ors of  the  India  House,  to  compose  an  adequate  or  unjjrejudiced  account  of 
Dr.  Carey’s  character  and  labors  as  an  Oriental  scholar.  His  article  is  not 
wanting  in  instances  of  covert  detraction  or  insufferable  arrogance.  We 
hope  some  Orientalist  of  to-day,  and  therefore  removed  from  the  prejudice 
and  ignorance  that  warped  Professor  Wilson’s  mind,will  oblige  the  Christ- 
tian  public  by  giving  them  a full  and  fair  estimate  of  the  scholarship  of  Dr. 
Carey. 


house  at  KETTERING  WHERE  THE  SOCIETY  WAS  FORMED. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  WORK  IN  ENGLAND. 

Origin  of  the  English  Baptist  Missionary  Society. — Exclamation  of  James 
Montgomery. — Meeting  of  Northamptonshire  Association. — Fuller,  By- 
land  and  Sutcliff. — Carey’s  first  Dawnings. — Ryland,  Sr.’s  playful  words. 
— Fuller’s  first  Doubts. — The  house  in  which  Foundations  were  Laid. — 
Fuller  the  First  Secretary. — The  Fire  at  Serampore. — Some  Pundits 
suspected  as  the  Incendiaries. — Some  Suspicious  Circumstances. — New 
Charter  of  East  India  Company. — Controversy  between  Missionary  Society 
and  the  Serampore  Brethren. — Fuller  and  Sutcliff  concerning  Legislating 
for  Serampore. — The  Society  turns  its  Attention  to  the  Wants  of  the 
West  India  Islands. 

§i^Wr  BELIEVE  in  the  Holy  Ghost.^^  If  I did  not  believe  in 
o o ^ Him,  I could  not  write  on  Missions.  In  every  enlight- 
ened view  of  the  origin  of  Baptist  Foreign  Missions,  among  our 
Baptist  brethren,  there  ought  to  be  a continued  recollection 
of  the  immense  fact  that  all  things  are  of  God;  and  therefore 
we  pray  “Thy  Kingdom  come,^^  not.  We  come  to  Thy  Kingdom. 
On  the  occasion  of  an  anniversary  in  London,  one  of  the  speak- 
ers adverted  to  the  “ first  thought  which  set  all  these  things 
going.  The  poet,  James  Montgomery,  who  happened  to  be 
present,  forgetting  where  he  was,  sprang  to  his  feet  and  ex- 
claimed “ It  was  a spark  dropped  from  heaven,  and  it  has  set 
the  world  in  a blaze.’^ 

Let  us  now  inquire  who,  under  God,  were  instrumental  in 
setting  on  foot  the  “British  Baptist  Society  for  Propagating  the 
Gospel  among  the  Heathen.’^  At  a meeting  of  the  Northampton- 
shireAssociation,  held  in  1784,  the  Eev.  John  Sutcliff,  of  Olney, 


44 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


suggested,  and  the  Itev.  John  Ityland,  Jr.,  of  iSrortliaiiii)ton,  drew 
up  a resolution  (which  was  unaniinously  passed),  recominend- 
iiig  the  churches  to  observe  one  hour  of  tlie  first  Monday 
evening  of  every  month  in  prayer  for  a revival  of  the  churches, 
and  of  the  general  cause  of  the  Redeemer.  In  the  exhortation 
that  was  subjoined  to  the  resolution,  they  say:  “ Let  the  spread 
of  the  Gospel  to  the  most  distant  parts  of  the  hahltahle  glohe^  he 
the  object  of  your  most  fervent  requests.'^’’  These  italics  are  their 
own.  On  this  occasion  Andrew  Fuller  preaclied  a sermon  on 
“Walking  by  Faith,” — the  first  sermon  of  his  that  was  ever 
printed.  It  is  said  that  it  tended  very  deeply  to  strengthen 
the  disposition  to  meet  and  pray  for  the  effusion  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  resolution  was  carried  into  execution,  and  almost 
immediately  their  prayers  began  to  be  answered.  But  before 
this,  as  early  as  1782,  William  Carey  began  to  pray,  in  his  family 
and  ill  public,  for  the  heathen  lands.  Still  earlier,  perhaps 
while  an  apprentice,  his  sympathy  for  the  heathen  was,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  testimony,  first  called  out  by  reading  Captain 
Cook’s  “Voyages  round  the  World.”  “As  to  the  immediate 
origin  of  a Baptist  Mission,”  says  Dr.  Ryland,  “I  believe  God 
himself  infused  into  the  mind  of  Carey  that  solicitude  for  the 
salvation  of  the  heathen,  which  cannot  fairly  be  traced  to  any 
other  source.  ” About  the  year  1 787  he  was  collecting  materials 
for  his  tract  on  the  conversion  of  the  heathen;  and  in  the  Fall 
of  the  same  year,  at  a meeting  of  ministers  at  ^Northampton,  in 
response  to  the  request  of  John  Ryland,  Jr.,  he  proposed 
the  question:  “Have  the  churches  of  Christ  done  what  they 
ought  to  have  done  for  the  heathen  nations  ? ” To  this  question 
there  was  no  reply  except  from  the  venerable  John  Ryland, 
who  said:  “Young  man,  sit  down;  when  God  is  pleased  to 
coiiv(‘rt  the  heathen  world,  he  will  do  it  without  your  help  or 
mi  IK*..”  Accoidiiig  to  another  account,  Mr.  Ryland  called  him 
an  (nithnsiast  for  (‘.ntertaining  such  an  idea.  This  was  after- 


THE  WORK  IN  ENGLAND. 


45 


wiirds  denied  both  by  Mr.  Ryland  and  Mr.  Carey.  Eev.  Eustace 
Carey  and  Eev.  J:  W.  Morris,  the  biographer  of  Andrew 
Fuller,  continued  to  the  last  in  maintaining  that  such  was  the 
language  used.  Very  possibly  Mr.  Eyland  said  so  in  a playful 
way,  for  the  purpose  of  bantering  some  of  the  ministers  com- 
posing a free  and  easy  circle  of  tobacco-smokers.  Had  Mr. 
Eyland,  Sr.,  been  known  to  have  seriously  entertained  such  an 
opinion  of  Foreign  Missions,  it  is  not  likely  that  Mr.  Carey 
would  have  applied  to  him  in  the  first  instance  for  baptism.  The 
venerable  man  excused  himself,  for  some  cause  not  given,  lent 
him  a pamphlet  on  Baptism,  and  sent  him  to  his  son,  to  receive 
the  ordinance  from  him. 

When  Carey  first  divulged  his  project,  it  was  undoubtedly 
met  with  surprise  by  some  and  with  doubt  by  others.  Andrew 
Fuller  says  that,  when  the  enterprise  was  first  named  to  himself, 
his  feelings  resembled  those  of  the  desponding  nobleman  who 
said  If  the  Lord  should  make  windows  in  heaven,  then  might 
this  thing  be.  ” And  when  the  Eev.  Benjamin  Beddome,  whom 
Eobert  Hall  considered  the  most  distinguished  Baptist  minister 
in  his  day,  wrote  to  Mr.  Fuller  on  the  subject  of  Mr.  Carey’s 
going  out  to  the  East,  he  said,  “ I once  had  the  pleasure  to  see 
and  hear  Mr.  Carey;  it  struck  me  he  was  the  most  suitable  man  in 
the  kingdom,  at  least  whom  I knew,  to  supply  my  place  and  make 
up  my  great  deficiencies  when  either  disabled  or  removed  . . 
I fear  that  the  great  and  good  man  will  meet  with  disappoint- 
ment.” 

In  1792  Mr.  Carey’s  ‘‘Inquiry”  was  published,  at  the  expense 
of  a deacon  in  the  church  at  Birmingham,  Mr.  Thomas  Potts, 
who  had  accumulated  wealth  by  trading  with  the  United  States. 
The  same  year  is  memorable  as  being  the  one  in  which  was 
organized  “ The  Baptist  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel 
among  the  Heathen.  ” Some  further  particulars  as  to  this 
event  will  be  found  in  our  account  of  Carey.  After  the  more 


10 


'lllK  STORY  OF  R, ARTIST  MISSIONS. 


public  service  of  tlie  niiiiisters’  meeting- at  Ketterin^^,  on  Octo- 
ber 2(1,  they  retired  to  the  back  parlor  in  the  house  of  the 
late  Deacon  Wallis,  (he  had  died  about  six  months  before)  and 
there  laid  the  foundation  of  the  Society  and  made  the  first  sub- 
scrii)tion  to  its  funds,  in  all  amounting  to  the  now  famous  sum 
of  £13  : 2 : G.  Mr.  Fuller,  when  writing  of  the  death  of  Mrs.  Wallis, 
^five-and-twenty  years  afterwards,  says  the  mention  of  the  So- 
ciety having  been  formed  in  the  i)arlor  other  habitation  always 
made  her  eyes  glisten  with  delight.  She  considered  it  as  a high 
honor  for  so  important  an  undertaking  to  liave  been  determined 
upon  under  her  roolV^  At  the  semi-centennial  jubilee  of  the 
Society,  in  1842,  the  house  was  still  standing  and  in  excellent 
eondition. 

Andrew  Fuller  was  the  first  Secretary  of  the  Society.  lie 
had  preached  at  Carey’s  ordination ; he  was  the  first  to  be 
brought  to  concur  with  the  young  enthusiast  in  his  views  of 
IMissions ; it  was  in  his  study  that  he  and  Dr.  Thomas  first  met, 
and  were  together  appointed  missionaries  under  the  patronage 
of  the  Society.  He  delivered  the  farewell  address  at  Leicester. 
“Every  part  of  the  solemnities  of  this  day,”  said  he,  “must  be 
affecting;  but  if  there  be  one  part  which  is  more  so  than  the 
rest,  it  is  that  which  is  allotted  to  me,  of  delivering  to  you  a 
solemn  parting  address.  But  the  hope  that  your  undertaking 
will  be  crowned  with  success,  swallows  up  all  my  sorrow.  1 
could  myself  go  without  a tear  (so  at  least  I think),  and  leave 
all  my  friends  and  connections,  in  such  a glorious  cause.”  In 
closing,  he  says:  “ Go,  then,  my  dear  brethren,  stimulated  by 
these  i)rospects.  We  shall  meet  again  ! Crowns  of  glory  await 
you  and  us.  Each,  I trust,  Avill  be  addressed  on  the  last  day 
with  this  welcome,  ‘Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  enter  ye 
into  the  j‘oy  of  your  Lord.’” 

AVhem  the  great  ])rinting-house  of  the  Mission  at  Serampore 
was  consumed,  the  news  of  the  calamity  no  sooner  reached 


THE  FIRE  AT  SERAMPORE. 


47 


England  than  Fuller  began  to  appeal  to  his  brethren  for  aid. 
The  response  was  immediate,  and  of  overflowing  liberality. 
Fifty  days  afterwards,  Fuller  went  into  the  room  of  the 
committee,  and,  with  joy  and  gratitude  flashing  in  his  eyes, 
exclaimed:  ‘‘Well,  brethren,  the  money  is  all  raised;  the  loss 
by  the  Serampore  Are  is  all  repaired ; and  so  constantly  are  the 
contributions  pouring  in  from  all  parties,  in  and  out  of  the 
denomination,  that  I think  we  must,  in  honesty,  publish  an  inti- 
mation that  the  whole  deficiency  is  removed.  They  are  of  so 
ready  a mind  that  we  must  even  stop  the  contributions.’^  ^ 

1 The  fire,  however  (the  evident  work  of  an  incendiary) , had  done  such 
literary  damage  as  Dr.  Carey  was  never  able  to  repair.  Many  of  the  pun- 
dits employed  by  him  were  mere  hirelings,  and  some  of  them  scoundrels 
totally  devoid  of  all  clear  ideas  of  right  and  wrong.  To  the  latter,  certain 
manuscripts  in  the  printing-house  appear  to  have  proved  too  strong  a 
temptation.  Among  these  MSS.,  as  heretofore  stated,  were  a dictionary  of 
the  Sanskrit,  nearly  ready  for  the  press,  and  all  the  materials  which  Dr. 
Carey  had  been  long  collecting  for  a Universal  Dictionary  of  all  the  Ori- 
ental languages  derived  from  the  Sanskrit.  These  were  probably  stolen  on 
the  night  of  the  fire,  and  conveyed  to  Calcutta,  to  be  used  by  the  pundits  of 
the  British  Government.  They  were  probably  accessible  to  the  pundits  of 
Professor  H.  H.  Wilson,  at  the  time  he  published  his  Sanskrit  dictionary,  as 
also  to  the  German  literary  drudge  who,  for  many  years,  wove  his  Pene- 
lopean  web  in  the  service  of  the  Government  while  pretending  to  prepare 
an  improved  edition  of  Professor  Wilson's  dictionary.  It  is  but  right  to  add 
that  these  charges  have  never  yet  been  formally  laid  before  a court  of 
justice,  and  they  never  can  be.  But  it  is  not  too  late  for  the  East  India 
Company  to  allow  competent  examiners  to  search  their  linguistic  treasures 
for  “ marks  of  design.”  Wilson  went  out  to  India  four  years  before  the  fire. 

A presumptive  proof  that  the  pundits  of  the  East  India  Company  were 
capable  of  such  literary  piracy  is  found  in  a notorious  fact  which  occurred 
at  that  very  time.  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  then  Chinese  translator  to  the  British 
Factory  at  Canton,  having  completed  the  manuscript  of  his  Chinese  gram- 
mar, sent  it  to  the  Secretary  of  the  East  India  Company  at  Calcutta,  with 
the  request  that  it  be  printed  at  the  expense  of  the  Company.  For  nearly 
three  years  was  this  manuscript  detained  in  a Government  otfice  in  Calcutta, 
“ for  some  unknown  cause,”  says  the  widow  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison. 
Our  own  opinion  is,  that  the  pundits  of  the  East  India  Company  kept  it 
back  from  the  knowledge  of  the  i^rinters,  in  order  that  they  might  avail 
themselves  of  any  new  ideas  it  might  suggest  to  them  while  employed  on 
some  other  translation  from  Chinese  into  English. 


48 


THE  STOHY  OF  HAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Ill  tlio  year  1812,  Fuller  was  a^?ain  very  active  in  tryiiiff  to 
obtain  a clause  in  the  new  charter  of  the  East  India  Company, 
securing  toleration  to  the  missionaries.  The  first  charter  was 
to  expire  one  year  hence;  it  had  been  a source  of  untold 
oiipression  and  annoyance  to  Carey,  Jiidson  and  other  mission- 
aries. Fuller,  Wilberforce,  Thornton,  Eobcrt  Hall,  and  others, 
commenced  agitation  by  publishing  iiamphlets  and  circulating 
jietitions.  Nine  hundred  petitions,  praying  for  this  amendment, 
signed  by  half  a million  of  respectable  persons,  were  iiresented 
to  Parliament.  Their  exertions  were,  in  1813,  crowned  with  a 
certain  degree  of  success.  And  yet  the  act  of  toleration  was 
fenced  in  with  difficult  conditions.  As  many  as  were  desirous 
of  promoting  the  religion  of  Christ  in  India  must  obtain  leave 
of  the  Directors  in  London,  or  of  the  Board  of  Control.  The 
first  application  of  missionaries  for  permission  to  go  out  to  the 
East,  under  the  new  charter,  was  refused  by  the  Directors,  and 
it  was  found  that  all  the  missionaries  at  that  time  in  India  were 
expressly  excluded  from  the  benefits  of  the  new  charter.  How- 
ever, in  1814,  almost  all  difficulties  were  removed. 

During  the  life-time  of  Fuller,  unison  between  the  Baptist 
Mission  Booms  in  London  and  the  Serampore  brethren  had 
been  preserved.  But,  in  1817,  about  two  years  after  his  death, 
a misunderstanding  commenced  which  continued  for  ten  years, 
and  then  led  to  a dissevering  of  the  relations  which  had  existed 
between  them.  This  is  not  the  place  to  reconsider  those  dif- 
ferences. They  were  based  on  the  charge  against  the  home 
government  of  intrusion  and  unjust  interference  with  the 
business  of  the  Serampore  Mission.  Mr.  Ward  visited  England 
l)artly  with  a view  to  restore  amity,  and  was  prepared  to  offer 
the  home  government  the  privilege  of  a veto  on  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  Serampore  Missionary  Company.  But  when  he  saw 
how  unwilling  the  homo  government  were  to  harken  to  any 
terms,  and  how  exorbitant  were  their  claims,  he  refused  to 


INHARMONIOUS  COUNCILS. 


49 


concede  to  them  a veto,  and  returned  to  India  without  any 
settlement  of  the  difficulties.  As  the  missionary  property  was 
under  the  protection  of  the  Danish  Government,  and  must 
needs  be  regulated  by  Danish  laws,  Dr.  Carey  and  his  brethren 
judged  it  expedient  that  it  should  be  held  by  them  as  trustees 
for  the  Baptist  Mission  Society.  It  was  mostly  their  own  prop- 
erty, and  purchased  with  their  own  money.  But  they  gave  it  all 
to  the  parent  society,  on  the  condition  that  they  should,  for  the 
present,  hold  it  as  trustees.  They  never  claimed  that  it  was 
their  own;  they  simply  held  it,  first,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Se- 
rampore  Mission,  and  then  for  the  advantage  of  all  other  mis- 
sions. Dr.  Carey,  in  his  will,  says:  ^‘I  utterly  disclaim  all  right 
to  the  premises  at  Serampore ; and  do  hereby  declare  that  I 
never  had,  or  supposed  myself  to  have,  any  such  right  or  title.’^ 
Whoever  desires  to  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  merits  of  this 
controversy,  will  have  to  read  the  many  pamphlets  and  letters 
that  were  written  on  both  sides,  and  especially  the  two  volumes 
of  John  Clark  Marshman,  Esq.,  entitled,  ‘‘The  Life  and  Times 
of  Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward.”  Eobert  HalPs  famous  letter 
on  the  subject,  as  heretofore  stated,  was  condemned  by  John 
Foster,  who  did  his  best  to  keep  it  out  of  HalPs  Works,  as 
edited  by  Dr.  Gregory.  Hall  wrote  under  a delusion. 

After  co-operating  with  Dr.  Carey  twenty  years,  and  with 
Messrs.  Marshman  and  Ward  thirteen,  Mr.  Fuller,  in  a letter  to 
Mr.  Ward,  dated  March,  1813,  repeats  with  approbation  the 
reply  Mr.  Sutcliff  had  recently  made  to  some  person  who  had 
inquired  of  him  respecting  this  matter:  “We  do  not  consider 
ourselves  as  legislators  for  our  brethren,  but  merely  as  co- 
workers with  them.  If  ever  the  committee  begins  to  legislate 
for  India,  I should  expect  they  would  issue  a proclamation  of 
independence ; and  I should  not  be  sorry  if  they  did.”  The 
letter  of  John  Foster,  in  the  first  editions  of  HalPs  works,  is  a 

complete  vindication  of  the  Serampore  brethren  against  HalPs 
5 


50 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


mistaken  letter  to  the  Missionary  Board.  During  a period  of 
twenty  years,  tlie  latter  had  neither  asked  nor  received  any 
share  of  the  Society’s  income,  but  had  expended,  in  Christian 
services,  several  thousand  pounds  a year  from  their  own  earn- 
ings. But,  becoming  reduced  in  funds  because  of  outlays  in 
new  printing-offices  and  in  establishing  a college,  they  desired 
the  Society  to  assist  them  in  supporting  a number  of  missionary 
stations  in  various  parts  of  the  East — stations  which  the  Seram- 
pore  brethren  had  founded  and  had  hitherto  sustained.  What 
called  forth  Hall’s  letter,  was  a request  that  the  Society  would 
devote  to  this  department  of  missionary  service  one-sixth  of 
its  animal  income,  until  the  Serampore  brethren  could  return 
to  their  former  financial  prosperity. 

The  Baptist  Missionary  Society  now  turned  their  attention  to 
the  spiritual  wants  of  the  negroes  in  the  West  India  Islands. 
They  did  not,  however,  abandon  their  work  in  the  East.  In 
another  part  of  the  present  volume  will  be  found  some  further 
account  of  the  operations  of  the  British  Baptists,  as  well  in 
Asia  as  in  the  West  Indies. 


Palanquin  Travel  in  India. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


WILLIAJ^I  WAKD  AND  THE  PEIN TING-HOUSE  AT  SEEAMPOEE. 

Carey’s  Presentiment  about  Ward. — Early  Years  of  Ward. — As  Printer  and 
Editor.— As  a Village  Preacher. — Under  the  Instruction  of  Dr.  Faw- 
cett.— Goes  out  to  India  with  Mr.  Marshman. — Settles  at  Serampore. — 
First  Open-air  Service. — Marriage. — Finds  young  Felix  Carey. — The 
Vagaries  of  Felix. — Ward  visits  England,  Scotland,  Holland  and  Amer- 
ica.— A saying  of  his  about  Heaven  and  Hell. — Misunderstandings 
between  the  Serampore  Brethren  and  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society. — 
Eeturn  to  India. — Death. — Character  of  Mr.  Ward. — His  great  Work  on 
the  History,  Literature  and  Mythology  of  the  Hindus. — Mr.  Ward's 
Knowledge  and  Fidelity  as  an  Author  fully  Vindicated  by  the  Latest 
and  Best  Authorities. 


HILE  William  Carey  was  preparing  to  go  out  to  the 
East,  he  went  into  Yorkshire  to  take  his  farewell  of  a 
brother  in  the  ministry,  then  settled  at  Hull.  As  he  was  walking 
with  him  in  the  streets,  he  was  introduced  to  a young  man,  a 
printer,  who  had  recently  united  with  the  Baptist  church  there. 
“We  shall  want  you,”  said  Carey  to  him,  “iir  a few  years  to 
print  the  Bible;  you  must  come  after  us.”  These  few  words, 
as  Mr.  Ward  afterwards  confessed,  so  remained  on  his  mind 
that  he  could  never  forget  them.  There  was  at  that  time  very 
little  promise  that  the  young  printer  would  ever  be  needed  in 
India,  as  a compositor  of  a Bible  in  the  Bengali.  But  the  Lord 
was  then  walking  upon  great  trackless  waters,  and  Carey  him- 
self scarcely  knew  what  he  was  saying.  Yet  when  he  actually 
saw  Ward  before  him  in  Hindustan  — come  out  as  printer  as 
well  as  preacher  — he  could  not  but  wonder  at  his  presentiment. 


52 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS 


William  AVard,  thougli  usually  mentioned  last  in  namin^^  tliat 
illustrious  trio  who  founded  the  mission  at  Serampore,  is  his- 
torically brought  next  to  Carey,  because  of  his  more  brief 
career.  He  was  born  at  Derby,  October  20th,  1700.  #lis 
father,  a carpenter  and  builder,  died  wlien  he  was  young.  Ilis 
mother,  a Methodist,  appears  to  have  given  due  care  to  his 
early  training.  AA^liile  yet  a boy,  he  was  sober  and  thoughtful ; 
insomuch  that  he  made  reading  his  daily  recreation.  On  leaving 
school,  he  was  placed  as  an  apprentice  to  a printer  at  Derby. 
Here  he  soon  rose  to  the  grade  of  corrector  of  the  press. 
When  he  came  of  age  he  was  induced  by  his  master  to  assume 
the  editorial  charge  of  the  Derby  Mercury.  Afterwards  he  be- 
came editor  of  the  Hull  Advertizer.  During  a i)eriod  of  about 
six  years  he  became  the  editorial  advocate  of  two  causes : 
French  Eepublicanism  and  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade. 
The  grace  of  God,  however,  led  him  to  a saving  faith  in  the 
true  Friend  of  the  oppressed,  and  to  a union  with  the  Baptist 
Church  at  Hull,  into  whoso  fellowship  he  was  baptized  in  1796. 

It  was  not  long  before  young  AYard  began  to  preach  to  the 
cottagers  of  the  vicinity,  and  so  became  a popular  village 
preacher.  During  one  of  these  adventures,  as  he  stood  upon 
a three-legged  stool,  holding  forth  to  a crowd  of  rustics,  he 
drew  the  attention  of  Mr.  Fish  wick,  of  Newcastle,  a man  of 
wealth  and  beneficence.  This  man  thought  he  discovered  in 
young  AA'ard  natural  powers  that,  if  properly  disciplined,  would 
make  him  a good  minister  of  the  Gospel.  He,  therefore,  made 
the  acquaintance  of  the  young  village  preacher,  and  told  him 
that  if  he  would  al)andon  his  business  at  Hull,  and  go  and  put 
himself  under  the  instruction  of  Dr.  Fawcett,  at  Ewood  Hall, 
near  Halifax,  he  would  i)ay  his  expenses.  The  principal  of  the 
school  will  ])erhai)S  be  remembered  by  some  of  our  readers  as 
tlie  honored  tutor  of  John  Foster,  the  original  and  profound 
tliiiiker  and  essayist. 


WILLIAM  WARD  AT  SERAMPORE. 


53 


About  a year  after  entering  Ewood,  be  was  visited  by  a 
member  of  the  Missionary  Committee,  and  questioned  con- 
cerning the  interest  be  took  in  tbe  Mission  to  India.  After 
prayer  and  deliberation,  be  made  a formal  application  to  tbe 
Missionary  Society  to  enter  tbeir  service,  and  was  accepted  in 
October,  1798.  He  then  spent  three  months  in  supplying  tbe 
pulpit  of  tbe  celebrated  Samuel  Pearce,  of  Birmingham,  whose 
characteristic  zeal  was 
well  expressed  in  that 
ejaculation  of  bis : “ O, 
to  be  a Mercury,  for- 
ever rolling  around  and 
near  tbe  sun!’^  On  tbe 
24tb  of  May,  in  tbe  year 
following,  be  embarked 
for  India,  along  with 
Messrs.  Grant,  Marsh- 
man  and  Brundson,  in 
tbe  American  ship  Cri- 
terion,  Captain  Weekes, 
a Presbyterian  elder  of 
Pbiladelpliia.  Much  to 
tbeir  mortification,  on  arriving  at  Calcutta,  they  learned 
that  they  would  not  be  permitted  to  reside  as  missionaries 
within  tbe  territories  of  tbe  East  India  Company.  They  re- 
solved, therefore,  to  ascend  tbe  Hoogly  as  far  as  tbe  Danish 
town  of  Serampore,  and  there  commence  tbeir  labors.  After 
reaching  that  place,  in  October,  1799,  they  dispatched  Mr.  Ward 
to  Mudnabatty  in  quest  of  Mr.  Carey,  and,  if  possible,  to  induce 
him  to  abandon  bis  indigo  factory,  and  come  and  establish  bis 
mission  at  Serampore.  He  very  cheerfully  accepted  their  over- 
tures. They  purchased  the  house  we  elsewhere  describe,  and, 
without  delay,  began  the  printing  of  a part  of  the  Bengali  Kew 


William  Ward. 


54 


THE  STORY  OF  P.APTTST  MISSIONS. 


Testament.  Mr.  Ward  liad  tlie  lionor  of  setting  tlie  first  types, 
and  presented  the  first  ])roof-sheet  of  the  New  Testament  to 
Mr.  Carey,  March  18th,  1800.  They  prepared  a set  of  rules  for 
their  guidance;  they  were  to  preaeli  and  i)ray  in  turn,  and 
no  one  was  to  engage  in  i)rivate  trade,  but  all  was  to  be  done 
for  the  benefit  of  the  mission.  Of  one  public  sermon,  Mr.  Ward 
wrote:  “This  morning.  Brother  Carey  and  I took  our  stand  like 
two  ballad-singers,  and  began  singing  in  Bengali  before  one  of 
Shiva’s  temples,  under  a canopy  which  had  been  si)read  for  his 
worshippers.” 

On  the  10th  of  May,  1802,  Mr.  Ward  wa&  united  in  marriage, 
by  Dr.  Carey,  with  the  widow  of  Mr.  Fountain.  Ilis  time  was 
chiefly  given  to  the  superintendence  of  the  missionary  i)rinting- 
liouse,  which,  in  a few  years,  became  an  immense  establishment. 
In  a letter  to  a relative  in  England,  in  1811,  Mr.  Ward  thus 
describes  it: 

“ Could  you  see  3^0111’  cousin  in  this  printing-house,  surrounded  by  forty 
or  fifty  servants,  all  employed  in  preparing  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  the 
natives  of  India,  you  would,  I am  sure,  be  highly  pleased.  One  man  is 
preparing  the  Book  of  God  for  the  learned  Hindus,  in  the  Sanskrit  lan- 
guage ; another  for  the  people  of  Bengal ; another  for  Hindustan ; another 
for  the  inhabitants  of  Orissa;  another  for  the  Mahrattas;  another  for  the 
Sihhs ; another  for  the  people  of  Assam ; another  for  the  Mussulman  in  all 
parts  of  the  East,  in  the  Persian  and  Hindustannee  languages;  others  for 
the  Chinese;  others  for  the  Talingas;  and  others  are  soon  to  begin  in  Cin- 
galese, Tamul  and  Malay  languages. 

“ As  3mu  enter  the  office,  3'ou  see  \"our  cousin,  in  a small  room,  dressed  in 
a white  jacket,  reading  or  writing,  and,  at  the  same  time,  looking  over  the 
whole  office,  which  is  one  hundred  and  sevent3"-four  feet  long.  The  next 
l)ersons  3mu  see  are  learned  natives,  translating  the  Scriptures  into  the 
different  Tanguages,  or  correcting  the  proof-sheets.  ITou  walk  through 
the  office  and  see,  laid  out  in  cases,  types  in  fifteen  languages.  Hindus, 
Mussulmans  and  converted  natives  are  all  bus}^  — some  composing,  others 
disti-i])uting,  others  correcting.  Y^ou  next  come  to  the  presses,  and  see  four 
})ersons  throwing  off  the  sheets  of  the  Bible  in  diffciviit  languages;  and  on 
the  left  ai-e  half  ;i  dozen  Ifiussuhnans,  employed  in  binding  the  Scriptures 
for  distriluitiou,  whih^  others  ai-e  folding  the  sheets  and  delivering  them  to 
be  ])laced  in  tin;  stoi-e-room  till  they  can  be  made  up  into  volumes.  This 
store-room,  which  is  one  liundred  and  forty-two  feet  long,  is  filled  with 


WARD’S  ‘‘REFLECTIONS.” 


55 


shelves  from  side  to  side,  upon  which  are  laid,  wrai)t  up,  the  sheets  of  the 
Bible  before  they  are  bound.  You  go  forward,  and  in  a room  adjoining  the 
office  are  the  type-casters,  busy  in  preparing  the  types  in  the  different  kin- 
guages.  In  one  corner  yon  see  another  part}^  busy  in  grinding  the  printing 
ink;  and  in  a spacious  open  place,  w^alled  round,  you  see  a paper  mill  and 
a number  of  persons  employed  in  making  paper  for  printing  the  Scriptures 
in  all  these  languages.” 

In  1818,  while  on  a visit  to  Chittagong,  to  look  after  the  feeble 
mission  there,  wlio  should  he  meet  but  young  Felix  Carey,  from 
whom  nothing  had  been  heard  for  more  than  a year.  He  had 
been  wandering  among  the  wild  tribes  on  the  eastern  border 
of  Bengal.  Mr.  Ward  dissuaded  him  from  further  adventures 
of  this  kind,  and  induced  him  to  return  to  Serampore,  where, 
for  a time,  he  settled  down  to  the  business  of  the  mission. 
Felix,  however,  at  length,  married  a Hindu  wife,  and  com- 
menced a mission  in  Eangoon,  and  accepted  a civil  position  at 
Ava.  “ My  son,’’  said  Mr.  Carey,  ‘‘  set  out  as  a minister  of 
Christ,  but,  alas!  he  has  dwindled  down  to  a mere  British 
embassador.” 

Mr.  Ward’s  ill  health,  and  the  necessity  of  attempting  to 
compose  certain  differences,  heretofore  alluded  to,  which  had 
been  created  between  the  Serampore  brethren  and  the  Mis- 
sionary Society,  moved  him  to  undertake  a voyage  to  England. 
He  embarked  in  December,  1818.  While  at  sea,  he  composed 
a volume,  afterwards  extensively  read  among  British  Baptists, 
entitled,  “ Eeflections  on  the  Word  of  God  for  every  day  in  the 
year,  to  be  used  in  Family  Devotion.”  These  practical  thoughts 
on  the  Oracles  of  God  breathe  a devotional  spirit,  and  a great 
desire  to  illustrate  and  apply,  in  an  attractive  style,  the  leading 
doctrines  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  Some  of  Mr. 
Ward’s  best  illustrations  are  drawn  from  his  Oriental  studies 
and  observations.  Eastern  life  is  friendly  to  contemplation; 
and  we  need  not  wonder  that  two  of  the  most  original  and 
suggestive  books  of  this  class  have  been  written  by  missiona- 


56 


TTIE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


lies:  that  of  Mr.  Ward  and  the  “Daily  Meditations’^  of  Mr. 
Bo^Yen,  of  Boinl)ny. 

Arriving  in  England  in  June,  1810,  he  was  iniieh  occiii)ied  at 
first  in  explaining  the  i)osition  and  relations  of  the  SeraTn])ore 
Missions,  and  in  defining  the  terins  of  a settlement  of  all  mis- 
understandings. The  history  of  the  chronic  unpleasantness 
between  the  Government  House  in  Calcutta  and  the  India 
House,  in  Leadenhall  street,  London  (to  say  nothing  of  some 
other  histories),  affords  an  illustration  of  Mr.  Ward’s  strong, 
but  justiliable,  assertion  when  he  sjieaks  of  “a  power  fifteen 
thousand  miles  off,  and  liable  to  be  warped  in  exact  proportion 
to  the  distance.” 

One  object  Mr.  Ward  had  in  view  was  to  try  and  endow  a 
new  College  at  Serampore  for  the  education  of  native  ministers 
and  teachers.  In  luirsuaiice  of  this  end,  he  travelled  much  in 
Great  Britain,  and  even  went  over  to  HoHand  in  the  hope  of 
enlisting  the  Mennonite  Baptists  in  his  enterprise.  But  in  this 
he  was  disappointed.  He  found  them  “heterodox,  opulent  and 
selfish.”  In  1820,  he  came  over  to  the  United  States,  where  he 
was  very  cordially  received  both  by  Baptists  and  Pedo-baptists. 
In  New  York,  he  was  the  guest  of  Mr.  Divie  Bethune  (father 
of  the  celebrated  Eev.  Dr.  George  Bethune),  who  made  him  so 
much  at  home  that  he  felt  himself  again  at  Serampore.  His 
journey  through  these  States  was  one  continuous  ovation. 
After  raising  here  about  $10,000,  he  returned  to  England,  em- 
barked for  the  East  in  May,  1821,  and  reached  Serampore  in 
October  following.  Although  he  had  not  effected  a pacification 
between  the  Missionary  Committee  in  England  and  the  brethren 
in  Bengal,  he  had  collected,  in  all,  about  £6,000,  of  which  £500 
was  contributed  by  that  wealthy  scholar  and  very  suggestive 
writer,  ^Ir.  Douglas,  of  Cavers,  Scotland. 

The  h(‘alth  of  Mr.  Ward  ai)pe;ired  to  be  much  improved  by 
his  visit  to  a cooler  climate.  On  Wednesday  evening,  March 


DEATH  OF  WILLIAM  WARD. 


57 


5tb,  he  preached  the  usual  Wednesday  evening  lecture,  and 
was,  seemingly,  in  excellent  health  and  spirits.  At  this  point 
in  our  narrative  our  authorities  differ.  According  to  one 
account,  he,  next  morning,  complained  of  having  taken  a slight 
cold;  according  to  another,  he  felt  well  until  he  joined  the 
family  at  dinner,  when  he  complained  of  being  very  drowsy. 
Soon  after,  symptoms  of  Asiatic  cholera  (one  writer  says 
cholera  morbus)  began  to  appear.  Two  physicians  were  sum- 
moned. His  cramps  were  subdued,  and  it  was  thought  at  first 
that  the  issue  might  be  favorable.  He  lingered  until  Friday 
afternoon,  March  7th,  1822,  and  then  found  the  rest  of  the  good 
and  faithful  servant. 

He  left  nothing  for  the  support  of  his  family,  a wife  and  two 
daughters,  beyond  a little  sum  he  brought  out  with  him,  and  the 
small  accumulation  of  the  tenth  of  the  profits  of  the  secular 
department  of  the  printing-house.  But  the  gratitude  of  his 
colleagues  fully  provided  for  his  widow  and  children. 

In  person,  Mr.  Ward  was  of  medium  stature,  with  bright 
hazel  eyes,  a broad  forehead  and  a bald  head.  He  was  a very 
fluent  speaker,  and  of  an  amiable  and  affectionate  disposition. 
These  qualities  made  him  popular  among  the  natives.  He 
showed  himself  in  full  sympathy  with  them.  He  spoke  the 
Bengali  with  the  fluency  and  ease  of  a native;  and  he  drew  and 
secured  the  attention  of  a native  congregation  by  his  flow  of 
language,  by  his  skillful  use  of  their  own  allegories,  and  by 
accommodating  his  addresses  to  their  feelings  and  habits. 

He  surpassed  his  colleagues  in  his  knowledge  of  the  natives, 
and  of  the  best  ways  to  manage  them.  Of  quick  and  clear 
perception,  of  pleasant  address  and  strict  punctuality,  he  ex- 
celled as  a man  of  business.  His  industry  and  mental  activity 
were  marvellous.  This  is  seen  in  the  multiplicity  of  his 
engagements,  while  with  true  perseverance  he  X)rosecuted 
some  great  literary  task.  Thus,  his  great  and  incomparable 


58 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


work  on  the  History,  Literature  and  Mytliolo^^y  of  tlie  Hindus, 
including  descrii)tions  of  their  manners  and  customs,  with 
translations  of  their  principal  works,  is  an  imperishable  momi- 
ment  of  industry,  close  and  protracted  observation  and  i)atient 
research,  as  well  as  of  remarkable  candor,  judgment  and 
faithfulness.^ 

Tlie  death  of  i^Ir.  Ward  was  a severe  blow  both  to  Mr.  Carey 
and  to  Mr.  Marshman.  For  twenty-three  years  had  they  toiled 
and  suffered  together  in  a foreign  land.  Tliey  had  not  known 
the  strength  of  their  mutual  attachment  till  it  was  thus  suddenly 
sundered.  To  the  publishing  department,  it  was  a damage  which 
it  would  demand  many  years  to  repair. 

iTwo  or  three  authors,  who  have  resided  in  the  East,  liave  vainly 
attempted  to  disparage  this  work,  notably,  Colonel  Kennedy  and  Professor 
II.  H.  Wilson.  The  former,  in  his  work  on  the  Mythology  of  the  Hindus, 
expresses  a higher  opinion  than  Mr.  Ward  of  the  virtue  and  delicacy  of  the 
Hindu  females.  But  subsequent  research  and  unquestionable  testimony 
sustain  the  record  of  Mr.  tVard.  TheEev.  Hollis  Bead,  formerly  the  Pedo- 
baptist  missionary  in  the  Deccan,  and  his  pundit,  Babagee,  “ the  Christian 
Brahmin,”  fully  sustain  Mr.  Ward  in  his  statements  on  the  subject.  And 
Miss  Harriet  G.  Brittan,  whose  Zenana  Mission  in  Calcutta  has  given  her 
the  best  opportunities  to  studj^  the  native  females,  does  not  hesitate  to 
pronounce  the  singing  and  dancing  females,  who  are  dedicated  to  the 
service  of  the  temples  and  the  idols  (who  call  themselves  the  slaves  of  the 
Shining  Ones),  “bad  characters.”  As  for  Professor  >¥118011,  his  habits  in 
India  were  not  those  of  a student  of  Sanskrit.  He  went  out  as  an  assistant 
surgeon,  and  then  obtained  employment  in  the  Mint.  He  was  a great 
favorite  at  the  Government  House,  for  his  musical  skill  and  as  an  amateur 
actor.  Between  his  business  at  the  Mint  and  parties  at  the  Government 
House,  little  time  was  left  him  for  study  and  thorough  research.  Just 
befoi-e  his  return  to  England,  he  published  a dictionary  of  the  Sanskrit, 
principally  the  work  of  pundits  — a dictionary  which  was  so  imperfect  that 
it  liad  to  he  soon  superseded  by  that  of  Professor  ]\Ionier  Williams.  Having 
olitained  the  very  lucrative  Pi-ofessorship  of  Sanskrit  at  Oxford,  and  becom- 
ing one  of  the  Directors  of  the  India  House,  his  positions  imparted  to  his 
o))inions  concerning  Mr.  >Yard  a weight  which  was  much  greater  than  their 
worth.  As  it  seemed  ])robable  to  Professor  lYilson  himself  “ that  Dr.  Carey 
assist(‘d  Mj-.  >Yard  in  liis  Ac(!ount  of  the  Hindus,  especially  in  the  abstracts 
ainJ  translations  of  the  Pbilosophical  Works  there  given,”  whatever  the 
ITofessor  says  against  these,  lie  says  against  Dr.  Carey  also.  It  is  absurd 


WARD’S  WORK  ON  TTIE  HINDUS. 


59 


to  set  up  the  Professor’s  judgment  against  that  of  Dr.  Carey,  who  went  out 
fourteen  years  earlier,  and  had,  all  along,  been  a daily  and  diligent  student, 
as  well  of  Sanskrit  as  of  Bengali. 

Far  more  trustworthy  is  the  opinion  of  John  Clark  Marshman,  Esq.,  the 
son  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Joshua  Marshman,  horn  and  educated  in  India,  long  in 
the  service  of  the  East  India  Companjq  the  author  of  a ‘■‘History  of  India,” 
of  “The  Life  of  Sir  Henry  Havelock,”  and  of  “The  Life  and  Times  of 
Carey,  Marshman  and  AVard.”  “Some,”  says  he,  “ have  objected  to  the 
dark  colors  in  which  Mr.  AVard  has  drawn  the  native  character,  which  he 
describes  as  sunk  in  the  utmost  depths  of  human  depravity.  But  all  these 
suspicions  of  exaggeration  have  been  dispelled  by  recent  events.  AVhile 
these  pages  were  passing  through  the  press  (1857) , the  mutiny  of  a hundred 
thousand  of  our  native  soldiery  has  been  announced;  and  Mr.  AYard’s  view 
of  the  genuine  character  of  Hinduism  has  been  lamentably  confirmed  by 
the  wanton  and  unparalled  atrocities  committed  on  unoffending  women 
and  helpless  babes  b}^  the  mild  and  humane  Hindus,  when  released  from  all 
restraint,  and  at  liberty  to  indulge  their  passions.”  The  following  indorse- 
ment which  he  gives  to  Mr.  AYard’s_  great  work  on  the  Hindus  will  be 
approved  by  every  unprejudiced  scholar : “Its  value  has  not  been  dimin- 
ished by  fifty  years  of  subsequent  investigation,  and,  as  a whole,  it  continues 
to  maintain  its  authority  as  the  fullest  and  most  accurate  record  of  the 
subjects  on  which  it  treats.” 


Hindu  Palm-Leaf  Book  and  Style, 


CftR  CF  JUGGERNAUT. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


BEAH5IA  AND  THE  RELIGION  OF  HINDUSTAN. 

Brahminism. — Its  Sacred  Books  and  their  Antiquity. — The  Sanskrit  and 
the  Pali. — The  Hindu  Polytheism. — Brahm,  Brahma  and  the  Hindu 
Genesis. — The  Abode  of  the  Brahminical  Triad,  Brahma,  Vishnu  and 
Shiva. — The  Avatars  and  Hero-worship. — Degeneracy  of  the  Hindu 
Worship. — The  Legendary  Deluge. — Hostility  of  the  Purans  to  Gautama. 
— Later  Additions  concerning  the  Future  State. — The  Immorality  of  the 
Hindu  Eeligion. — Drunkenness  a Sacred  Duty. — The  Worship  of  the 
Soma. — Drunken  Gods  and  Demigods. — Demoralizing  Effects  of  the 
numerous  Festivals. — The  Long  and  Frequent  Pilgrimages,  their  Effects 
on  the  People — The  Crimes  of  the  Brahmins  of  Benares. — The  Deva- 
Dasi,  or  the  Sacred  Dancing  Girls  of  the  Temples. — The  Murder  of  one 
of  them. — The  Vices  attending  the  Service  of  some  of  the  Gods. — The 
Worship  of  Eiver  Ganges. — The  Loss  of  Life  at  some  of  the  Ghauts. — 
The  Virtues  of  Ganges  Water. 

fT  was  formerly  claimed  by  skeptics  that  Brahminism  was 
one  of  the  oldest  religions  in  the  world,  antedating  the 
Hebrew  Scriptures  by  many  a long  century.  By  boldly  assert- 
ing as  true,  what  they  did  not  know  and  had  no  means  of  knowing 
to  be  true,  they  imposed  on  some  honest  Christian  scholars, 
who  in  their  examinations  of  infidelity  had  quite  overlooked 
its  all-pervading  scoundrelism.  Thus,  President  Stiles  of  Yale 
College  was  so  deceived  by  them  as  actually  to  write  to  Sir 
William  Jones,  requesting  him  to  search  among  the  Hindus  for 
the  ‘‘Adamic  books.  ’’  The  Bev.  Mr.  Maurice,  in  his  “ Indian 
Antiquities,’^  writing  of  Hinduism,  appeals  to  the  veneration  of 
his  readers,  and  instead  of  bringing  its  abominations  to  light, 
throws  over  it  shadows  and  clouds  of  awful  majesty.  Mr. 


02 


THE  STOllY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


^V^ar(l  makes  sliort  work  of  this  artifice.  “ Antiquity/^  says  he, 
sanctifies  nothing:  ‘Hhe  sinner,  being  an  hundred  years  old, 
shall  be  acciirsed.^^  But  the  more  thorough  inquiries  of  modern 
})hilologists  and  ethnologists  have  called  in  question  the  absurd 
claims  of  the  Brahmins,  and  they  are  inclining  more  and  more 
to  the  opinion  that  Hinduism  is,  comparatively  speaking,  ‘‘  a 
modern  antique.’^ 

Brahminism,  the  religion  of  tlie  Hindus,  holds  sacred  certain 
books  called  the  Vedas,  the  Shasters  and  the  Purans.  Among 
these  the  four  Vedas  are  the  most  ancient,  the  Big  (or  rich) 
Veda  being  the  most  voluminous.  The  Vedas  are  compilations 
of  hymns  and  metrical  prayers  addressed  to  the  Deva  or  “ Shin- 
ing Ones,’^  or  deifications  of  the  grand  and  striking  parts  and 
phenomena  of  the  natural  world.  The  other  and  later  sacred 
books  are  the  Shasters  and  Purans. 

The  antiquity  of  the  Vedas  has  been  much  exaggerated.  Some 
of  the  scholars  of  former  times  conjectured  that  they  dated  as 
far  back  as  B.  0.  GOOO.  But  the  most  trustworthy  scholars  of 
to-day  consider  them  as  more  recent  than  the  oldest  portions  of 
the  Zend-Avesta^  the  sacred  writings  of  the  old  Persians  and  the 
modern  Parsees.  These,  it  is  conjectured  (for  historic  testimony 
is  totally  wanting),  are  not  older  than  B.  C.  1500 ; and  the  most 
enthusiastic  admirer  of  the  Vedas^  Professor  Max  Muller,  as- 
signs the  date  of  the  earliest  Vedic  writings  to  B.  C.  1200.  This 
date  Professor  Whitney  pronounces  purely  conjectural.  From 
resemblances  between  the  earlier  hymns  of  the  Zend-Avesta 
and  of  the  Vedas.,  it  is  supposed  that  the  ancestors  of  the  Medes 
and  Persians  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  the  Hindus  on  the  other, 
left  the  common  cradle  of  their  civilization  about  the  same  time. 
Tlie  first  a])pendage  to  the  four  Vedas.^  namely  the  Mantras  or 
sacred  formularies,  are  thought  to  have  been  made  about  two 
hmidrcMl  yi^m  s lat(‘r.  The  next  api)eiidage,the  Bralimanas.,  a book 
of  cerciinonies  and  legends,  it  is  guessed,  belongs  to  the  period 


THE  RELIGION  OF  HINDUSTAN. 


63 


from  B.  C.  800  to  B.  0.  600.  The  final  great  appendage  was  the 
Sutras,  or  collection  of  ritualistic  rules,  including  philosophic 
explanations  of  the  Fedus,— thought  to  belong  to  a period  from 
about  B.  C.  600  to  B.  C.  200.  But  the  religion  of  the  Hindus 
was  not  content  to  borrow  from  the  Zend-Avesta.  It  adopted 
some  of  the  idolatries  and  superstitions  of  old  Egypt,  Babylon 
and  Arabia,  as  well  as  not  a 
few  of  the  corruptions  of 
Mahometanism,  of  debased 
Judaism,  and  of  medimval 
Christianity. 

The  Sanskrit  language,  the 
sacred  tongue  of  the  Brah- 
mins, once  believed  to  be  the 
oldest  of  written  languages, 
now  takes  its  proper  place 
as  the  mother  of  the  Fall — 
the  latter  being  the  sacred 
language  of  Ceylon,  Burmah, 

Siam,  China,  Japan  and  Thi- 
bet. It  is  in  the  Sanskrit 
that  the  Shasters  of  the 
Brahmins  are  written.  It 
is  a dead  language,  and  is 
chiefiy  cultivated  by  the 

Brahma. 

Hindu  priesthood. 

The  religion  of  the  Hindus  acknowledges  one  god  as  being 
superior  to  and  before  all  others  gods  and  goddesses.  Like 
the  old  Assyrian  religion,  its  polytheism  is  crowned  with  cloudy 
reminiscences  of  a purer  monotheism.  The  Hindu  proverb, 
“ God  is  one  and  beside  him  is  no  other,’’  is  evidently  of  later 
Mahometan  origin.  The  supreme  being  of  the  Brahmins  must 
not,  however,  be  supposed  to  resemble  the  Jehovah  of  the 


Cri 


TTIE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSI0:NS. 


Christian  Scri])tiires.  Indeed,  their  own  Sliasters  often  raise 
the  questions:  AVliat  is  God?  Does  lie  exist  or  not ? Has  lie 
a form  or  not?  Is  lie  male  or  female?  Is  he  an  inconceivably 
small  atom  or  not?  Is  he  invisible  and  perfectly  happy  or 
not?  These  queries,  and  such  as  these,  are  occasions  of  per- 
petual debate  among  Hindu  jiriests  and  pundits.  The  Shas- 
ters,  belonging  as  they  do  to  different  ages,  and  being  the 
composition  of  many  different  authors,  naturally  enough,  fre- 
quently contradict  themselves,  and  thereby  lay  the  foundations 
of  conflicting  schools  of  llrahminical  theology  and  different 
forms  of  Hindu  ritualism. 

But  still,  according  to  the  more  commonly  received  belief, 
Brahm  is  a being  all  spirit,  without  form,  without  beginning  or 
end,  and  yet  devoid  of  attributes ; for  according  to  the  Shasters 
the  idea  of  giving  attributes  to  Brahm  involves  the  idea  of  the 
necessity  of  multiplying  himself.  They  believe  that  a sjiirit  can 
not  create  or  perform  any  other  act  without  being  united  with 
matter.  Although  Brahm  is  without  mind,  will  or  any  other 
faculty  or  quality  of  a person,  yet  according  to  one  class  of 
Brahmins,  his  negative  existence  at  length  became  positive. 

Brahm  awoke,’^  say  the  Vedas,  and  said,  “Let  me  be  many,”  and 
immediately  took  upon  himself  a material  form  and  became  for 
a long  period  Brahma.  All  the  germs  or  seeds  of  our  visible 
world  were  at  first  in  the  shape  of  an  egg,  and  Brahm  took  pos- 
session of  it  in  the  form  of  Brahma.  During  one  year  of  the 
creation,  making  three  hundred  millions  of  our  years,  this  egg 
was  swimming  like  a bubble  upon  the  waters  of  chaos.  Its 
brightness  resembled  that  of  a thousand  suns.  At  last  the  egg 
was  hatched,  tlie  shell  was  broken,  and  Brahma  leaped  forth,  a 
being  of  terrible  appearance,  having  a thousand  heads,  a thou- 
sand eyes,  a tliousand  arms.  Another  monstrous  creature, 
Sarfpm,  escaped  from  this  luminous  egg.  His  hairs  were  the 
trees  and  shrulis  of  the  forest,  his  head  the  clouds,  his  beard 


OLD  GODS  AND  NEW. 


G5 


the  lightning,  his  voice  the  thunder,  his  breath  the  atmosphere, 
his  eyes  the  sun  and  moon,  his  nails  the  rocks,  his  bones  the 
mountains  of  the  earth.  Brahm  now  retires  and  goes  to  sleep, 
and  nothing  disturbs  his  slumbers  till  the  present  material 
universe  shall  be  dissolved  and  a new  one  be  demanded. 

The  earth  is  a flat  plain,  of  circular  form ; in  its  centre  rises  a 
lofty  mountain  crowned  with 
three  golden  summits,  which 
are  the  favorite  residences  of 
Brahma^  Yishnu  and  Sliiva^ihQ 
triad  of  the  Hindu  worship. 

Of  these,  Brahma  (not  to  be 
confounded  with  Brahm)  is 
the  creator,  'Yishmi  is  the 
preserver,  and  Shiva  is  the 
destroyer.  Many  of  the  gods 
and  goddesses  are  avatars  or 
incarnations  of  one  of  the 
first  three.  Thus  a kind  of 
hero-worship  has  been  ad- 
mitted. Some  ancient  or 
more  recent  worthy  is  after 
death  deified,  and  his  image 
becomes  an  object  of  ador- 
ation. Divine  honors  are 
accordingly  paid  by  the  natives  to  the  tomb  of  Lord  Corn- 
wallis, in  Bombay,  and  of  Col.  Wallis,  in  the  graveyard  of 
Seroor.  Rich  natives  or  foreigners  have  only  to  build  their 
tombs  in  the  form  of  a temple,  and  set  up  in  it  some  idol  with 
a new  name,  to  secure  divine  honors  from  the  ignorant  and 
unthinking  Hindus. 

But  while  new  gods  come  in  old  gods  go  out.  Thus,  Indra^ 

once  a celebrated  Hindu  divinity,  the  God  of  the  Atmosphere, 
6 


6(3 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


even  Brahma^  tlie  creator  and  first  })ersoii  in  tlie  Braliniiiiica] 
triad,  are  no  longer  worsliip])ed.  No  tnanples  ar(5  now  erected 
to  them,  while  a temple  in  honor  of  Ilaniimat,  the  modern 
baboon  god,  the  deified  general  of  an  army  of  baboons,  is  seen 
in  almost  every  village  throughout  Western  India.  Beginning 
with  the  worship  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  the  Hindus  i)roceeded 
to  multiply  gods;  they  had  also  gods  of  the  air  and  gods  of  the 
earth  and  gods  of  the  lower  world,  and  now  they  have  gods 
without  number. 

One  legend  of  the  Shasters  i)uts  ViHlinn  in  the  ])lace  of  Brahm 
himself.  A representation  which  is  the  subject  of  many  Hindu 
paintings,  and  notably  of  a i)iece  of  sculi)ture  on  a large  rock  in 
the  Ganges,  is  intended  to  rei)resent  the  following  legend:  A 
former  world  having  been  destroyed  in  a deluge,  Yishnu  lay 
down  and  Avent  to  sleep  on  the  coils  of  a thousand-headed 
serpent,  which  floated  upon  the  surface  of  the  destroying  waters. 
During  a nap  of  some  millions  of  years,  a water-lily  grew  out  of 
his  body.  From  this  floAver  ismed  Bralma,  i\ie  creator,  Avho 
forms  the  world  aneAV  and  makes  gods  and  men.  The  high  honor 
paid  to  the  serpent,  Avhicli  is,  in  the  popular  belief,  a kind  of 
guardian  of  every  houshold,  appears  to  be  associated  with  the 
old  belief  that  the  earth  rests  upon  an  enormous  serpent,  and 
that  earthquakes  are  caused  by  his  moving  his  head. 

Some  of  the  additions  to  the  Shasters,  called  Purans,  were 
manifestly  dictated  by  hostility  to  the  reformer,  Gautama. 
Krishna,  one  of  the  incarnations  of  Vishnu,  is  supposed  to  have 
been  invented  by  the  Brahmins  with  a view  to  counteract  the 
growing  influence  of  the  “ Light  of  Asia.  ’’  Krishna  is  repre- 
sented as  a great  giant-killer,  who  first  makes  his  appearance 
as  an  outcast  beggar,  and  after  alife  of  lust  and  murder  becomes 
a god.  The  Brahmins  likewise  represent  Indra^  the  king  of 
Swargn,  as  the  seducer  of  the  Avife  of  Gautama.  The  Institutes 
of  Mann,  also,  which  cannot  date  earlier  than  the  fourth  century 


HINDU  IDEAS  OF  FUTUEITY. 


07 


before  the  Christian  era,  betray  an  intentional  antagonism  to 
the  teachings  of  Buddha.  It  was  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Judson  that 
the  Hindu  Buddha,  one  of  the  ten  incarnations  of  Yishnu,  was 
made  by  the  Brahmins  to  belong  to  the  same  j)eriod  as  Buddha 
Gautama  for  the  purpose  of  degrading  the  divine  reformer  to  a 
level  with  their  own  demigods,  or  “ Kats,  ''  as  they  are  denomi- 
nated in  the  Burmese. 

Another  jmrt  of  Brahminism, 
which  evidently  belongs  to  a 
comparatively  recent  period, is 
its  teaching  concerning  the  fu- 
ture world.  It  divides  the 
souls  of  the  departed  into  five 
classes.  Those  of  the  first 
class  are  absorbed  in  Brahm., 
the  soul  of  all  things,  and  thus 
lose  their  individuality.  The 
second  class  of  the  departed 
— such  as,  not  being  without 
many  imperfections,  yet  enter- 
tain a good  hope  of  coming 
into  happiness  — are  admitted 
into  the  Brahma  Loha.  The 
third  class  are  the  wicked, 
who,  according  to  their  de- 
grees of  guilt,  are  cast  into  one 
of  the  four  different  hells.  The  fourth  transmigrate  still,  and 
become  the  offspring  of  human  parents.  The  fifth  also  trans- 
migrate, but  in  a descending  scale,  becoming  beasts,  birds  and 
insects.  The  judges  of  the  four  hells  are  demigods  of  the  high- 
est class,  that  of  Apura.  The  deepest  hell  is'Teserved  for  sucli 
as  treat  the  priests  with  disrespect.  There  are  three  ways  of 
obtaining  future  blessedness : first,  by  works,  as  bathing  in 


68 


THE  STORY  OF  BAl’TlST  .MTSSIOXS. 


sacred  waters,  ])eiiance  and  feeding  Bralonins  ; second^  by  wor- 
sliii)i)ing  gods,  tlieir  images  and  temples;  third,  by  simple 
meditation  and  mental  worship,  without  the  aid  of  any  external 
form.  The  first  is  a step])ing-stone  to  the  second,  and  the  sec- 
ond to  the  third.  The  demoralizing  effects  of  this  system  are 
many  and  iiowerful. 

Among  these  must  be  placed  drunkenness.  Later  Brahminism 
does  indeed  threaten  the  drinkers  of  intoxicating  licjuors  with 
future  punishment;  but  the  prohibition  of  intemperance  appears 
to  have  been  occasioned  by  the  necessity  of  counteracting  the 
reform  of  Cfautama,  who  makes  total  abstinence  the  last  of  the 
five  great  requirements  of  his  new  religion.  Their  later  collision 
with  Mahometanism  may  have  provoked  the  Brahmins  to  in- 
crease the  penalties  of  drunkenness.  But  in  the  beginning  it 
was  not  so.  Among  the  ancient  offerings  to  Indra,  were  liba- 
tions of  soma,  a drink  prepared  from  the  juice  of  a kind  of 
milk-weed,  sometimes  called  tlie  moon-plant.  This,  mixed  with 
barley  and  other  ingredients,  becomes  by  fermentation  very  in- 
toxicating. This  was  supposed  not  only  to  give  pleasure  to  the 
god,  but  to  enable  him  to  come  to  the  assistance  of  the  wor- 
shipper. The  soma  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  Zend-Avesta 
and  in  the  Rig-Veda.  In  the  latter  work,  a whole  book  of 
hymns  are  addressed  to  it,  either  in  the  shape  of  a mighty  god 
or  as  a kind  of  ambrosia  endowed  with  intoxicating  effects.  In 
the  Soma -Veda  there  are  about  a thousand  verses  appointed  to 
be  sung  at  the  moon-plant  festival.  In  some  of  these  Indra  is 
represented  as  getting  muzz}^  on  the  sacrificial  beverage.  In 
the  same  breath  he  is  praised  as  the  giver  of  splendor  to  the 
morning  and  as  the  glorious  to])er  of  soma.  In  one  verse  the 
liquor  is  thus  addressed:  “Thou,  O Soma,  art  the  embroiler  of 
all  things  in  thy  drunken  frolics.’’  The  officiating  Brahmins 
drink  this  li(]uor  as  a jiart  of  the  form  of  libation.  The  moon- 
plant  must  b(‘  galh(‘r(Ml  liy  moonlight  on  the  fiat  top  of  a moun- 
tain and  carted  to  the  place  of  sacrifice  by  two  rams  or  he- 


DEMORALIZING  CUSTOMS. 


09 


goats.  The  sacrifice  continues  for  several  weeks.  It  reminds 
one  of  the  old  Greek  festivals  in  worship  of  Bacchus,  when 
men  and  women  drank  to  madness  and  stupidity  in  honor  of 
the  god  of  wine.  A Hindu  sage  who  flourished  about  two 
centuries  ago,  Tuka  Kama,  after  describing  a part  of  the  cere- 
monial says: 

“ For  rites  like  these  are  at  best  but  scurvy 
That  turn  religion  topsy-turvy.” 

The  demi-gods  and  demugoddesses  of  the  Brahminical  “Nat^^ 
heavens  are  believed  to  pass  four  months  in  the  year  surround- 
ing a sacred  tree,  sprawling  about  in  a state  of  intoxication.  The 
later  commands  and  imprecations  against  drunkenness  imply 
that  they  were  called  for  by  the  habits  of  the  people.  Babagee, 
afterwards  known  as  the  Christian  Brahmin,  who  was  baptized  at 
Nuggur  by  the  missionary  William  Herve}",  in  1831,  once  belonged 
to  a private  society  of  Brahmins  and  others  who  drank  brandy 
and  revelled  together  whole  nights  without  distinction  of  caste. 
The  common  people  drink  arrack,  a fiery  liquor  highly  intoxi- 
cating. When  therefore,  after  his  conversion,  Babagee  drew 
up  some  articles  to  be  adopted  by  a Moral  Society  in  the  native 
church  at  Ahmednuggur,  the  very  first  was  a promise  not  to 
use  ardent  spirits  except  as  a medicine. 

This  temptation  to  drunkenness  is  strengthened  by  the 
number  of  days — llo — in  the  Hindu  year  which  are  devoted 
to  religious  festivity,  thus  consuming  about  four  months  in 
every  twelve,  not  in  worship,  but,  for  the.  most  part,  in  drink- 
ing, story-telling,  feasting  and  every  kind  of  idle  and  debasing 
amusement.  The  remarkable  idleness  of  the  Hindus  is  partly 
due  to  this  cause. 

Add  to  these  causes  of  demoralization,  the  frequent  and  long 
pilgrimages  which  the  Hindu  is  taught  to  make  to  places  reputed 
holy  and  miracle-working.  Besides  places  thrice-sacred,  like 
Benares,  Juggernaut  and  Rameshwur,  there  are  numberless 
others  of  lesser  celebrity  to  which  the  priests  advise  the 


70 


THE  STOEY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Hindus  to  pilgriiiiizo.  Tlioy  go  in  companies  vviiich  increase  in 
numbers  as  they  reach  the  thorouglifares  to  tlie  holy  city,  the 
sacred  temple,  or  the  all-healing  river.  Among  these,  says  a 
missionary  who  spent  seven  years  in  Hindustan,  are  some  of 
tlie  most  arch- villains  which  India  affords.  They  are  clad  in 
the  habit  of  devotees.  Our  sincere  i>ilgrims  look  to  these 
comi)anions  as  their  saintly  guides  and  protectors.  They  go  on 
merely  during  the  day,  lioist  flags,  beat  drums,  carouse,  dance, 
tell  stories  and  sing  bawdy  songs  in  the  evening;  and  at  niglit 
herd  together,  men  and  women,  married  and  unmarried,  shame- 
less as  so  many  cattle.  Many  of  tliese  i)ilgrims  are  reduced 
to  want  before  they  can  return  home,  and  are  comi)elled  to  starve 
or  else  turn  beggars  and  robbers. 

Xor  are  the  temples  always  safe  asylums  and  refuges  for  the 
pilgrims.  The  Brahminical  i)riests  are,  some  of  them,  devoted 
to  religious  crimes.  The  pious  and  learned  traveller,  Mr.  Caleb 
Wright,  A.  M.,  in  his  Lectures  on  India,  describing  the  most 
holy  temple  in  Benares,  adds:  ^‘Tlie  Brahmins  who  officiate  in 
this  temple  are  also  esteemed  very  holy.  I will  relate  a few 
incidents  illustrative  of  their  character.  They  discovered  that 
an  aged  pilgrim  who  came  there  to  worship  had  a large  sum  of 
money  about  him.  They  told  him  that  if  he  would  give  them 
his  money,  and  then,  in  the  presence  of  the  idol,  cut  his  throat, 
tlie  image  of  Shiva  would  immediately  restore  him  to  the  vigor 
and  freshness  of  youth.  The  deluded  man  believed  them.  He 
gave  u[)  all  his  money,  entered  the  temple,  called  on  the  name 
of  Shiva,  and  then  cut  his  throat  from  ear  to  ear.  The  Eev. 
Mr.  Smith,  who  described  to  me  this  horrid  transaction,  saw  him 
weltering  in  his  blood.  Mr.  Smith  also  stated  that  soon  after  he 
rornuKuiced  his  missionary  work  in  Benares,  the  Brahmins  mur- 
dereil  a cehdirated  dancing-girl  in  this  temple,  for  the  sake  of 
th(‘,  j(‘wels  wliicdi  decorated  lier  ])crson.” 

Th(‘  last  iiKMitioiKMl  fact  may  demand  a few  words  of  expla- 
nation. 'Tli(‘,s(‘-  dancing-gil  ls  are  devoted  to  tlie  service  of  the 


THE  FESTIVAL  OF  RAMA  LILA. 


71 


temples  or  pagodas,  and  they  were  some  of  them  dedicated  to 
that  service  by  their  mothers  before  they  were  born.  They  are 
called  Deva  Dasi,  Servants  of  the  “Shining  Ones,’^  or  gods. 
Until  lately  they  were  the  only  girls  in  India  who  were  per- 
mitted to  learn  to  read,  sing  and  dance.  They  notoriously  lead 
the  lives  of  strange  women,  and  support  themselves  in  part 
by  the  wages  of  infamy  and  in  part  by  the  revenues  of  the  tem- 
ples. The  example  above  given  was  probably  of  one  who  had 
enriched  herself  by  possessing  more  than  common  skill  in  the 
art  of  fascination. 

The  only  religious  festival  of  the  Hindus  that  is  not  most 
vulgar  and  most  disgusting,  is  that  of  the  Barnet  Lila,  which  is 
celebrated  every  autumn  in  Northern  India;  and  this,  curiously 
enough,  was  not  originally  instituted  by  the  priestly,  but  by  the 
military  or  Ksliatrya  caste.  Its  chief  attraction  is  a religious 
play,  founded  on  the  oldest  and  best  of  the  Sanskrit  epics,  the 
Bamayana.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  our  missionaries,  Carey  and 
Marshman,  were  the  first  to  appreciate  this  great  epic  of  India 
as  one  of  the  sources  of  the  Hindu  theogony  and  history.  Dr. 
Carey  amused  himself  a little  time  every  day  for  four  or  five 
years  in  translating  it  out  of  the  Sanskrit  into  English.  He 
translated  two  books,  and  printed  the  original  of  the  same,  with 
notes,  in  three  volumes  at  the  Serampore  press.  This  literal 
version  remains  to  this  day  the  only  attempt  at  a translation 
into  English. 

The  hero  of  the  play,  as  of  the  epic,  is  Kama,  one  of  the  incar- 
nations of  Vishnu  the  Preserver.  The  principal  theme  is  his 
war  with  the  giant  Bavana,  the  king  of  Ceylon,  who  has  carried 
off  to  his  capital  the  wife  of  Kama.  The  play  is  too  elaborate 
to  be  here  described,  and  occupies  several  days  in  its  perform- 
ance. The  events  which  invest  it  with  popular  interest  are  the 
visit  of  Hanumat  or  Hanuman,  the  baboon  god  of  the  Hindus, 
to  Lanka,  the  capital  of  Ceylon,  the  siege  of  that  city,  and  the 
death  of  Kavana. 


72 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


IlaiiiiiiRit  ^oes  to  Lanka  in  disguise  as  an  ai)e,  witli  tlie  view 
of  reselling  Sita  and  restoring  lier  to  lier  husliand  Kama,  but 
he  is  treated  witli  liatred  and  contempt.  Ilis  tail  is  dijiped 
in  some  combustible  matter  and  tlien  set  on  fire.  In  revenge 
for  this  lie  climbs  up  to  the  toj)  of  tlic  palaces,  and  leaping 
from  roof  to  roof  witli  his  blazing  tail,  sets  the  whole  city 
on  lire.  Afterwards,  Kama  gathers  an  army  composed  in  great 
part  of  apes,  bears  and  other  wild  beasts  (or  rather  demigods 
in  the  shape  of  these  animals),  and  leads  them  forth  against 
Ceylon.  The  siege  of  Lanka  is  described  in  the  sixth  book 
of  the  poem.  During  the  series  of  attacks  and  repulses, 
Kavana  calls  into  service  the  three  giant  sons  of  his  brother; 
these  are  killed  by  Kama;  then  the  hero  meets  Kavana  in 
lierson  and  they  shoot  at  each  other  with  magic  arrows.  After 
the  siege  has  continued  seven  days  and  nights,  the  hero  learns 
for  the  first  time  that  Kavana  is  vulnerable  only  in  his  body, 
not  his  head.  Now  the  hero  aims  at  the  king  of  the  giants  an 
arrow  which  has  power  to  come  at  his  call,  and  after  it  has 
hit  the  mark  can  return  to  the  quiver.  Kavana  falls  dead,  and 
a deluge  of  flowers  covers  the  conqueror.  According  to  tradi- 
tion, Kama  establishes  the  religion  of  Brahma  in  Ceylon,  and 
returns  to  commence  a glorious  reign  at  Oude.  He  finally 
becomes  a god,  and  is  still  a favorite  divinity  in  Oude  and  Bahar. 
Some  of  the  later  legends  respecting  him  are  supposed  to  have 
been  borrowed  from  the  history  of  Christ.  The  day  that 
he  marched  against  Kavana  is  observed  as  a festival  all  over 
Hindustan. 

Hanumat,  the  ape  god,  is  also  an  object  of  popular  worship. 
In  the  Kamayana  he  is  represented  as  the  son  of  the  God  of  the 
AVind,and  is  much  employed  as  the  swift  and  mighty  messenger 
of  Itama,  notably  when  during  the  siege  a medicinal  herb  for  the 
wounded  is  to  be  sought  on  the  mountains  of  northern  India.  His 
name  in  Sanskrit  suggests  the  idea  that  he  has  a broken  jaw. 


HANUMAT  THE  APE  GOD . 


73 


While  a child  lying  on  the  lap  of  his  mother,  he  saw  the  sun  rise, 
and,  thinking  it  was  fruit,  started  up  into  the  air  to  seize  it;  but 
Indra,  angry  at  his  presumption,  hurled  him  down  to  the  top  of  a 
mountain,  where,  in  the  tall,  he  broke  his  left  jaw.  In  pictures 
and  sculptures  he  is  sometimes  represented  as  carrying  rocks, 
suggestive  of  the  method  Kama  used  to  cross  the  sea  when  he 
invaded  Ceylon.  Hanumat 
and  his  army  of  apes  car- 
ried huge  rocks,  and  thus 
bridged  over  the  sea.  The 
rocks  that  are  scattered 
over  the  hilly  parts  of  India 
(the  valley  of  the  Ganges 
is  totally  destitute  of  large 
stones ) are  said  to  have 
been  accidentally  dropped 
by  Ilanumat’s  army  while 
on  their  way  from  the  Him- 
alayas to  the  arm  of  the 
sea  in  which  the  temple  of 
Kama  now  stands,  obstruct- 
ing navigation. 

For  his  services  in  Ka- 
ma’s campaign  against 
Ceylon,  Hanumat  is  re- 
warded with  perpetual  life 
and  youth.  He  can  con- 
tract or  enlarge  his  frame  at  pleasure.  lu  one  instance  he  is 
swallowed  by  a monster,  whereui)on  he  belittles  himself  so 
as  to  crawl  out  at  the  ear  of  his  adversary. 

The  giants  of  the  Kamayaua,  and  of  the  religious  play  or 
^^mystery”  founded  upon  it,  are  very  tall,  with  long  legs,  or  with 
a vast  corpulent  body.  Their  complexion  is  very  dark,  and  they 


74 


TTTE  STORY  OF  liARTIST  MISSTOXS. 


liavo  the  features  of  the  gawky  or  tlie  idiot.  Tliey  are  in 
])0})ular  belief  uiaii-eaters,  iiatnral  eiieniies  of  ]>rahmiiiisin,  and 
capable  of  assuniing  a variety  of  monstrous  forms,  lii  tlie 
Ilamayana,  a giant  brother  of  Eavana  is  an  unsi)eaka])le  glutton, 
sleeping  six  months  and  only  awaking  long  enough  to  gorge 
himself  with  food.  If  an  attempt  is  made  to  rouse  him  ]>efore 
his  nap  is  ended,  he  has  to  be  trampled  ui)on  by  elephants 
and  his  ears  besieged  by  an  incredible  quantity  of  noise.  Jt 
is  necessary  to  keep  him  asleep  as  long  as  i)ossible;  for  as  he 
spends  all  of  his  waking  hours  in  eating,  if  he  whereto  be  awake 
long  he  would  produce  a universal  famine. 

In  the  engraving,  Eama  is  seen,  crowned  and  clad  in  white, 
on  the  left,  drawing  his  bow;  Eavana  on  the  right,  crowned,  also 
clothed  in  white,  with  six  arms,  holding  his  bow  in  one  of  Ids 
right  hands.  Some  of  the  actors  in  the  enclosure  are  dressed 
in  the  character  of  apes  holding  torclies,  rei)resenting  Ilanumat 
and  his  legions  of  baboons.  The  sun,  moon  and  stars  are 
represented  by  three  persons  sitting  on  a platform  at  the  left 
of  the  picture.  The  three  giants  are  the  nephews  of  Eavana. 
Xear  the  end  of  the  play  the  magic  arrow  kills  King  Eavana. 
On  the  last  day  there  is  a great  display  of  fire-works,  and  the 
middlemost  giant  is  set  on  fire  and  exploded. 

The  vices  and  crimes  that  attend  the  worship  of  Shiva  and 
Durga,  of  the  Yencata  Eamana,  of  Kali  and  Juggernaut,  are  of 
tlie  most  atrocious  and  barbarous  description.  Some  of  the 
images  and  symbols,  and  legends  in  the  Shasters  and  Purans, 
which  pretend  to  recount  the  history  of  their  origin,  as  well  as 
tlie  jiraj^ers  that  are  made  to  them,  are  so  indecent  and  disgust 
ing  tliat  our  intelligent  readers  ought  to  be  thankful  that  they 
riave  been  kejit  totally  ignorant  of  them.  Tlie  festivals,  manj 
of  tliem,  nre  carnivals  of  riot  and  madness.  The  festival  of 
tlie  Dewalce^  for  example,  in  honor  of  Yhhnn,  cannot,  it  seems.^ 
be  properly  observed  without  thieving,  lying,  gambling,  revelry, 


THE  RAMAYANA  PLAY. 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  THE  GANGES, 


75 


debauchery  and  dissii)ation  of  every  kind.  For  tliree  da3^s^ 
almost  every  crime  is  considered  a religions  act,  and  if  the 
officials  of  British  India  were  not  to  make  much  allowance  for 
offences  committed  during  that  period,  they  would  be  considered 
by  the  natives  as  persecutors. 


A Ghaut  on  the  Ganges. 


Even  the  worship  of  the  river  Ganges,  although  not  without 
its  mitigations  on  the  score  of  health  and  poetic  associations, 
is,  nevertheless,  a most  degrading  and  far-spread  form  of  idol- 
atry. Yes,  idolatry;  for  Gunga  is  a goddess,  and  has  her  sacred 
legends,  and  the  Brahmins  have  in  their  Shasters  prayers  and 
hymns  addressed  to  this  goddess.  According  to  these,  she  is 
queen  of  all  the  goddesses,  the  saviour  of  the  three  Avorlds; 
she  saves  from  ignorance,  disease,  sin,  sorrow  and  death;  she 
bestoAvs  freedom,  joy  and  repose  of  mind.  This  divinity  had 


70 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


licr  source  in  Vislinii’s  feet,  from  whielj  slie  ilowed  in  three 
cliaiinels.  All  such  unfortunates  as  cannot  afford  to  make  a 
pilgrimage  to  the  Ganges  may  obtain  the  pardon  of  all  their 
sins  and  admission  to  the  Hindu  heaven  by  repeating  the  names 
of  Ounga^  although  thej"  are  nine  hundred  miles  away.  Hindus 
are  as  anxious  to  die  in  the  Avaters  of  this  river,  or  to  have 
their  bodies  burnt  to  ashes  on  its  banks,  as  the  Catholics  of 
the  middle  ages  Avere  to  be  buried  in  the  dress  and  by  the  side 
of  monks.  Formerly,  tliej^  threAV  themselves  and  their  children 
into  its  Avaters  in  the  hope  of  AATishing  aAvay  sin  and  meriting 
heaven.  The  Itev.  Mr.  Tliompson,  a Baptist  missionary  in 
India,  informed  Mv.  Caleb  Wright,  A.  M.,  that  on  one  occasion 
he  saAV  more  than  three  hundred  thousand  ])ilgrims  assembled 
at  Hurd  war  (the  place  Avhere  the  river  leaves  the  mountain  and 
floAvs  into  the  idain)  to  bathe  at  the  place  Avhere  Brahma,  the 
creator  of  the  Avorld,  is  said  to  have  performed  Ids  ablutions. 
At  two  o’clock  on  tlie  morning,  Avhen  it  Avas  announced  by  the 
Brahmins  that  the  propitious  hour  had  arrived,  the  ATist  multi- 
tude rushed  down  a Ghaut,  or  flight  of  steps,  into  the  Ganges. 
Those  who  first  entered  the  Avater  and  bathed  attempted  to 
return,  but  the  passage  was  wedged  up  with  those  Avho  were 
still  descending.  There  were  indeed  other  passages  by  which 
they  might  have  returned;  but  that  would  not  do;  it  Avas  not 
the  custom,  and  it  Avould  diminish  the  merit  of  bathing.  They 
endeavored,  therefore,  to  force  their  way  upward.  Conse- 
quently, a scene  of  great  Adolence  took  place,  which  resulted 
in  the  death  of  hundreds  of  persons.  For  was  this  a solitary 
case  ; among  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  i)eople  that  annually 
assemble  at  other  points  on  the  river,  as  at  Allahabad  and 
Benares,  many  are  yearly  thus  crushed  to  death.  The  waters 
of  this  sacred  river  are  carried  to  all  parts  of  India  for  religious 
and  medicinal,  yes,  eA^eii  for  judicial  use;  for  in  Hindu  courts 
this  holy  wat(‘r  is  sworn  upon  as  the  Bible  is  in  Christian  lands. 


CHAP  TEH  IX. 


A FUETIIER  ANALYSIS  OF  BEAIIMINISM. 

The  Pantheism  of  the  Brahmins. — The  Rig- Veda  does  not  directly  teach 
it. — The  Institutes  of  Mann. — The  celebrated  Hymn  to  Brahma. — The 
practical  Absurdities  of  the  Belief  as  illustrated  in  Emerson's  Lines. — 
The  Moral  Tendency  of  the  Hindu  Pantheism. — Common  Belief  in  the 
Power  of  Fate. — An  Anecdote  of  Transmigration. — The  Enormous  Pre- 
tensions of  the  Brahmins. — The  four  Castes. — The  Pervasiveness  of  tiie 
Hindu  Rites. — The  Priests  almost  Everywhere. — A lively  competition 
among  them. — The  Sacred  Cow  and  Absolution. — The  Cattle  during  the 
Famine. — Charms  and  Incantations. — The  Climax  of  a Sloka. — Bargee 
Row  buys  the  pardon  of  his  sins  for  f 12,500. — Hindu  notion  of  Sanctity 
little  to  do  with  Morality. 

^jYJIE  Pantheism  which  the  Brahmins  believe  in,  and  teach,  is 
that  Bralim  is  everything,  and  everything  is  Brahm;  in 
other  words  Brahm  is  the  all-pervading  soul  of  the  material  uni- 
verse. This  doctrine  is  not  found  in  the  Yedas^  but  first  makes 
its  appearance  in  the  early  Shasters,  the  Bralimanas,  or  rather  an 
appendage  to  them  called  the  Upanishads.  According  to  tliese 
later  writings,  Brahm  is  the  primary  and  pervading  principle  of 
all  being;  but,  at  first,  he  reposed  in  unconsciousness,  and 
without  attributes.  At  first,  there  likewise  existed  nirgnn,  a 
something  in  which  reposed  the  elements  of  all  things,  but 
without  qualities.  At  length  this  nirgun  manifested  signs  of 
life  and  activity,  thus  becoming  sargun  (‘‘all  attributes’’),  or 
showing  itself  to  be  i)ossessed  of  all  the  attributes  of  the 
creator,  preserver  and  governor  of  all  things.  Xow,  Brahm 
appears  as  the  centre  of  all  forces  — physical,  intellectual, 
moral  and  spiritual.  Thenceforth  he  was  like  a spider,  sitting 
in  the  centre  of  the  elements,  spinning  out  his  endless  threads, 


78 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


and  fastening  what  he  ])rodiiees  from  liimself  fo  tlie  ri^lit  and 
loft,  towards  all  quarters  of  the  universe.  This  is  a ^r(‘at 
departure  from  the  simplieity  of  the  Big-Veda,  whi(;h  declares 
that  ^U)eforo  the  creation  of  the  universe  the  Spirit  existed 
alone.”  But  still  the  Yedas,  by  personifying  and  then  deifying 
the  sun,  moon  and  stars,  lire,  air  and  water,  beasts,  plants,  etc., 
prepared  the  way,  lirst,  for  the  .‘i3(),()()0,0()() 
ofllindu  divinities,  and  next  for  thewor- 
shiji  of  the  uni  verse  itself;  thereby,  in  its 
perfect  eatholieity,  admittiiig  to  its  pan- 
theon all  gods  known  and  unknown, 
actual  and  iiossible,  in  the  past,  present 
and  the  future.  Most  assuredly,  the 
Brahmins  must  have  considered  it  a great 
relief  from  the  unceasing  invention  of 
new  gods  and  demi-gods  to  seek  refuge 
in  the  delusion  of  Pantheism,  which  of 
necessity  makes  every  idol  a part  of 
Brahma^  and  as  sacred  as  himself. 

There  are  many  proofs  that  this  doc- 
trine is  a later  addition  to  Brahminism. 
The  ^Tnstitutes  of  Mauu,”  as  they 
now  read,  close  with  these  words:  ^Tle 
who,  in  his  own  soul,  perceives  the  supreme  soul  in  all 
things,  and  acquires  equanimity  toward  them  all,  attains 
the  highest  state  of  bliss.”  This  pendent  is,  most  probably, 
of  the  nature  of  an  after -thought.  And  it  is  curious 

enough  to  observe  how  these  priests,  in  their  celebrated 
IJgmn  to  Brahma  (a  hymn  that  contradicts  the  teachings 
of  th(i  VedaH\  represent  those  writings  as  the  breath  of  his 
nostrils,  ^dlrahma,”  so  they  sing,  is  not  separated  from  the 
cr(‘ation;  he  is  the  light  of  the  sun,  of  the  moon,  and  of  the 
hip;  the  Vedas  are  the  breath  of  his  nostrils;  the  ])rimitive 


HINDU  rANTnElS:M. 


79 


elements  are  bis  eyes;  the  shaking  movements  of  events  are 
his  laugh  ; his  sleep  is  the  destruction  of  the  world.  In  various 
forms  he  enlivens  all  creatures : in  the  form  of  tire,  he  digests 
their  nourishment;  in  the  form  of  air,  he  pervades  their  life; 
as  water,  he  quenches  their  thirst ; as  the  sun,  he  ripens  the 
fruits ; as  the  moon,  he  gives  them  refreshing  sleep.  The 
progress  of  time  is  the  step  of  his  foot.  Brahma  hears  and  sees 
everything.  He  cultivates  the  field;  he  is  turned  into  cloud  to 
give  it  moisture;  he  becomes  corn  and  satisfies  mankind. 
While  he  dwells  in  the  body  he  sustains  its  vital  breath ; if  he 
withdraw,  it  will  grow  cold  and  die.  He  destroys  sin  in  the 
devout  as  cotton  thread  is  singed  in  the  fire.  He  is  the  source 
of  all  truth  and  of  all  lies.  He  who  takes  refuge  in  him  will 
become  holy;  he  who  turns  his  face  from  him  will  become  a 
blasphemer.’’  The  last  verse,  it  will  be  observed,  contradicts 
all  the  rest.  To  have  been  consistent,  the  hymn  should  have 
closed  with  some  such  words  as  these : He  is  the  source  of  all 
holiness  and  of  all  blasphemies. 

Elsewhere,  Brahma  is  declared  to  be  both  the  charioteer 
and  the  chariot.  The  poem  of  Emerson  fairly  represents  the 
present  belief  of  the  Brahmins  in  its  relations  to  human  life: 

“If  the  red  slayer  thinks  he  slays, 

Or  if  the  slain  think  he  is  slain, 

They  know  not  well  the  subtle  ways 
I keep  and  pass  and  turn  again. 

****5(:**** 

“ They  reckon  ill  who  leave  me  out; 

When  me  they  fly,  I am  the  wings ; 

I am  the  doubter  and  the  doubt. 

And  I the  hymn  the  Brahmin  sings.” 

The  distinguished  Brahmin,  now  the  Rev.  ilarayan  Sheshadri, 

of  Bombay,  India,  has  often^  since  his  conversion  to  the  religion 

of  Christ,  declared  that  Pantheism  destroys  free  will,  denies 

personal  identity,  and  makes  moral  accountability  quite  impos- 
7 


80 


THE  8'1'OllV  OE  JiAI’TLST  .MISSIONS. 


sible.  It  teaches  that  inaii  inny  coiinnit  tlie  ^j;r(‘atest  sins,  and 
escape  from  the  c.onsecpiences  on  the  ])lea  tliat  it  is  not  lu*,  that 
coininits  them,  but  God  Idmself.  lie  now  (considers  th(‘  docdrine 
as  blas})heinons. 

Tlie  Pantlieists  of  Oliristian  lands  have  a very  disingenuous 
trick  of  making  it  appear  that  all  “men  of  light  and  leading’’ 
are  of  their  opinion.  They  pervert  words  that  one  may  em- 
ploj"  about  the  omnipresence  of  God,  or  misreiiresent  one’s 
motives  in  expounding  or  illustrating  the  Hindu  l^intheism. 
An  American,  visiting  the  late  Thomas  Carlyle  in  London,  said 
to  him,  “In  the  United  States  it  is  claimed  that  you  are  a 
Pantheist.”  “Pan-nonsense!”  replied  Carlyle. 

The  very  general  belief  in  Pate  has  also  a direct  tendency 
to  foster  all  sorts  of  immorality.  AVhile  Pantheism  makes 
Brahma  the  instigator  of  all  crimes,  Pate  makes  their  jierpetra- 
tion  quite  unavoidable.  Every  action,,  great  or  small,  is  fated. 
The  Pev.  Hollis  Bead,  six  years  missionary  in  the  Deccan, 
relates  the  following  fact:  “A  child  who  was  very  jieevish  and 
nois}"  was  one  day  crying  incessantly,  to  the  great  annoyance 
of  all  in  the  house.  A Hindu  servant,  who  took  care  of  him 
and  was  very  much  attached  to  him,  in  reply  to  those  who  com- 
})lained  of  this  crying,  said  in  defence  of  his  dear  little  charge: 
“ The  child  is  not  to  be  blamed  for  crying;  it  is  his  fate  to  cry.'^^ 
And  this  blind  necessity  or  destiny  is  also  associated  with  their 
faith  in  transmigration.  Their  sins  and  crimes,  even  those  of 
their  gods,  are  not  often  punishable  in  the  creature  that 
commits  them,  but  i)erhai)S  hundreds  or  thousands  of  years 
afterwards,  when  the  man  has  become  a demigod  or  been  trans- 
forme<l  into  one  of  the  lower  jinimals.  Hence  a man’s  present 
sufferings  may  be  llie  i)enalty  of  the  sins  he  committed  in  a 
former  state  of  being. 

Tliis  may  Ix^  illustratc'd  by  a,  ratlnu-  (‘xtraordinary  case  which 
is  relat(*d  by  Mr.  Bird,  British  magistratc'.of  Benares.  One  day. 


THE  PHETEXSIHNS  OF  THE  BUAHMIXS. 


81 


seeing  a sanctified  mendicant  in  his  yard,  he  ordered  him  to  be 
gone,  and  threatened  to  horsewhip  liiniif  he  ever  sawhimtliere 
again.  A few  days  afterward  he  came  again,  and  was  flogged 
accordingly.  The  natives  wlio  witnessed  the  chastisement  of 
one  whom  they  regarded  as  worthy  of  divine  lionors,  burst 
forth  in  ebullitions  of  horror  and  rage.  But  the  mendicant 
said  to  them  with  much  coolness ; “It  is  all  right,  it  is  perfectly 
right;  for  I recollect  that,  in  a former  birth,  this  magistrate  was 
my  donkey;  I used  to  whip  and  abuse  him;  even  rode  him 
beyond  his  strength  ; and  now  I am  justly  punished  for  my  sins 
then  and  thus  committed.’^ 

The  })riestly  caste  combine  i)ietensions  to  divinity  with  the 
performance  of  official  duties  the  most  mean  and  the  most 
abominable.  The  first  Brahmin  sprang  from  the  mouth  of 
Brahma.  The  next  caste  below  him,  the  military,  sprang  from 
the  hands  of  the  Creator;  the  third  caste,  the  mercantile,  came 
from  his  loins;  the  fourth  caste,  the  cultivators  of  the  soil, 
from  his  feet  According  to  jManu,  the  Brahmin  is  the  chief  of 
all  creatures;  his  birth  is  an  incarnation  of  the  God  of  Justice. 
By  right  of  birth  he  is  entitled  to  whatever  exists  in  the  uni- 
verse; all  things  are  virtually  his  wealth.  However  mean  his 
occupation,  he  must  be  honored;  for  he  is  something  transcend- 
ently  divine,  and  it  is  through  his  benevolence  that  other  mortals 
enjoy  life.  The  description  of  the  claims  of  the  Brahmins  given 
by  the  Eev.  Narayan  Sheshadri,  the  converted  Brahmin  of 
Bombay,  is  not  exaggerated,  but  fully  sustained  by  their  own 
sacred  writings.  “They  are,’^  says  he,  “the  only  authorized 
interpreters  of  the  Shasters  and  other  holy  books.  Each 
Brahmin  is  a much  more  infallible  dignitary  than  the  Pope 
of  Borne.  In  his  right  hand  he  holds  fire,  with  which  he  can 
burn  up  the  entire  universe.  In  his  right  ear  is  the  river 
Ganges,  one  drop  of  whose  water  is  sufficient  to  wash  away  the 
sins  of  ten  generations  of  transgressors.  He  is  the  Lord  of 


82 


THE  STOHY  OF  P.APTTST  MISSIONS . 


this  lower  world,  and  as  siudi  might  appropriate  to  his  own  use 
whatever  he  pleases.  ITis  law  is  infallible ; his  interpretation 
of  the  sacred  books  must  be  completely  believed;  and  he  has 
taken  special  care  to  conserve  his  system  by  i)rohibiting  his 
votaries  from  ever  crossing  the  seas,  the  river  Indus,  or  visiting 
foreign  lands.’’ 

The  piiesthood  have  to  do  with  the  Hindus  in  respect  of 
almost  all  their  relations,  and  their  most  common  avocations. 
It  is  difficult  to  conjecture  any  event  in  the  life  of  the  individual 
or  of  the  family  that  does  not  require  the  services  of  a priest.  The 
superstitious  belief  in  signs  and  omens  demands  the  frequent 
ceremonies  and  councils  of  the  Brahmins.  The  Hindu  would 
not  call  in  a barber  on  an  inauspicious  day ; he  undertakes  no 
important  business  without  inquiring  of  the  i)riest  whether  the 
day  he  has  thought  of  fora  beginning  is  of  good  omen.  Thus, 
during  the  visit  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  in  India,  the  late  Eajah 
of  Yizianagram  desired  exceedingly  to  l)e  present  at  the  court 
reception  in  Calcutta,  but  one  cause  alone  i)revented.  The 
Brahmin  family  priest  could  not  find  a single  lucky  day  on  which 
he  could  set  out  in  time  to  meet  the  princely  British  visitor. 
On  a slip  of  land  at  the  confluence  of  the  Ganges  and  Jumna  a 
Brahmin  and  a cow  are  stationed  at  several  places.  The  Hindu 
who  wishes  to  get  rid  of  his  sins  grasps  the  tail  of  one  of  these 
cows  with  his  right  hand,  while  a Brahmin  pours  on  the  hand 
some  water  from  the  Ganges,  and  reiieats  a mantra,  or  formula 
of  incantation  ; whereupon  the  sins  pass  along  the  tail  of  the 
sacred  animal  and  vanisli  forever.  The  priest  receives  his  fee, 
and  the  man  goes  his  way.  On  certain  festive  occasions  these 
priests  may  be  seen  making  ])ills  out  of  the  five  efficacious 
j)rodu(‘ts  of  tii(‘-  cow;  namely,  milk,  butter,  curd,  etc.,  to  be 
administered  to  sncli  as  have  accidentally  lost  caste,  or  else 
(tarrying  piectes  of  human  bom^s  to  be  cast  into  the  sacred 
river;  for  it  is  tlui  general  belief  tiiat,  if  tlie  dead  cannot  be 


THE  SACRED  COW. 


83 


cast  tidily  into  tlie  Ganges,  it.  is  sufficient  to  bury  in  its  waters 
any  fragment  of  tlie  remains,  even  a tootli.  A¥lien  the  annual 
pilgrimages  to  the  sacred  river  are  going  forward,  ^‘Brahmins 
with  large  books  under  their  arms,’’  says  the  Eev.  A.  lludolph, 
of  Lodiana,  ^^may  be  seen  lining  the  road,  and  watching  for 
new  pilgrims  coming- 
in.  Two  of  these  gen- 
tlemen have  descried  a 
well-to-do  party  trav- 
elling in  ox-carts,  and 
are  trying  to  outrun 
each  other  so  as  to 
meet  them  first.  Each 
one  insists  that  the 
forefathers  of  the  fam- 
ily, whom  he  accosts, 
are  registered  in  his 
book,  and  each  insists 
on  receiving  now  a 
fresh  registering  fee. 

They  are  not  sparing  in 
mutual  abuse,  each  one 
calling  the  other  a liar 
and  a deceiver  j and  no 
doubt  both  are  right. 

Shiva  on  the  Sacred  Bull. 

There  is,  however,  no 

way  of  escape;  both  must  be  paid  off  with  a gift.” 

AVe  just  now  mentioned  the  part  played  by  cows  in  the  rite 
of  priestly  absolution.  The  superstition  which  regards  the 
cow  as  a sacred  animal  would  seem  to  increase  rather  than 
diminish  with  the  progress  of  Christian  knowledge.  Beef  was 
formerly  a common  article  of  food  in  India,  but  now  the  eating 
of  the  flesh  of  kine  is  held  to  be  a crime.  The  effect  of  this 


Till']  HToJiV  OF  I’.AF'rjs'r  :mi.ssions. 


Si 

most  ritliculous  notion  wns  very  disaslrous  j^reat 

famine  of  1877  and  1878.  Curiously  enough,  wliile  from  two  to 
five  millions  of  liuman  beings  died  of  the  famine,  the  number 
of  cattle  was  not  greatly  diminished.  As  superstition  does  not 
permit  cattle  to  be  killed,  the  land  is  full  of  them.  iVtany  thou- 
sands, if  not  a million,  of  lives  would  liave  lieen  saved  if  the 
Brahmins  had  permitted  these  cattle  to  be  slaughtered.  Besides 
this,  the  grain  on  which  the  cattle  fed  might  have  kept  very 
many  of  the  natives  from  dying  of  starvation.  As  it  was, 
almost  all  these  animals  that  died  of  starvation  were  too  jioor 
to  furnish  any  nourishment  to  Pariahs  and  outcastes.  Tn  effect, 
therefore,  a considerable  share  of  the  £10,000,000  this  famine 
cost  the  British  Government  went  to  preserve  the  invaluable 
lives  of  sacred  cattle,  and  so  helped  to  prepare  the  way  for 
another  and  more  devastating  famine.  Carl^de  used  to  call 
Political  Economy  the  ‘‘  Dismal  Science,’^  but  it  is  not,  b}^  many 
shades,  as  dismal  as  such  a piece  of  wild  unthriftiness. 

The  Brahmins  add  to  their  wealth  and  their  popular  influence 
by  the  use  of  certain  Sanskrit  verses  called,  variously,  mcrntras 
and  muntras.  Their  repetition  acts  as  a charm  or  incantation; 
it  is  all-powerful;  the  mightiest  gods  cannot  resist  it.  By  it  the 
images  are  believed  to  be  filled  with  the  spirit  of  the  god  they 
represent,  and  the  young  Brahmin  becomes  “ thrice  born^^  and 
endued  with  ])riestly,  yes,  divine  power.  These  are  muttered 
over  him  when  he  receives  the  sacred  cord,  which  is  worn  by 
him  ever  after,  over  the  left  shoulder,  crossing  over  the  breast 
to  the  right.  It  has  to  be  renewed  every  year.  None  but 
P>rahmins  can  wear  it,  and  it  can  neither  be  bought  nor  sold. 
]frahmins  only  are  allowed  to  repeat  the  mantras.  Should  a 
man  of  tlie  Sudra  caste  repeat,  or  even  hear  one  of  these 
wonder-woi’king  verses,  he  would  be  in  danger  of  eternal  pun- 
ishment. The  merits  and  virtues  of  repeating  these  mystic 
verses  are  set  fortli  in  tlie  P>rahminical  books.  By  repeating 


lUGlITEOUSNESS  AT  WllOLESALM 


85 


them,  seated  o[)posite  the  siiii,  the  Brahmin  may  be  liberated 
from  all  evils,  all  his  impure  and  iinlawful  aets  may  become 
pure  and  lawful;  he  maj^  obtain  the  fruit  of  a hundred  sacri- 
fices; he  may  approach  the  divine  essence,  move  free  as  air, 
and  assume  an  etherial  form.  The  belief  of  even  the  more 
intelligent  classes  of  Hindus  is  formulated  in  the  following 
verse  (a  Sanskrit  sloJca),  which  is  chanted  by  the  priests:  “The 
universe  is  under  the  power  of  the  gods,  the  gods  are  under 
the  power  of  the  mantras,  the  mantras  are  under  the  power  of 
the  Brahmins;  consequently  the  Brahmins  are  deities.’^  Great 
merit  attaches  to  the  repetition  of  the  names  of  the  gods  hun- 
dreds of  times  in  succession;  and  if,  in  his  dying  moments,  a 
man  is  heard  to  mention  these  sacred  names,  it  is  considered 
good  evidence  that  he  has  gone  to  the  regions  of  blessedness. 

By  such  mechanical  forms  as  these,  a man  may,  it  seems, 
become  so  god-like  that  he  not  only  atones  for  his  own  sins, 
but  may  perform  works  of  supererogation,  or  accumulate  a 
stock  of  merit  which  may  be  transferred  to  others  for  their 
religious  advantage.  The  following  case  in  point  comes  to  us 
well  authenticated:  The  infamous  Barjee  Eow,  Peshwa  (prime 
minister)  of  Mahratta,  who  imprisoned  the  heir-apparent  to  the 
throne,  usurped  the  government,  and  then  sold  it  to  the  British, 
receiving  a pension  of  $400,000  a year  as  the  price  of  his  trea- 
son, while  still  residing  at  Poona,  heard  that  a devotee  of  very 
extraordinary  sanctity  had  arrived  at  the  capital,  and  was  there 
performing  wonderful  acts  of  mortification.  Such  was  the 
prime  minister’s  character,  personal,  social  and  political,  that 
he  did  not  account  himself  "prepared  for  death  and  nirvana, 
Neither  could  he  bring  himself  to  submit  to  the  austerities 
which  the  priests  prescribed  for  such  a prodigious  sinner.  A 
good  opportunity  was  now  given  him  to  settle  with  the  gods  at 
once,  and  in  full  of  all  demands.  He  immediately  sent  for  the 
reputed  saint,  and  struck  a bargain.  He  gave  for  the  saiid/s 


80 


THE  STOltY  OF  JiAP'JTST  MISSIONS. 


whole  stock  of  rig^hteonsiiess  the  siiii^^  sum  of  twelve  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars.  We  ou^iit  to  add  that  the  Hindu  notion 
of  sanctity  is,  that  it  is  altogether  c(‘r(‘inonial.  If  a jxTson,  ever 
so  wicked,  has  observed  the  ])reseril)(Ml  rit(‘s  and  jierforined  the 
appointed  i)enances,  he  is  holy  ° wlun'cas,  no  matter  how  ])ure  in 
heart  one  may  he,  if  he  has  n(‘gle(tt(‘d  the  re(juisit(‘.  ceremonies, 
he  is  pronounced  unholy.  Outward  aids  alone  arii  (uinsidered  of 
any  moral  value.  The  ])riest,  the  mendicant  and  tlui  jiilgrim  are 
so  many  religious  machines.  ITmice,  iiarrots  ar(‘-  actually  taught 
to  repeat  the  names  of  the  gods,  in  ord(‘r  that  Avhile  their  owners 
are  devoting  themselves  to  their  mundane  oc.cupations,  these 
Brahminical  birds  may  be  all  the  time  laying  uj)  treasures  of 
righteousness. 


Praying  Parrots. 


CHAPTER  X. 


HINDU  CASTES  AND  CUSTOMS. 


Caste  defined. — Origin  of  the  Braliminical  Supremacy. — Caste  in  its  relation 
to  Marriage. — Efiect  of  Christianity  on  Caste. — The  lowest  Caste  and  the 
Outcastes. — The  condition  of  Sudras. — Liability  to  lose  Caste. — Example 
of  Babagee. — Former  operation  of  Caste  in  the  Anglican  Worship. — 
Caste  and  the  Sepoy  Eebellion. — The  vexation  caused  by  Caste  in  do- 
mestic life. — Measures  adopted  by  the  Serampore  Mission  in  relation  to 
these  distinctions. — The  Burning  of  Widows. — A Suttee  described. — The 
Serampore  Brethren  petition  the  Government  in  favor  of  its  abolition. — 
Brahmins  send  an  agent  to  London  to  prevent  doing  away  the  Suttee. — 
Thought  to  be  secretly  observed  still  in  remote  parts  of  India. 

gASTE,  in  the  Sanskrit,  signifies  color  or  complexion, 
making  it  probable  that  the  distinction  was  at  first  tribal 
and  not  religious.  At  first,  there  appears  to  have  been  only 
one  complexion  — a caste  common  to  that  which  afterwards 
became  the  highest,  the  Brahminical,  and  the  next  in  rank,  the 
Kshatryan,  the  kingly  or  warrior  chief  and  soldier  class.  Th^ 
Brahmins  have  probably  descended  from  the  prophets,  which 
the  Indo-European  tribes,  almost  all,  were  accustomed  to  rev- 
erence and  to  follow  as  the  messengers  of  the  gods  and  the 
interpreters  of  their  oracles.  These  prophets  were  not  always 
of  the  same  character  or  degree.  Sometimes  they  rose  in  the 
scale  until  they  became  kings  and  high  priests,  or  they  fell 
down  to  the  grade  of  bards  of  the  chieftain,  such  as  we  find 
to-day  in  the  Hindu  province  of  Meywar.  Here  he  serves  as 
chaplain,  priest,  secretary,  astrologer  and  messenger,  holding  a 
rank  second  only  to  that  of  the  chief,  or  rajah. 


THE  S'l'OlfV  OE  lEVrTIST  MISSIONS. 


SH 


When  tlie  civiliziitioii  of  tli(3  Madiii,  Modes  or  Aryans  moved 
eastward,  it  found  a lioine  on  tlie  niountjun  sidcss  nnd  t}d>le-lands 
of  ITindustan.  Jt  brought  with  it  many  of  tIi(M‘(*ligions  ideas 
wlueli  liave  descended  to  us  in  tlie  Zend-Avesta,  and  wliie.li 
were  afterwards  embalined  in  the  Sanskrit  of  the  \"edas.  'fhe 
warrior  kings  or  chiefs  were  at  tirst  tlie  virtual  ])atriarchs  and 
])riests  of  their  tribes;  but,  liy  the  ravag(*s  of  Avar,  tliese  and 
their  descendants  Avere  diminished  in  numl)er  and  j)ower  until 
tlie  prophets,  bj^sloAV  degrees,  gained  such  ])olitical  as(?endane.y 
as  is  manifested  in  tlie  Institutes  of  Manu.  The  Brahmins  Avere 
aggrandized  by  unsuccessful  Avars,  niiicli  in  the  same  Avay  that 
the  Eoinish  priesthood  Avere  by  the  defeats  and  slaughters  of 
the  Crusaders, 

The  Eig-Yeda  does  not  recognize  caste;  it  is  of  later  origin, 
and  Avould'seeni  to  have  become  an  established  and  fully-devel- 
oped system  about  four  liundred  years  before  the  Christian 
Era.  In  earlier  times  it  served  to  support  the  pretensions  of 
the  priesthood,  and  yet  was  iieA^er  carried  so  far  as  to  iirevent 
all  classes,  excepting  the  outcastes,  from  meeting  on  common 
ground  in  seasons  of  iniblic  prayer  and  sacrifice.  It  lias  never 
forbidden  all  intercourse  between  the  castes,  except  in  the 
ceremonials  of  eating  and  drinking  certain  kinds  of  sustenance, 
*and  with  certain  classes  of  persons.  A man  may  marry  girls  of 
each  of  the  castes  beloAV  his  OAvn,  provided  he  has  also  a Avife 
belonging  to  his  OAvn  caste. 

The  former  prejudices  and  obserA^ances  of  the  castes  are 
noAv  giving  Avay  before  the  progress  of  Christian  civilization  in 
India.  Once  the  priests  could  use  no  Avater  except  from  their 
sacred  tanks  ; noAV  they  drink  Avater  from  the  aqueducts  which 
the  Eritish  have  built  among  them.  Formerly  they  could  not 
sit  on  tiie  same  seat  Avith  an  outcaste  or  Pariah;  at  present  the 
railways  (some  tive  thousand  miles  in  extent)  are  so  much  more 
(‘Xpediiious  and  convenient  than  the  old-time  modes  of  trav- 


HINDU  CASTES. 


80 


elliiig-  tiuit  tlici  Braliiiiins  of  all  castes  have  so  far  overcome 
their  scriu)les  as  to  ride  in  cars  crowded  witli  people  who 
could  not  claim  descent  from  even  the  feet  of  Brahma.  Very 
different  is  this  from  former  scenes^  in  which  men  of  the  lower 
castes  were  beheld  prostrating'  themselves  at  the  feet  of  a 
Brahmin,  and  drinking  water  which  he  has  consecrated  by  the 
touch  of  his  great  toe,  or  in  which  the  Pariah  is  careful  to  i)ass 
the  Brahmin  on  the  side  opposite  the  sun,  lest,  by  his  own 
shadow,  he  should  dehle  the  person  of  the  priest. 

The  castes,  as  heretofore  stated,  are  of  four  kinds:  the 
highest  is  that  of  the  Brahmins ; the  next  is  that  of  the  chiefs 
and  warriors,  the  Kshatryas ; the  third  that  of  the  merchants 
and  farmers,  the  Vaisyas;  the  fourth  and  lowest  the  servants 
of  the  other  castes,  called  the  Sudrasc  The  Institutes  of  Mann 
do  not  recognize  the  lowest  caste  as  having  any  rights  which 
the  priestly  caste  is  bound  to  respect.  The  Sudra’s  title,  if  he 
have  any,  should  express  contempt ; his  dwelling  should  be  on 
the  outskirts  of  the  village  or  city;  his  clothes  should  be  second- 
hand; his  dishes  should  be  broken:  he  must  not  be  allowed  to 
use  entire  dishes  and  })ots ; his  ornaments  should  be  of  rusty 
iron ; his  only  property,  dogs  and  donkeys. 

Besides  these,  are  the  out-castes,  who,  for  any  cause,  have 
forfeited  the  rights  and  privileges  of  their  caste;  and  yet  as 
being  Brahmins  by  birth,  education  and  consecration,  they  can 
never  be  deprived  of  their  inherent  dignity.  And,  singularly 
enough,  a Brahmin  is  liable  to  lose  caste,  not  so  much  by  vice 
and  crime  as  by  neglect  of  certain  ceremonials.  Thus,  the 
Christian  Brahmin,  Babagee,  lost  caste  by  standing  during  the 
time  of  prayer  in  the  mission  chapel  at  Bombay.  Before  the 
councils  that  met  to  exclude  him  from  the  caste,  he  declared 
that  many  of  the  Brahmins  who  heard  him  were,  along  with 
himself,  members  of  a secret  society  who  ate  beef  and  drank 
brandy  in  violation  of  the  Shasters,  while  they  were  condemning 


90 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


him  for  an  act  which  the  sacred  books  of  the  Hindus  nowhere 
forbade. 

At  first  the  missionaries  considered  that  they  had  no  business 
to  meddle  with  Brahminical  “ castes.’’  They  supposed  tliat  it 
was  a merely  civil  and  social  institution.  What  followed?  In 
the  Ejiiscopal  jilaces  of  worship,  for  example,  the  different 
castes  sat  on  different  mats,  on  different  sides  of  the  church, 
to  which  they  entered  by  different  doors,  and  approached  the 
Lord’s  table  at  different  times.  They  even  had  different  sacra- 
mental cups,  or  managed  to  get  the  catechists  to  change  the 
cup  before  the  lower  caste  began  to  partake  of  the  communion. 
They  went  so  far  as  to  request  the  Anglican  missionary  to 
receive  the  sacred  bread  and  wine  after  they  had  received  the 
communion.  They  had  separate  sections  of  lots  in  the  burial 
grounds,  and  none  of  the  inferior  castes  could  perform  the 
service.  A native  priest  of  high  caste  would  not  reside  in  a 
village  of  Pariahs  or  oiitcastes,  while  the  outcaste  teacher  was 
not  permitted  to  instruct  a congregation  of  the  lowest  caste, 
the  Sudras. 

In  the  East  India  military  service  the  recognition  of  the 
claims  of  caste  was  a source  of  danger  and  discord.  Thus, 
one  of  the  causes  of  the  Sepoy  Rebellion  was  the  fact  that 
native  soldiers  of  the  different  castes  lost  caste  by  biting  car- 
tridges covered  with  the  fat  of  cows  and  pigs.  The  former  is  the 
most  sacred  of  all  animals,  and  the  latter  the  most  abominably 
unclean.  As  soon  as  this  scruple  and  its  consequences  were 
made  known  to  the  European  officers,  they  allowed  the  Sepoys 
to  make  up  their  cartridges  with  their  own  hands  and  grease 
them  with  such  grease  as  was  ceremonially  clean. 

The  vexations  caused  by  caste  in  social  life  are  beyond  des- 
cription. Miss  Brittan  relates  that  a poor  woman  of  the  very 
lowest  caste  refused  to  take  efficacious  medicine  from  her,  and 
cons(iquently  dic'd,  l)ecause  the  missionary  had  touched  the 


THE  ANNOYANCES  OF  CASTE. 


91 


vessel  that  contained  the  chlorine.  One  day  Miss  Brittan’s 
house-keeper  was  compelled  to  go  into  the  room  occupied  by 
the  “bearer. She  found  him  eating  his  dinner.  He  threw 
away  the  food,  and  broke  and  tossed  out  of  doors  all  his  cook- 
ing utensils.  Wherefore  such  rage  and  ruin?  Mrs.  G.  had 
gone  into  his  room  and  stood  on  the  same  floor  with  his  food. 
His  caste  was  in  utmost  danger,  and  he  demanded  money  to  buy 
fresh  food  and  replace  his  polluted  utensils.  In  one  of  her 
zenanas  (apartments  for  Hindu  women)  Miss  Brittan  found  a 
woman  who  had  been  quite  sick.  Her  fever  had  left  her,  but 
her  pulse  was  very  feeble:  I knew,’^  says  Miss  B.,  “ she  would 
not  touch  beef  tea  or  chicken  broth.  At  length  I suggested 
some  arrow  root  and  port- wine.  ^ Oh,  no  ! port-wine  she  must  not 
touch;  it  is  against  caste.’  Then  I told  her  to  make  a custard. 
But  again  she  must  not  touch  a hen’s  egg.  Yet  strange  to  say, 
I found  that,  though  she  may  not  touch  a hen’s  egg,  she  may  a 
duck’s  egg.” 

The  annoyances  occasioned  at  mission  stations  by  the  scruples 
of  the  pundits  are  sometimes  a grievous  hindrance  in  trans- 
lating and  preaching  the  Gospel.  A pundit  is  defiled  by 
passing  over  a mat  on  which  a person  of  lower  caste  has 
stepped;  or  he  is  so  defiled  by  a person  of  lower  caste  pass- 
ing through  the  room  where  he  is  sitting,  that  he  asks  leave 
of  absence  for  three  days  to  purify  himself,  and  so  prevent 
himself  from  losing  caste. 

The  Baptist  missionaries  of  India,  following  the  wise  example 
of  Schwartz,  required  all  such  natives  as  were  admitted  to  the 
church  to  renounce  their  caste  and  all  the  observances  which 
it  exacted. 

The  cruel  sacrifice  in  which  the  widow  is  burned  to  death 
with  the  corpse  of  her  husband  was  practised  throughout 
British  India  at  the  time  of  Dr.  Carey’s  arrival.  It  is  called  the 
“ Suttee  ” from  the  Hindu  word  “ sut  ” which  signifies  faithful, 


1)2 


THE  STORY  OF  RARITS'I’  MISSIONS. 


because  the  sacrifice  is  supposed  to  prove  tlie  fidelity  of  tlie 
wife  to  lier  deceased  husband.  There  liave  l)e(ni  various 
descriptions  of  tliis  tragical  scene,  but  tliose  given  us  l)y 
missionary  eye-witnesses  are  tlie  most  worthy  of  l)elief.  In 
January,  1821,  a missionary  witnessed  a suttee  at  a landing  on 
the  banks  of  the  river  Ganges.  The  funeral  ])ilc  was  made  of 
wood,  rushes,  straw  and  long  grass,  about  two  feet  from  the 
ground,  at  the  water’s  edge.  Two  erect  stakes  were  fixed  in 
the  ground,  to  keep  the  pile  together.  Tlie  victim  (*ame  from 
bathing  in  the  sacred  river,  and  walked  several  times  around 
the  pile,  throwing  to  the  bystanders  iiarched  rice  and  other 
things  which  she  held  in  the  corner  of  the  clotli  which  was 
wrapped  around  her.  Meanwhile  a priestl^^  Brahmin,  the  chief 
director,  held  in  his  hand  and  read  from  a leaf  that  iirofessed 
to  be  from  the  Shaster,  directinghow  the  eeremony  was  to  be  per- 
formed ; but  his  voice  was  often  drowned  by  the  wild  shouts  and 
yells  of  the  multitude.  Then  she  ascended  the  pile,  laid  herself 
down, and  put  her  husband’s  withered  arm  around  lier.  A cord 
was  now  fastened  tightly  round  the  two  bodies,  and  thick  jiieces 
of  wood  placed  upon  them  and  closely  pressed  down.  Across 
the  top  of  the  pile  a long  pole  was  stretched,  with  a stout  Brah- 
min at  each  end  to  hold  down  the  wood  and  to  prevent  the  poor 
creature  from  rising  up  and  attempting  to  escape.  Behind  each 
stood  a man  pouring  water  on  his  head  to  prevent  him  from 
being  burnt  by  the  fire.  Her  son  set  fire  to  the  pile,  which  was 
soon  wrapped  in  a great  blaze.  The  Brahmins  busied  them- 
selves in  keeping  up  the  fire  and  Jamming  the  wood  together, 
while  they  occasionally  called  ui)on  the  people  to  renew  their 
yells  or  huzzas  for  Krishna.  In  1823  another  suttee  took 
place  on  the  banks  of  the  river  in  the  vicinity  of  Calcutta.  On 
the  death  of  the  husband,  who  had  twenty-five  wives,  intelli- 
gence of  the  event  wns  scmt  to  all  of  the  latter.  Of  these,  four 
det(‘Tinin(nl  to  “cat  as  the  nali\es  call  it.  In  this  case 


A HINDU  SUTTEE. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  A SUTTEE. 


93 


the  pile  of  wood  with  the  bodies  bound  upon  it  was  surrounded 
with  a paling  of  bamboos  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  victims. 
In  less  than  one  minute  after  the  fire  was  lighted,  all  of  them 
were  supposed  to  have  been  suffocated,  and  in  less  than  ten 
minutes  their  bodies  were  burnt  to  a coal.  ‘‘  So  common  is  the 
sight  in  this  neighborhood  ’’’’  adds  the  writer,  “ that  only  a few 
hundred  people  collected  to  see  it,  and  nearly  all  of  these  were 
women. 

In  a letter  written  by  the  Hon.  Emily  Eden,  as  late  as 
1840,  she  tells  us  that  when  Kurruck  Singh,  the  successor  of 
Rungeetn,  King  of  Punjab,  died,  one  of  his  wives  was  burned 
to  ashes  with  him.  She  also  mentions  an  account  of  the 
funeral  of  another  Punjab  King,  Koor  Mahal.  It  took  place 
the  same  year;  “two  of  his  wives  burnt  themselves  with  him; 
one  was  fifteen  and  the  other  was  thirteen.  They  were  covered 
with  jewels,  and  as  they  walked  together  round  the  pyre,  they 
looked  like  two  young  peris.  Then  they  laid  down  together, 
and  the  pile  was  lighted.  There  was  a dense  cloud  of  smoke, 
and  when  that  was  dispersed,  in  a few  ashes  were  seen  the 
remains  of  the  young  prince  and  the  two  beautiful  fairies.  All 
the  other  women,  happily,  were  excused.’^ 

“ If  the  husband  dies  while  absent  from  home,  and  his 
remains  cannot  be  brought  to  the  place  of  his  residence,  the 
Shaster  says,  “let  the  faithful  wife  place  his  sandals  on  her 
breast  and  so  enter  the  flames.’’  Sometimes  in  such  cases  they 
burn  themselves  along  with  the  garments  of  the  deceased.  The 
widow  was  not  compelled  thus  to  sacrifice  herself,  but  if  she 
once  resolve  to  do  so,  and  lay  down  on  the  wood,  she  was  forci- 
bly prevented  from  making  her  escape.  If  however,  she  chose 
not  to  “eat  fire,”  she  was  required  to  pass  her  days  in  the 
utmost  self-denial,  never  eating  more  than  one  meal  a day,  and 
that  of  the  plainest  food ; never  sleeping  on  a bed,  never 

wearing  any  ornaments.  After  resolving  not  to  mount  the 
8 


91 


THE  STOIIY  OF  liAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


l>yre,  they  sometimes  relent  and  allow  themselves  to  bo 
redueed  to  ashes,  the  same  day,  or  soon  after.  The  British 
Baptist  missionary,  the  Eev.  Mr.  Eowe,  one  day  saw  a small 
temple  in  one  of  the  places  where  these  horrid  rites  are 
performed,  and  learned  that  it  was  erected  to  the  memory 
of  the  suttee  of  a woman,  who  though  she  refused  to  die  on 
the  day  her  husband  was  burned,  yet,  ticenty  years  after,  she 
collected  together  every  thing  that  belonged  to  him,  and  burnt 
herself  to  ashes  along  with  them  on  the  very  spot  where  the 
temple  was  afterwards  built. 

Dr.  Carey  and  his  brethren  have  the  honor  of  having  been 
among  the  first  to  petition  the  East  India  Company  to  abolish 
this  diabolical  rite  within  their  domain.  At  first  objections 
were  raised  against  taking  any  steps  to  suppress  it,  grounded 
on  the  settled  policy  of  the  government,  which  was,  not  to 
interfere  with  the  religious  customs  of  the  natives.  The 
Mahometan  emperor,  Akbar,  had  in  the  sixteenth  century  pro- 
hibited it,  but  his  authority  did  not  avail  to  check  the  horrid 
practice.  The  East  India  Company  gave  little  heed  to  the 
importunities  of  the  missionaries;  this  great  commercial  cor- 
poration was  in  fact  ever  a soulless  machine  for  coining  money. 
Some  notion  of  the  prevalence  of  the  custom,  long  after  Dr. 
Carey  and  his  fellow-missionaries  went  to  India,  may  be  gath- 
ered from  the  report  to  the  Government  during  twelve  years 
between  1815  and  1826.  In  that  time  there  were  7,151  cases  of 
suttee  in  Bengal  alone.  In  1829  Lord  William  Bentinck,  then 
the  Governor  General,  declared  that  all  aid  or  participation  in 
the  suttee  should  be  considered  as  murder.  The  Brahmins 
denounced  the  decree  with  great  vehemence,  and,  in  their  zeal, 
actually  sent  an  agent  to  London,  bearing  a large  sum  of  money, 
for  the  purpose  of  procuring  its  repeal. 

Of  late  years,  some  Oriental  scholars  have  tried  to  prove 
that  the  original  Vedas  do  not  favor  the  suttee,  and  there  is 


THE  HINDU  SUTTEE, 


95 


good  reason  to  believe  that  they  do  not.  Some  of  the  early 
sacred  books  bid  the  widow  return  home  from  the  funeral  pile 
and  resume  her  worldly  avocations.  Certain  it  is,  that  if  the 
Brahmins  did  not  invent  the  suttee,  they  at  a very  early  period 
gave  it  their  sanction,  and  became  the  priests,  with  a fixed  ritual, 
to  superintend  this  most  dismal  of  all  sacrifices.  They  likewise 
taught  the  widow  to  believe  that  by  this  sacrifice  she  expiates 
the  crimes  of  her  husband,  raises  him  from  misery  to  happiness, 
and  thereby  earns  the  right  to  dwell  with  him  35,000,000  of 
years  in  a state  of  perfect  felicity. 

During  the  early  years  of  the  Serampore  Mission,  some 
attemi)ts  were  made  to  ascertain  the  number  of  immolations  of 
widows  that  took  place  within  thirty  miles  of  Calcutta. 
During  the  year  1803  it  was  ascertained  that  about  four  hundred 
were  burnt.  In  1804  the  number  of  native  agents  set  to  watch 
was  increased,  and  according  to  their  reports  three  hundred 
widows  were  burnt  in  six  months.  At  that  time  earnest 
attempts,  as  we  have  said,  were  made  by  Dr.  Carey  and  his 
friends  to  suppress  this  infernal  custom.  Mr.  Marshman,  after 
describing  these  exertions,  says:  ‘‘But  the  subject  was  post- 
poned for  a quarter  of  a century,  and  twenty  thousand  more 
victims  perished.  As  late  as  1844,  twenty-four  widows  were 
burnt  in  the  Punjab.’^  It  is  probable  that  the  custom  is  still 
secretly  observed  in  remote  parts  of  India. 


ClIArTER  XT. 


STRANGE  GODS,  AND  TITETR  WORSIirP. 

Worship  of  Kali.— Her  Temple  near  Calcntta. — Tier  Character  anfl  Attri- 
butes.— Her  thirst  for  lluman  Blood. — 'J'lie  Goddess  of  the  Thu^s. — 
Human  Victims  the  most  Acceptable  Sacrifices.— The  Worship  of  Jug- 
gernaut.— Sacrifice  of  Life  under  the  Wheels  of  the  Car. — Anecdote  of 
an  English  Officer  going  into  the  Temple  as  a Sp3^ — Peculiar  Ideas 
of  Sanctit3^ — Infants  cast  into  the  Ganges.— Exposure  of  Infants  in 
Baskets. — False  Reports  of  some  Modern  Travellers. — Causes  of  Infanti- 
cide.— British  patronage  of  Hindu  Idolatry. — Offerings  of  the  Govern- 
ment to  Kali. — Receives  Taxes  from  Pilgrims  and  grants  ISIoney  to  the 
Temples. — The  best  way  to  meet  and  overcome  Brahminism. 

yl^ITE  care  of  the  Brahmins  in  preserving  the  lives  of  certain 
animals  is  not  dictated  by  humane  tenderness,  but  by 
religious  convictions  and  the  exigencies  of  their  ceremonials. 
The  annals  of  martyrdom  afford  the  best  illustrations  of  the 
atrocity  of  the  Brahmins,  while  meeting  the  demands  of  their 
ritualism. 

The  cruelty  and  inhumanity  of  the  Hindu  worship  are  illus- 
trated not  only  by  the  custom  of  immolating  widows,  but  in  the 
worship  of  Kali,  the  goddess  of  robbery  and  murder.  One 
of  the  most  celebrated  temi)les  in  India  is  the  temple  of 
Kali,  about  three  miles  from  Calcutta,  at  Kali  Ghat. 

Kali,  according  to  the  Hindu  belief,  is  the  wife  of  the  third 
god  of  the  triad,  Shiva,  the  great  Destroyer.  She  is  variously 
l epresented.  Sometimes  slie  is  pictured  as  a woman  of  dark 
blue  color,  in  the  act  of  trampling  under  her  feet  her  prostrate 
and  supi)licating  husbfind.  Slie  holds  the  bloody  head  of  a 
giant  in  one  hand,  and  in  the  other  an  exterminating  sword. 


THE  GODDESS  KALT. 


<)7 


Her  lips,  eyebrows  and  breast  are  stained  with  the  blood  of  her 
victims,  whom  she  is  supposed  to  devour  by  thousands.  The 
ornaments  of  her  ears  are  composed  of  human  carcasses ; the 
girdle  around  her  waist  consists  of  the  bloody  hands  of  giants 
slain  by  her  in  single  combat.  Her  necklace,  which  hangs  down 
to  her  knees,  is  composed  of  their  skulls.  Sometimes  she  is 
represented  on  a lion.  Then  she  is  painted  yellow  and  dressed 
in  red  clothes.  In  some  districts  in  Bengal  she  is  depicted  as 
holding  her  half-sev- 
ered head  in  her  left 
hand,  with  streams  of 
blood  gushing  from  the 
throat  into  the  mouth. 

This  is  intended  to 
show  her  thirst  for 
blood ; for  on  one  o(;- 
casion,  as  the  sacred 
legend  tells  us,  being 
unable  to  procure  an}- 
of  the  giants  for  her 
prey,  in  order  to  quench 
her  thirst,  she  cut  her 
own  throat,  that  the 
blood  issuing  from  thence  might  spout  into  her  mouth.  Accord- 
ing to  one  of  the  Brahminical  books,  the  Kolika  Purana, 
tlie  blood  of  different  creatures  has  different  degrees  of  virtue 
in  slacking  her  thirst.  The  blood  of  a fish  satisfies  her  one 
month  5 the  blood  of  a wild  boar  or  antelope  twelve  years  j the 
blood  of  a bufialo  or  tiger,  one  liundred;  of  a lion,  a reindeer 
or  of  a man,  a thousand ; the  blood  of  three  men  slain  in  sacri- 
fice, a hundred  thousand  years.  Formerl}^  many  human  victims 
were  offered  in  sacrifice  to  this  goddess.  IMr.  Caleb  Wright, 
who  travelled  in  India  some  forty  years  since,  says  that  during 


The  Goddess  Kali. 


98 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


liis  sojourn  in  Calcutta  a liuinan  victim  was  oflered  up  at  a temple 
of  Kali  ill  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  town. 

That  murderous  class  of  robbers,  the  Tliiigs,  who  make  a 
conscience  of  plunder  and  assassination,  believe  that  their  ])ro- 
fession  is  of  divine  origin,  and  instituted  by  Kali.  In  some  of 
the  festivals  of  this  goddess,  as  that  of  the  Diirga,  the  Brahmins 
of  the  highest  caste,  or  holy  teachers,  take  no  active  part,  leaving 

its  ceremonials  to  be  performed  by 
their  servants  of  the  Sudra  caste. 
But  they  have  composed  its  ritual 
and  the  legends  that  ])o])ularize  it. 
They  likewise  contribute  largely 
towards  the  expense  of  it,  and 
countenance  everything  as  applaud- 
ing spectators. 

The  worshij)  of  Juggernaut 
(‘^King  of  the  World”),  was  once 
attended  with  the  annual  loss  of 
many  lives.  The  great  temple  of 
the  god  is  at  Puri,  and  in  the  days 
of  Dr.  Carey  it  was  comimted  that 
a hundred  and  twenty  thousand 
lives  were  in  some  years  lost  by  the 
fatigues  and  privations  to  which  the  pilgrims  were  exposed  in  their 
long  journeys.  Twelve  festivals  were  celebrated  every  year.  The 
roads  leading  to  Puii  are  in  many  places  lined  with  the  bones  of 
pilgrims,  while  dogs  and  vultures  are  seen  here  and  there  devouring 
the  tlesh  of  such  as  have  recently  died.  The  Bev.  Mr.  Lacey  in- 
formed the  traveller,  Mr.  Caleb  AVright,  that  in  1825  he  counted 
ninety  dead  bodies  in  one  place,  and  his  colleague  at  the  same  time 
counted  one  hundred  and  forty  more  in  another  i)lace.  The  number 
that  once  cast  themselves  under  the  wheels  of  the  towering  car  has 


Luckshme,  Wife  of  Juggernaut. 


THE  WOESHIP  OP  JUGGEENAUT. 


90 


never,  so  far  as  we  know,  been  estimated.  Eev.  Dr.  Bucbauan 
gives  an  account  of  one  instance  in  which  it  was  not  a trans- 
port of  wild  fanaticism,  but  a calm  determination,  that  must 
have  nerved  the  victim  to  sacrifice  his  life.  In  this  case,  the 
pilgrim  announced  to  the  throng  that  he  was  ready  to  offer 
himself:  ^^He  laid  himself  down  on  his  face  in  the  track  of  the 
towering  car,  with  his  arms  stretched  forward.  The  multitude 
pressed  round  him,  leaving  the  space  clear,  and  he  was  crushed 
to  death  by  the  wheels  of  the  tower.  A shout  of  joy  was  raised 
to  the  god  j he  is  said  to  smile  when  such  a libation  of  blood  is 
made.  The  people  threw  coivriesj  or  small  pieces  of  money,  upon 
the  body  of  the  victim,  in  approbation  of  the  deed. 


Gateway  of  the  Temple  of  Juggernaut. 

The  interior  of  the  temifie  of  Juggernaut  at  Puree,  like  that  of 
Mahomet  at  Mecca,  cannot  be  safely  entered  except  by  the 
faithful.  The  only  foreigner  who  ever  saw  the  inside  of  this 
temxfie  was  an  English  officer,  about  sixty  years  ago.  He 


100 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS, 


gained  admission  by  painting  and  dressing  himself  like  a 
native.  Wlien  the  Bralimins  found  out  that  their  holy  ])laee 
liad  thus  been  defiled,  they  raised  a mob  and  so  threatened  the 


Another  View  of  the  Car  of  Juggernaut. 


English  residents  of  ruri  that  they  all  lied  for  their  lives.  Sus- 
jtecting,  however,  their  pursuers  to  be  more  avaricious  than 
jcveiigeful,  they  tried  the  artifice  that  vanquished  Atalanta. 


SACRIFICINa  INFANTS  TO  THE  GANGES. 


101 


They  strewed  the  way  with  pieces  of  silver,  and  while  the 
natives  stopped  to  pick  them  up,  made  good  their  escape. 

But  the  sanctity  of  this  place  is  ceremonial,  and  not  moral. 
In  two  of  the  three  temples  placed  in  juxtaposition,  the  deva 
dasij  or  dancing  girls,  devoted  alike  to  Juggernaut  and  to  vice, 
display  their  professional  skill  for  the  amusement  of  the  idols 
that  are  enthroned  in  the  largest  of  the  three.  It  is  the  old 
story  of  the  partnersliip  of  Cruelty  and  Lust  told  once  more. 


Drowning  the  Baby. 

The  sacrifice  of  infants  to  the  Ganges  was  once  annually 
made  at  the  great  festival  called  Gunga  Saugor,  the  name  of  an 


J02 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ganges.  The  infants  were  cast  into 
the  water  either  in  obedience  to  some  vow  or  in  the  hope  of 
securing  some  future  blessing.  When  the  Seram  pore  brethren 
commenced  their  mission  in  India,  this  festival  was  kept  with 
the  cruel  rite  of  casting  infants  into  the  river,  usually  to  be 
devoured  by  crocodiles.  The  iidluence  of  the  mission  was 
brought  to  bear  on  the  English  officials,  but,  for  many  years, 
nothing  was  done  to  put  down  this  species  of  religious  murder. 
At  length,  however,  the  religion  of  Jesus  gained  the  victory. 
The  festival  is  still  held  in  January,  but  infanticide  is  no  longer 
permitted.  Upon  the  occasion  of  the  annual  return  of  the 
Gimga  Saugor,  a British  officer  with  fifty  native  'soldiers 
(Sepoys)  is  stationed  here  to  prevent  these  human  sacrifices. 

While  Dr.  Thomas  was  residing  at  Malda,  in  the  early  years 
of  the  Baptist  mission,  an  infant  that  had  been  exposed  in  a 
basket,  suspended  from  the  branch  of  a tree,  fell,  or  rolled,  out 
on  the  ground,  and  was  immediately  seized  by  a jackal.  The 
Doctor  happened  to  pass  that  way  just  in  time  to  prevent  the 
child  from  being  devoured.  He  had  the  satisfaction  of  pre- 
senting it  alive  to  its  mother.  At  another  time,  while  passing 
under  the  same  tree,  he  found  a basket  susiiended  from  its 
branches  containing  the  skeleton  of  an  infant,  the  flesh  having 
been  devoured  by  white  ants.  In  such  cases,  the  infant  is  gen- 
erally visited  and  fed  by  its  mother  for  three  days.  Then,  if  it 
be  not  devoured  by  ants  or  birds  of  prey,  nor  die  through 
exposure  to  the  cold  or  the  rain,  it  is  afterwards  taken  home. 
This  cruel  custom  is  said  to  grow  out  of  the  belief  that  when  a 
child  is  sickly  it  must  be  under  the  influence  of  some  evil  spirit, 
to  ai)])ease  the  wrath  of  whom  the  mother  suspends  it  in  a 
basket  from  the  limb  of  the  tree  in  which  the  evil  spirit  is  sup- 
posed to  reside. 

Some  missionaries,  whose  j)owers  and  spheres  of  observation 
are  very  limited,  come  home  and  tell  us  that  they  never  saw 


THE  EAST  INDIA  COMPANY  OPPOSES  THE  GOSPEL, 


103 


anything  of  the  kind,  and  that  previous  accounts  must  he 
exaggerated.  But  writers  who  would  evidently  show  us  the 
bright  side  of  Hindu  life  frankly  admit  that  infanticide  is  still 
committed  in  many  parts  of  India.  They  go  too  far,  however, 
when  they  assert  that  the  priests  never  sanctioned  the  abom- 
inable practice.  They  forget  the  Gunga  Saugor,  Yery  sensibly 
do  they  account  for  many  instances  of  infanticide.  They  are 
partly  due  to  the  enormous  cost  of  wedding  feasts,  the  mistaken 


Saugor  Island. 

notion  that  the  daughters  are  disgraced  if  they  remain  husband- 
less, and  the  forbidding  of  widows  to  marry  again.  The  degrad- 
ation of  women  by  polygamy  and  servitude  lends  plausability  to 
apologies  for  murdering  them  in  infancy. 

The  disgraceful  truth  must  be  told,  that  the  East  India  Com- 
pany set  itself  in  practical  opposition  to  the  progress  of 
Christianity  in  Hindustan.  Being  a great  mercantile  corpora- 
tion, like  Venice  when  in  full  blossom,  it  persecuted  the  true 
servants  of  God,  while  it  patronized  superstition  and  vice.  At 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


J()4 

one  time  Birmin^liain  numbered  umoii^’  its  inhabitants  men 
uniu'incipled  en()uj>h  to  manufaeture  idols  to  send  out  to  Indin. 
W (i  never  learned  that  the  shij)s  of  the  honorable  Corniiany 
Avere  forbidden  to  transimrt  them.  And  in  India  itself,  (tov- 
ernment  papers,  as  orders  and  other  doenments,  were  printed 
so  as  to  commence  Avith  an  invocation  to  (ran(‘sa,  the  (loti  of 
Wisdom,  Avhose  red  images  have  the  h(‘nd  of  a Avhite  elephant, 
with  a rat  at  his  feet,  on  Avhic^h  it  is  said  to  jierform  its  journeys. 

Worship  of  Kali, 
the  goddess  of  rob- 
bers and  mnr‘d(*rers, 
was  formerly  })atron- 
ized  by  the  (h)mi)any. 
In  Ward’s  journal  w(‘ 
find  the  folloAvinj;- 
r(‘Cord.  Last  Aveek 
a deputation  of  the 
(lovernment  AA'ent  in 
l)rocession  to  Kali 
Ghat  and  made  a 
thank-offering-  to  this 
goddess  of  the  Ilin- 
dus,  in  the  name  of 
the  Company,  for  the  success  which  the  English  had 
lately  obtained  in  this  country.  Five  thousand  rupees  were 
off(‘red.  SeA^eral  thousand  natives  witnessed  the  English 
juesenting  their  offerings  to  this  idol.”  And  AA’hile  the 
Government  derived  a large  reA^enue  from  its  tax  on 
the  ])ilgrims  to  ])agan  temples  and  idols,  it  made  A^ery 
liberal  grants  to  some  of  the  temples  of  idolatry.  As 
hit(‘.  as  1831,  one  holy  place  in  Poona  receiAxd  3,G()0 
rup(‘(‘S  ])(‘r  nnnumj  another,  25,0005  Trimbuck,  0,000;  Jejury, 
40,000.  Eoi-  nmny  y(‘}irs  after  the  Serampore  brethren  com- 
m(*nc<‘d  llieir  work,  flu*,  fhist  India  (h)mpany  patronized  the 


Temple  of  Kali  af  Calcutta, 


THE  TRUE  METHOD  OF  MISSION  WORK. 


105 


Hindu  idolatries  so  liberally  and  in  so  many  forms  that  millions 
of  the  ignorant  natives  had  good  reason  to  believe  that  their 
British  conquerors  and  governors  rendered  sincere  homage  to 
their  cruel  and  abominable  religion. 

The  Serampore  brethren  attacked  the  Hindu  religion  in  the 
way  that  is  required  by  the  Great  Commission — by  preaching 
the  Gospel  and  by  teaching  the  commands  of  Christ.  Eobert- 
son  of  Brighton,  and  some  of  his  disciples,  would  have  us 
])ursue  a different  course.  They  would  require  us  first  to  get 
at  the  core  of  Hinduism  and  see  what  we  discover  there  that  is 
in  substantial  unity  with  the  true  faith.  Having  thus  found  out 
the  valuable  parts  of  the  Hindu  system,  we  are  to  apply  our- 
selves to  the  work  of  inducing  the  poor  idolater  to  make  use 
of  these  parts  in  building  up  the  new  and  better  system  that  is 
found  in  the  religion  of  Christ.  This  is  a very  plausable  theory. 
St.  Paul  applied  it  when  he  preached  his  famous  sermon  at 
Athens,  but  not  with  very  remarkable  success.  A few  were 
indeed  converted,  but  of  the  mass  of  his  audience  some  mocked, 
and  others  said,  “We  will  hear  thee  again  of  this  matter.^^  It 
is  well  worthy  of  notice  that  the  great  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles 
could  not  found  a church  in  Athens.  The  students  of  compar- 
ative religion,  in  their  search  after  the  vital  core  or  germ  of  a 
system  of  idolatry  or  superstition,  too  frequently  miss  their 
way.  We 'Commend  to  them  the  profound  saying  of  Pascal: 
“We  think  ourselves  much  more  capable  of  reaching  the 
centre  of  things,  than  of  grasping  the  circumference.  But  it 
does  not  require  less  capacity  to  trace  something  down  to 
nothing  than  up  to  totality.  The  capacity  in  either  case  must 
be  infinite. 

The  most  successful  missionaries  in  all  lands  have  found  that 
whenever  they  preached  the  atonement  of  Jesus,  and  the  love 
of  the  Father  in  giving  His  Son  to  die  as  our  propitiatory 
sacrifice,  the  regenerating  energies  of  the  Holy  Spirit  have 


JOO  the  stoey  of  baptist  missions. 

attended  tlie  messaj?e.  Then  the  converts  from  the  most  ve.ner- 
able  and  most  fascinating  superstitions  liave  exclaimed,  ‘‘What 
have  we  to  do  any  more  with  idols'?”  The  most  inveterate*- 
prejudices  of  education,  the  most  plausable  speculations  of  i)hi- 
losophy,  the  most  beautiful  traditions  and  legends,  the  most 
grand  and  attractive  forms  of  worship,  have  been  abandon(*-d 
with  the  facility  and  entireness  with  which  the  soul  deserts  the*, 
dying  body,  or  as  the  snow  melts  before  the  heat  of  Spring,  or 
darkness  vanishes  before  uncurtained  and  cloudless  noon.  It 
was  so  in  the  experience  of  the  Mora\uans;  it  was  so  according 
to  the  experience  of  the  Serampore  brethren;  it  is  so  to-day,  as 
evangelical  workers  all  the  world  over  almndantly  report. 


The  Cushion  of  Spikes. 


CriAPTEll  XII. 


ADONIRAJI  JUDSON  AND  TIIK  MISSION  IN  BTTRMAII. 

Birthplace  and  early  education  of  Judson. — Conversion. — The  first  to  con- 
ceive the  idea  of  the  Foreign  Mission  enterprise  in  America. — Looks  to 
the  London  Missionary  Society  for  aid. — Voyage  to  England. — Is  cap- 
tured and  carried  to  France. — Liberation  and  departure  for  England. — 
Anecdote  of  Rowland  Hill. — Return  to  America  and  Marriage, — Embarks 
for  the  East  under  the  patronage  of  the  American  Board. — Arrival  at 
Calcutta. — Judson's  studies  during  the  voyage. — Fears  of  Mr.  and  Mrs, 
Judson  that  the  Baptists  Avere  right. — Their  Baptism  at  Calcutta. — They 
write  home. — The  Baptists  of  the  United  States  not  unprepared  to  assist 
them. — The  influence  of  the  Serampore  Mission  in  America. — Mission- 
aries going  out  in  American  ships. — Opposition  of  East  India  Company. — 
Ordered  to  return  to  America. — Death  of  Harriet  J^'ewell. — Mr.  Rice  to 
return  to  the  United  States, — Providentially  saved  from  death  by  sailing 
into  a place  of  refuge. — Arrive  at  Rangoon. 

Bite  senior  Baptist  missionary  to  Burmah,  so  well  known 
as  the  translator  of  the  Bible  into  Burmese,  and  as  the 
heroic  sufferer  in  the  prisons  of  Ava  and  Oung-pen-la,  was  born 
in  Malden,  Mass.,  on  the  9th  of  August,  1788.  He  was  the  son 
of  a Congregational  minister;  and  it  is  worthy  of  note  that 
although  he  was  the  eldest  son,  yet  was  he  of  greater  intellect- 
ual gifts  than  any  other  member  of  the  family.  As  a boy,  he 
was  quick  of  perception  and  of  tenacious  and  ready  memory. 
His  brightness  and  love  of  study  made  him  the  prodigy  of  his 
relatives;  and  his  father  came  very  near  spoiling  him,  by  assur- 
ing him  that  he  would  certainly  be  a great  man.  His  mother 
also  was  vain  enough  of  her  son  to  give  him  long  pieces  to 
master  in  a very  short  time.  But  the  intellects  of  the  young 
of  New  England  in  those  days  were  subjected  to  the  forcing 
9 


108 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


system  of  the  hot-house.  Almost  every  mother  seemed  to 
imagine  that  lier  son  was  the  “ Coming  Man,’’  and  some  pub- 
lishing houses  were  burdened  with  little  biographies  of  old 
heads  on  young  sholders. 

Young  Judson  was  graduated  at  Brown  University  in  1807, 
the  first  scholar  in  his  class.  After  teaching  a private  school 
for  a year  in  Plymouth,  he  set  out  on  a tour  through  the  Northern 
States.  While  in  college  he  had  imbibed  tlie  principles  of 
French  infidelity ; no  wonder,  therefore,  that  on  las  arrival  in 
New  Y^ork  city  he  attached  himself  to  a theatrical  company. 
But  on  returning  as  far  as  Sheffield,  he  happened  one  Sunday 
morning  to  hear  a sermon,  in  the  pulpit  of  his  uncle,  from  a 
very  pious  young  man,  which  made  a deep  impression  on  his 
heart.  The  next  night  he  stopped  at  a country  tavern.  As  the 
landlord  lighted  him  to  his  room,  he  told  him  that  he  was  next 
door  to  a dying  young  man.  Sounds  from  the  sick  chamber 
made  it  a very  restless  night  to  him.  In  the  morning  he  learned 
thj^t  the  young  man  had  died,  and  that  he  was  a Deist  he  had 
known  when  a student  in  the  University.  The  coincidence 
alarmed  him,  and  drove  him  almost  into  despair.  He  abandoned 
his  scheme  of  adventure,  and  returnetl  home  with  his  mind 
impressed  with  the  need  of  a personal  interest  in  Christ.  By 
the  joint  persuasions  of  two  of  the  professors  in  the  Andover 
Theological  Seminary,  he  was  induced  to  commence  a course 
of  studies  in  that  institution.  The  rules  of  the  seminary 
required  evidence  of  evangelical  piety  as  a condition  of  admis- 
sion; but  as  he  had  at  that  time  no  satisfactory  hope  in  Jesus 
and  had  made  no  profession  of  religion,  he  was  admitted  as  a 
special  student.  About  six  weeks  after  his  removal  to  Andover 
he  gained  new  spiritual  light,  and  was  enabled  to  believe  in 
Clirist  as  his  atoning  sacrifice.  In  September,  1809,  he  read  for 
the  first  time  a little  book  entitled  “The  Star  in  the  East,”  by 
Bev.  Claudius  Buchanan.  It  was  this  that  led  him  to  inquire 


ADONIEAM  JUDSON. 


109 


whether  it  was  his  duty  to  become  a missionary  to  the  heathen, 
lu  February,  1810,  he  resolved  to  devote  his  life  to  the  cause  of 
Foreign  Missions.  At  first  he  fouud  no  student  or  neighboring 
minister  that  gave  any  encouragement.  At  length  Samuel  l!Tott, 
Jr.,  a member  of  his  own  class,  was  found  to  have  an  interest  in 
Foreign  Missions.  He 
had  for  several  months 
considered  the  subject, 
but  had  not  fully  made 
up  his  mind  as  to  his 
l)ersonal  duty  in  the 
matter.  These  two  kin- 
dred spirits  had  their 
minds,  in  the  first  in- 
stance, turned  to  the 
East,  as  a field  of  mis- 
sions. About  the  same 
time.  Mills,  Eichards, 

Eice  and  others  came 
to  Andover  Seminary 
from  Williams  College, 
where  they  had  formed 
a missionary  society. 

These  new  comers  had  their  attention  first  directed  to  the  Amer- 
ican Indians.  One  after  another,  however,  Judson  convinced 
them  that  Asia  was  the  most  important  field ; and  he  drew  up  a 
petition  on  the  subject,  addressed  to  the  Oeneral  Association 
convened  at  Bradford,  in  June,  1810.  Doubting  the  results  of 
the  deliberations  of  the  Association,  young  Judson  conceived  the 
idea  of  offering  his  services  as  a foreign  missionary  to  the  London 
Missionary  Society.  Eev.  Dr.  Grifiiii,  then  a x^rofessor  at  Ando- 
ver, promised  to  write  in  his  behalf  to  Loudou.  Some  time  after, 
as  they  casually  met,  the  x)rofessor  ax)ologized  for  having  failed  to 


no 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


write,  but  would  do  so  immediately,  thank  you,  Sir,” 
replied  young  Judson,  “I  have  written  for  myself.’’  In  his 
letter  to  Dr.  Bogue,  dated  April,  1810,  he  expresses  a wisli  to 
receive  an  immediate  reply. 

In  the  following  September  tlie  Board  of  Commissioners, 
appointed  b}^  the  Association  in  June,  held  its  first  meeting. 
This  body  approved  the  readiness  of  tlie  young  gentlemen  to 
go  out  to  the  East,  but  recommended  them  to  wait  for  further 
information  and  for  the  raising  of  the  needful  funds.  Tlie 
other  intending  missionaries  submitted  to  the  delay  advised. 
But  the  ardent  Judson  requested  that  he  be  authorized  to  visit 
London,  in  order  to  ascertain  wliether  the  London  Missionary 
Society  would  cooperate  with  the  American  Board  of  Com- 
missioners. On  his  way  across  the  Atlantic,  he  was  captured 
by  a Ereiich  privateer  and  carried  to  Bayonne,  where  he  was 
confined  in  a prison.  At  length,  being  liberated  by  the  kind- 
ness of  an  American  resident,  he  took  the  first  opportunity  to 
cross  the  Channel,  and  arrived  in  London  after  a very  circuit- 
ous voyage  and  journey  of  four  months.  He  was  so  favorably 
heard  that  he  and  his  three  devoted  brethren  were  appointed 
missionaries  to  the  heathen  under  the  auspices  of  the  foreign 
society.  - 

In  England,  his  reception  was  flattering,  and  his  personal 
appearance  is  thought  to  have  been  much  in  his  favor.  He  was 
at  that  time  small  and  delicate.  But  his  voice,  like  that  of 
Wesley,  was  much  more  powerful  than  his  audiences  expected 
to  hear,  and  consequently  took  them  by  surprise.  On  one 
occasion  he  sat  in  the  pulpit  with  Bowland  Hill,  and,  at  the 
close  of  the  sermon,  was  requested  to  read  a hymn.  When  he 
had  finished,  this  clerical  oddity  arose  and  introduced  him  to 
the  congregation  as  a young  man  going  out  to  the  East  to  seek 
the  coil  version  of  tlie  heathen,  adding,  “And  if  his  faith  is  pro- 
])ortioned  to  his  voice,  he  will  drive  the  devil  from  all  India.” 


JUDSON’S  SACRIFICE. 


Ill 


Returning  to  America,  the  Board  of  Commissioners  dissuaded 
Judson  and  his  companions  from  accepting  the  patronage  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society,  and  proposed  to  send  them  out  to 
the  East  to  labor  under  their  own  direction  and  at  their  own 
expense. 

On  the  5th  of  February,  1812,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Ann  Hasseltine,  whom  he  had  first  met  at  Bradford  nearly 
two  years  before.  In  other  pages,  particularly  given  to  the 
life  and  character  of  Miss  Hasseltine,  it  will  appear  how  wise 
and  fortunate  was  young  Judson  in  his  choice,  and  how  indebted 


The  Judson  Homestead. 


our  mission  in  Burmah  has  been  to  the  talents  and  piety,  the 
tact  and  gentleness,  the  beauty  and  heroism  of  Bradford's 
most  celebrated  daughter. 

Messrs.  Judson  and  Newell,  with  their  wives,  sailed  from 
Salem  on  the  19th  of  February,  1812.  One  day  ahead  of  them, 
and  from  Philadelphia,  sailed  the  rest  of  the  company,  Messrs. 
Nott,  Hall  and  Eice,  with  the  wife  of  Mr.  Nott. 

What  sorrows  and  tears  it  cost  these  young  missionaries, 
their  fathers  and  mothers,  their  brothers  and  sisters,  biogra- 
phers have  failed  to  consider:  perhaps  they  esteemed  them  too 
sacred  to  exhibit  to  their  Christian  readers.  One  little  ray  of 
light  has  lately  reached  us  from  the  Plymouth  home  of  seventy 


112 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


years  ago.  Biiriiig  young  Jiulsoii’s  winter  vacation,  in  1810, 
while  he  liad  not  as  yet  divulged  to  his  doting  parents  his  great 
purpose,  one  evening  liis  father  told  him  that  the  Eev.  Dr.  Grif- 
fin had  proposed  his  Adoniram  as  his  colleague  in  ‘‘  the  largest 
church  in  Boston.’’  ‘‘And  you  will  be  so  near  home!”  added 
his  mother.  But  Adoniram’s  heart  was  bursting,  and  he  could 
not  answer  either  of  them.  Ilis  sister  soon  joined  in  the 
conversation,  and  to  her  he  ventured  to  reply,  “No  sister,  I 
shall  never  live  in  Boston.  I have  much  further  than  that  to 
go.”  As  he  proceeded  to  describe  the  course  he  proposed  to 
take,  his  father,  “a  Censor  of  the  Eomans,”  offered  scarcely  a 
word  of  opposition,  but  the  intelligence  cost  his  mother  and 
sister  very  many  tears. 

The  Judsons  and  the  Newells,  after  a pleasant  passage, 
arrived  at  Calcutta  on  the  17th  of  June.  Messrs.  Nott,  Hall 
and  Bice  did  not  reach  that  port  until  the  8th  of  the  following 
month. 

Mr.  Judson  employed  himself  during  the  voyage  in  a 
thorough  examination  of  the  question  of  Infant  Baptism.  To 
baptize  the  converts  the  Lord  might  give  him  in  a heathen 
land  would,  he  thought,  be  the  plain  command  of  Scripture. 
“ But  how,”  thought  he,  “am  I to  treat  the  unconverted  children 
and  servants  of  such  converts.  If  I adopt  the  Abrahamic 
covenant,  and  put  baptism  in  the  place  of  circumcision,  I must 
consider  not  only  the  children  but  the  servants  of  the  family  as 
entitled  to  baptism.”  Just  at  this  time  he  was  likewise  led  to 
investigate  anew  the  question  whether  sprinkling  is  baptism, 
lie  Avas  the  more  urgently  moved  to  these  investigations  by  a 
desire  to  defend  his  opinions  when  he  should  meet  the  Baptist 
missionaries  at  Serampore,  not  knowing  that  these  English  mis- 
sionaries made  it  a rule  never  to  introduce  their  peculiar  opin- 
ions to  their  guests  of  other  persuasions.  AYliile  translating  the 
New  Testament,  he  remarked  to  Mrs.  Judson  that  ho  was  afraid 


THE  JUDSONS  BECOME  BAPTISTS. 


113 


the  Baptists  were  right  and  he  wrong.  At  Serampore  nothing 
was  said  and  little  thought  about  the  subject.  But  on  returning 
to  Calcutta,  where  they  were  detained  two  months,  they  found 
in  the  library  of  their  chamber  many  books  on  both  sides  of  the 
subject.  These  he  read.  Mrs.  Judson  told  him  she  was  afraid 
he  would  become  a Baptist,  and  warned  him  of  the  unhappy 
consequences.  She  frequently  told  him  if  he  became  a Baptist, 
she  would  not.  Now,  however,  she  commenced  reading  the 
books  they  had  found,  and  was  at  length  brought  to  concur  with 
him.  They  were  baptized  on  the  6th  of  September,  in  the 
Baptist  chapel  at  Calcutta.  A renunciation  of  their  former 
sentiments,  as  Mrs.  Judson  tells  us,  caused  them  both  more 
pain  than  any  thing  which  ever  happened  to  them  through  their 
lives.  Mr.  Bice,  shortly  after,  adopted  the  same  views,  and 
followed  the  example  of  the  Judsons.  They  immediately  wrote 
home,  resigning  their  commission  from  the  Congregational 
Board.  They  also  wrote  to  the  Eev.  Dr.  Baldwin,  of  Boston, 
and  Rev.  Mr.  Bolles,  of  Salem,  asking  them  to  use  their  influence 
to  secure  the  cooperation  of  the  Baptists  of  the  United  States. 
Dr.  Marshman  likewise  wrote  to  Dr.  Baldwin  in  behalf  of  Mr. 
Judson.  It  required  no  great  faith,  in  these  young  missionaries, 
to  throw  themselves  on  the  support  of  the  American  Baptists  of 
that  day.  They  had  been  in  correspondence  with  Carey  and 
his  co-laborers  at  Serampore,  and  with  Ryland  and  Fuller  in 
England,  so  that  they  had  been  giving  long  and  intelligently  to 
foreign  Baptist  missions  and  missionaries.  It  had  been  the 
practice  of  the  English  Baptists  to  send  their  missionaries  and 
their  appropriated  funds  by  way  of  America  and  in  American 
ships.  Young  Chamberlain  came  here  in  1802  on  his  way  to 
India.  Dr.  Wayland  and  Dr.  Williams  recollected,  as  boys  at 
home  in  New  York,  how  British  missionaries  were  entertained 
by  the  pastors  and  wealthy  \aymen  of  the  city  while  waiting 
for  passage  to  India.  The  Baptist  Missionary  Society  of  Mas- 


114 


THE  STOllY  OE  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


sacliusetts  was  formed  before  1803.  Kobert  Kalston,  Es(l.,  of 
Philadelphia,  in  October,  1800,  sent  to  Serampore  nearly  four 
thousand  dollars.  Tliis  is  believed  to  have  been  tlie  first  con- 
siderable sum  ever  subscribed  in  this  country  for  foreign 
missions.  Dr.  Carey  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  six  thousand 
dollars  from  American  Christians  during  the  years  1800  and 
1807.  In  1812  the  Salem  Bible  Translation  and  Foreign  Mis- 
sion Society  was  organized  in  connection  with  the  Baptist 
church  of  which  T)r.  Bolles  Avas  pastor.  Ten  days  l^efore 
young  Judsoids  ordination  at  Salem,  the  Bev.  Mr.  Johns,  M.  D.^ 
of  the  Serampore  Mission,  preached  a sermon  in  Salem  in 
behalf  of  the  Baptist  translations  in  India.  About  the  same 
time  he  collected,  there  and  in  Boston,  a thousand  pounds 
sterling  for  the  same  object.  Mr.  Judson,  therefore,  must  have 
known  from  personal  observation  that  the  Baptists  of  America 
were  already  engaged  in  the  work  ; and  Dr.  Carey  must  have 
told  him  of  the  interest  some  American  Baptists  had  long  been 
taking  in  the  missions  in  the  East. 

The  chief  anxieties  of  the  young  missionaries  came  from 
another  quarter.  The  East  India  Company  continued  their 
opposition  to  the  Baptist  missions  in  India.  They  believed 
that  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  would  excite  the  natives  to 
rebellion.  That  delusion  was  fostered  by  the  Episcopal  chap- 
lains of  the  Governor-General,  and  of  the  army  and  naA^y,  who 
were  persuaded  that  dissenters  could  neither  be  loyal  them- 
selves nor  teach  loyalty  to  others.  This  opposition  was  at 
that  juncture  strengthened  by  news  of  a Avar  betAveen  England 
and  the  IJnited  States.  About  ten  days  after  their  arrival  in 
Serampore  they  Avere  summoned  to  Calcutta,  where  an  order 
was  read  to  tliem  requiring  them  immediately  to  leave  the 
country  and  return  to  America.  They  Avere  forbidden  to  reside 
in  any  i)art  of  tlie  Comiiany’s  territory  or  in  any  of  its  depend- 
encies. With  the  permission  of  the  Government,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


MISSIOKARIES  ORDERED  OUT  OF  INDIA. 


115 


Newell  embarked  for  the  Isle  of  France.  While  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
JudsonandMr.  Eice  were  waiting  for  a passage  thither,  they 
received  an  order  to  proceed  to  England  in  one  of  the  ships  of 
the  Company.  At  this  juncture  Messrs.  Judson  and  Eice  ascer- 
tained that  a ship  would  sail  for  the  Isle  of  France  in  two 
days.  They  applied  to  the  authorities  for  a pass,  but  were 
refused.  The  captain,  however,  consented  to  take  them  without 
a pass.  They  embarked  accordingly,  and  the  vessel  sailed,  but 
after  descending  the  river  two  days  a government  despatch 
overtook  them,  forbidding  the  pilot  to  go  farther,  as  the  vessel 
concealed  on  board  passengers  that  had  been  ordered  to 
England.  The  missionaries  went  immediately  on  shore,  and 
proceeded  further  down  the  river,  and  remained  four  days  in 
lodgings.  Just  as  they  were  about  to  give  up  all  hope  of 
escaping  a voyage  to  England,  a letter  was  handed  to  Mr. 
Judson  containing  a pass  to  go,  on  board  the  very  ship  they 
had  been  compelled  to  leave.  To  whom  they  were  indebted 
for  this  they  could  never  ascertain.  It  was  night;  they  were 
seventy  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river;  and  there  was 
reason  to  fear  that  the  Creole  had  already  reached  the  waters 
of  the  Bay  of  Bengal.  They  at  once  took  boats,  and  rowed 
hard  all  night  and  all  the  next  day,  when  to  their  great  joy 
they  saw  the  ship  lying  at  anchor  in  the  Saugor  Eoads,  waiting 
for  some  Lascar  soldiers.  When  they  arrived  at  the  Isle  of 
France,  they  were  met  with  the  mournful  intelligence  that  Mrs. 
Newell  was  dead — the  first  lady  martyr  to  American  missions 
in  the  East.  It  was  here  decided  that  Mr.  Eice  (who  had 
already  been  severely  attacked  with  disease  of  the  liver), 
should  return  to  America  and  try  to  enlist  the  hearts  of  the 
American  Baptists  in  united  endeavors  in  behalf  of  Foreign 
Missions. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson,  now  left  alone,  decided  to  attempt  to 
establish  a mission  on  Prince  of  Wales  Island.  They  set  out 


11(>  THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 

for  the  Island  by  way  of  Madras.  There  they  found  them- 
selves still  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  East  India  Company. 
Waiting  in  vain  for  a passage  to  the  place  of  tlieir  destination, 
they  found  that  their  only  means  of  escape  from  tlie  danger  of 
an  immediate  transportation  to  England,  was  by  a vessel  bound 
to  Rangoon.  Thus,  by  a mysterious  but  unerring  Providence, 
they  soon  found  themselves  in  a ship  standing  towards  the 
mountains  of  Burmah — the  land,  though  they  knew  it  not,  des- 
tined to  be  the  field  they  were  to  sow  with  tears  and  reap  with 
joy.  Thenceforward,  the  hand  of  Providence  was  more  clearly 
seen.  The  vessel,  old  and  unseaworthy,  was  overtaken  by  a 
storm.  Mrs.  Judson,  who  had  been  in  a feeble  condition,  was 
now  seized  with  a dangerous  illness.  Happily  for  her,  the 
vessel  was  driven  into  a strait  between  two  islands,  where 
they  were  in  quiet  waters  until  the  tempest  was  past.  Br. 
Judson  always  believed  that  but  for  this  merciful  interposition 
Mrs.  Judson  would  never  have  survived  the  voyage.  They 
arrived  at  Rangoon  on  the  13th  of  July,  1813,  and  chose  for 
their  first  home  the  Baptist  mission  house  then  occupied  by 
the  wife  of  Eelix  Carey,  a native  of  the  country — her  husband 
having  been  called  to  Ava  by  order  of  the  King  The  house 
was  pleasant  enough  during  the  season  when  the  trees  and 
shrubs  are  in  full  bloom,  but  for  the  rest  of  the  year  they 
found  it  a dismal  spot.  It  was  half  a mile  beyond  the  protec- 
tion of  the  walls,  exposed  to  wild  beasts  and  almost  as  wild 
men  of  the  jungle;  it  was  near  the  place  of  public  execution, 
where  all  the  offal  of  the  city  was  thrown,  and  not  far  from  the 
place  for  the  burning  of  the  dead.  They  afterwards  removed 
into  the  city. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


GAUTAMA  AND  THE  EELIGION  OP  BUEMAII. 

Birth  and  early  life  of  Gautama. — Eeforms  Brahminism. — Buddhist  Sacred 
books. — The  full  name  of  this  Reformer. — Legends  respecting  him. — 
Arnold’s  “Light  of  Asia.” — The  gradual  formation  of  the  system. — What 
a Buddha  is. — The  duties  of  the  generality. — Relic  worship. — The  false 
or  Brahminical  Buddha. — The  “IS'at  ” or  Demi-god  system. — Nigban. — 
Moral  Code  of  Gautama. — Atheism  of  the  system. — Self-sufficiency  of 
Buddha. — Anecdote  of  Bishop  Heber. — Belief  in  Fate. — ISTo  correct 
notions  of  Right  or  Wrong — The  Celibacy  of  the  Priesthood. — The 
absence  of  Caste. — The  present  Head-centre  of  Buddhism. — The  Philos- 
ophy of  Gautama  older  than  himself. — The  Priests  as  Educators. — The 
benevolence  of  Buddha  strains  out  the  gnat  and  swallows  the  camel. — 
The  highest  act  is  to  throw  oneself  away  to  save  the  life  of  a hungry 
tiger, — Arnold’s  description  of  this. — Meaning  of  Nighan  and  of  Karma. — 
The  Nirvana  of  the  Brahmins. — Judson’s  views  the  result  of  long  observ- 
ation.— The  Table  of  the  Five  Commands  Atheistic. — The  Inconsistencies 
of  the  system. 

jp^AUTAMA  was  the  son  of  a Hindu  chief  or  duke,  born 
nearly  five  hundred  years  before  the  Christian  era. 
His  native  place  was  Magada,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Kop- 
ana,  a hundred  miles  north  of  Benares.  At  first  he  made  no 
pretensions  to  divine  perfections,  itinerated  as  a preacher  of 
reform,  a teacher  of  a new  philosophy,  and  an  ascetic  of  self- 
denying  and  benevolent  life.  Eenouncing  inherited  wealth, 
royalty  and  all  the  pleasures  of  an  Oriental  court,  he  wandered 
about  as  a mendicant,  in  order  that  he  might  become  a perfect 
Brahmin;  but  soon  discovered  the  defects  and  excrescences  of 
the  religion  of  Brahma.  By  renouncing  these,  he  incurred  the 
displeasure  of  his  former  teachers,  and  as  he  dared  to  trans- 
gress the  Brahminical  laws,  he  suffered  much  persecution,  and 


118 


THE  STOEY  OF  BAl^TIST  MISSIONS. 


was  driven  from  Hindustan.  According  to  tlie  Slicva  Puraii, 
lie  had  been  guilty  of  attempting  to  drive  a cow  out  of  a field 
of  rice  and  barley.  The  cow,  being  exceedingly  feeble,  was  no 
sooner  struck  by  a stalk  of  grass  than  it  fell  on  tlie  ground 
and  died.  Some  devotees  of  Brahma,  witnessing  this  crime, 
exclaimed:  “O,  Gautama!  what  hast  thou  done?’’  The  life  of 
Gautama,  like  that  of  St.  Francis,  is  so  mixed  with  legends 
that  it  is  very  difficult  to  find  out  the  facts  of  his  career.  The 
Be-ta-gaf,  or  collection  of  authorized  Buddhist  writings,  was 
made  by  a council  about  the  year  240  B.  0.  So  long  a period 
having  elapsed  since  the  death  of  Gautama,  and  as  he  wrote 
nothing  himself,  it  would  be  strange  indeed  if  the  Be-ta-gat  did 
not  contain  more  fables  than  facts. 

The  popular  legends  represent  Gautama  as  owing  his  origin 
to  a five-colored  ray  of  the  sun,  causing  the  conception  of  his 
virgin  mother.  This  tradition  evidently  rose  in  Tibet  through 
the  influence  of  mediaeval  Bomanism.  But  to  proceed:  He 
spent  his  early  manhood  amidst  the  pleasures  of  an  Eastern 
palace.  Being  the  only  son  of  a great  lord,  he  had  a harem  of 
eighty  thousand  Oriental  beauties.  At  the  age  of  nine-and- 
twenty  he  renounced  his  birthright,  his  princely  pleasures,  and 
even  his  wife  and  child,  although  his  wife  had  accompanied  him 
through  many  ages  of  transmigration,  having  been  a tigress 
when  he  was  a tiger,  a doe  when  he  was  a deer,  and  the  queen 
of  heaven  or  hell  as  he  was  king  of  either  realm.  Then  he 
was  carried  otf  by  the  four  great  spirit  kings  to  the  most  holy 
temple,  where  he  consecrated  himself  to  a priestly  life.  The 
next  six  years  he  lived  in  solitary  places  as  a hermit,  and 
obtained  the  highest  degree  of  sanctity  and  the  name  of 
Sakyamnni,  or  ‘‘The  Hermit  of  Sakya.”  His  family  name  was 
Gautama;  his  individual  name  Siddartha;  Buddha  was  only  his 
title.  For  five-and-forty  years  thereafter  he  went  from  place 
to  place  in  the  valley  of  the  Ganges,  sometimes  going  as  far  as 


' GAUTAMAj  ^^THE  LIGHT  OF  ASIA.^^  119 

a liuiiclred  and  fifty  miles  from  Benares,  preacliing  liis  peculiar 
doctrines,  working-  miracles,  living  in  utmost  poverty,  and 
depending  on  tlie  alms  of  the  people  for  daily  subsistence.  In 
the  eighty-fifth  year  of  his  age  he  died  of  eating  too  much  pork, 
and  then  passed  into  the  state  of  nighan,  Wliat  this  state  is,  we 
shall  presently  inquire. 

The  life  of  Buddha  Sid- 
dartha  Gautama  is  over- 
run with  legends,  some 
of  which  were  evidently 
borrowed  from  western 
accounts  of  the  Greek  phi- 
losophers, while  others 
were  suggested  by  the 
life  of  our  Saviour.  The 
brilliant  poem,  The 
Light  of  Asia,  by  Ed- 
win Arnold,  affords  the 
general  reader  no  ade- 
quate or  trustworthy 
view  of  Gautama.  Ap- 
proaching the  subject 
with  a Christian  educa 
tion,  which  for  the  time 
being  he  professes  to  ig- 
nore, and  selecting  such 
half-facts  and  legends  only  as  are  susceptible  of  poetic 
treatment,  he  throws  around  his  philosophical  hero  the  scenery 
of  Hindustan  as  it  appears  in  tJie  most  pleasant  season 
of  the  year,  and  pours  over  all  such  a glory  as  never  shone 
either  uiion  the  crests  of  the  Himalayas  or  upon  the 
sacred  waters  of  the  Ganges.  This  i)oem  serves  to  conceal, 
rather  than  reveal.  Buddhism.  It  is  a iiiece  of  cloth 
of  gold,  with  which  Mr.  Arnold,  having  woven  and  laid  it 


120 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


upon  liis  shoulders,  has  gone  backward  and  attempted  to  cover 
the  nakedness  of  a most  abominable  system  of  paganism.  If 
the  reader  desires  to  know  the  real  nature  and  tendency  of 
Buddhism,  let  him  look  into  the  writings  of  Adoniram  Judsoii, 
who  spent  thirty-eight  years  in  Burmah,  or  those  of  Eev.  li. 
Spence  Hardy,  who  was  more  than  twenty  years  a missionary 
in  Ceylon. 

The  communications  of  Gautama  form  the  present  Buddhist 
scriptures.  They  were  made  first  to  his  immediate  disciples, 
and  by  them  retained  in  memory  five  centuries;  then  approved 
by  several  general  councils,  and  finally  reduced  to  writing  on 
palm  leaves,  in  the  island  of  Ceylon,  in  the  ninety-fourth  year 
before  Christ.  In  the  year  A.  D.  386,  Buddha  Gautha  trans- 
cribed these  scriptures  with  an  iron  ])en  of  celestial  workman- 
ship, and  brought  them  by  sea  to  Pagan,  the  seat  of  supreme 
government.  The  religion  subsequently  underwent  some  mod- 
ifications ill  Burmah,  and  was  finally  established  in  the  present 
form  in  A.  D.  097. 

A Buddha  is  a being  who,  after  transmigrating  through  many 
forms  of  existence,  arrives  in  our  world  as  a man.  Having 
received  through  a predecessor  an  intimation  of  his  high  des- 
tiny, he  begins  a course  of  austerities  which  ultimately  make 
him  an  object  of  supreme  and  universal  adoration.  While 
sojourning  among  men,  he  serves  as  a religious  teacher.  The 
laws  of  nature  and  the  decrees  of  fate  being  already  fixed,  he 
does  not  presume  to  give  laws  or  act  as  a judge.  Neither  has 
he  power  to  forgive  sins  or  avert  the  punishment  of  sin.  He 
does  not  pray,  but  passes  most  of  his  time  in  a peculiar  kind  of 
ecstatic  revery  or  contemplation.  He  preaches  when  invited, 
or  wdien  suitable  occasions  are  given.  He  often  travels  in 
search  of  meritorious  iiersons,  who  need  his  aid  on  their  way 
to  nujhan.  He  ])asses  his  life  in  self-denial  and  acts  of  kindness, 
lie  performs  a minor  class  of  miracles;  and  yet  he  is  a creature 


THE  RELIGION  OF  GAUTAMA. 


121 


of  destiny.  His  liigliest  attainment  this  side  of  nighan  is  that 
of  a somewhat  defective  omniscience.  This  is  the  principal 
divine  i^erfection  which  the  adorers  of  Gautama  ascribe  to  him. 


Buddhist  Shrine  and  Temple. 


The  duties  of  the  rest  of  mankind  consist  in  keeping  tlie 
commands  of  the  last  Buddha, — to  worship  him,  his  laws  and 
his  priests,  and  to  keep  the  five  commands,  namely:  Do  not 


122 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


take  life;  Do  not  steal;  Do  not  commit  adultery;  Do  not 
lie;  Do  not  drink  intoxicating  liquors.  Common  people  are 
also  to  worship  the  images  and  tem])lcs  of  the  Buddha  just  as 
if  they  were  Bpddha  himself;  they  aro^to  listen  to  religious 
instructions  on  the  appointed  dti^’s,  and  to  make  offerings  for 
the  support  of  the  priests,  and  to  assist  at  funerals.  Other 
religious  duties  consist  in  building  pagodas  and  bridges,  digging 
tanks,  erecting  images  of  Gautama,  and  presenting  to  them 
offerings  of  lighted  candles,  flowers,  umbrellas,  rice  and  fruits. 
The  changes  of  the  moon  are  observed  as  seasons  of  public 
worship.  An  annual  festival  is  held  about  the  beginning  of 
March,  when  offerings,  prostrations,  music,  dancing,  masque- 
rades and  various  games  mingled  together  constitute  the 
religious  observances  of  three  days.  The  most  sacred  Pagoda 
ill  Burmah  is  the  Shway  Dagong,  at  Rangoon:  its  title  to 
adoration  is  the  belief  that  it  contains  six  or  eight  hairs  of 
Gautama. 

Buddha  has  sometimes  been  confounded  with  the  Buddha  of 
the  Hindu  or  Brahminical  system,  which  is  one  of  the  ten 
incarnations  of  Yishnii.  It  was  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Judson 
that  this  very  disreputable  incarnation,  made  contemporary 
with  the  last  Buddha  (Gautama),  was  fabricated  by  the  Brahmins 
for  the  purpose  of  degrading  Gautama  to  a level  with  their 
own  gods,  the  Nats  of  Burmah.  But  the  reader  wfll  ask,  who 
are  these  “Nats,’^  so  often  mentioned  by  our  missionaries? 
They  are  beings  who  are  elevated  above  the  earth  in  three 
divisions:  first.  Jama,  who  have  natural  bodies  with  sexual 
parts;  second,  liupa,  with  liner  bodies,  wdthout  sex;  third, 
Arupa,  being  without  body.  Above  the  earth  are  twenty-six 
heavens;  six  of  these  belonging  to  Jama.  The  lo^vest  of  these 
heavens  is  inhabited  by  Nats,  wdio  live  9,000,000  of  years. 
This  heaven  is  divided  into  four  realms,  ruled  by  four  kings, 
respe(div(‘ly,  wdio  are  the  tutelary  gods  of  the  w^orld.  The 


THE  3I0RAL  CODE  OF  ]5UDDIIISM. 


123 


Uupa  have  sixteen,  the  Arupa  four  heavens.  Men  who  observe 
tlie  law  are  received  into  the  lowest  heaven,  and  can  continue 
to  ascend  until  they  attain  the  Brahrainical  nirvana,  or  absorp- 
tion ill  the  Deity  or  Soul  of  the  IJiiiverse.  Some  further 
account  of  the  ^‘IS'ats,^^  and  notably  the  rewards  and  punish- 
ments administered  by  these  Brahminical  demigods,  may  be 
found  in  the  chapter  on  Brahminism. 

Four  Buddhas,  including  Gautama,  have  already  lived, 
reigned  and  jiassed  into  nighan.  Another  is  yet  to  be  developed. 
The  latter  is  now  passing  through  one  of  the  lower  celestial 
regions.  Here  the  question  naturally  arises,  If  Gautama  is 
extinguished,  or  as  others  love  to  believe,  is  enjoying  an 
eternal  sleep,  how  comes  it  to  pass  that  he  is  to-day  worshipped 
by  millions  of  his  votaries'?  The  answer  is  that  his  claims 
to  supreme  adoration  extend  to  five  thousand  years  after 
his  extinction. 

As  for  the  moral  code  of  Buddhism,  it  is  confessedly  superior 
to  that  of  Brahminism;  and  yet,  when  reduced  to  practice,  it 
tends  to  destroy  itself.  There  are  only  five  commands,  as  we 
have  before  said,  binding  upon  all  men.  T4ie  teachings  of  the 
Buddhist  priests  respecting  “ merit  and  demerit  and  their 
classification  of  “deadly  sins’^  are  manifestly  borrowed  from 
the  Eomanism  of  the  Dark  Ages.  Primitive  Buddhism  knows 
nothing  of  sin  in  any  Christian  sense  of  the  word.  It  reduces 
everything  to  the  natural  law  of  cause  and  effect.  Its  ethics 
know  no  conscience,  no  law-giver,  no  regenerating  or  sanc- 
tifying help  from  a superior  Being.  It  knows  no  revelation 
from  the  eternal  God,  but  follows  the  guidance  of  a human 
being,  who,  by  self-denial,  attains  to  such  a calm  that  his  intu- 
itions are  of  the  nature  of  divine  oracles. 

Attempts  have  been  made  to  defend  Buddhism  from  the 

charge  of  theoretical  atheism  by  an  appeal  to  the  supposed 

fact  that  it  admits  of  a future  state  of  rewards  and  punish- 
10 


J24 


THE  STORY  OP  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


inents,  happiness  or  misery.  But  the  “Nats,”  who  are  liere 
tlie  judges,  and  the  whole  system  of  rewards  and  ])unisliments 
here  mentioned,  belong  to  Braliminism,  or  rather  it  is  a spurious 
l)art  of  the  system  of  the  later  Brahmins. 

Gautama  as  a reformer  condemned  all  the  cruelties  of  the 
Brahminical  worshij),  and  in  doing  so  Avent  to  the  extreme  of 
denouncing  the  sacrifice  of  animals  to  the  gods.  He  taught 
the  people  that  the^^  sustained  no  such  relations  to  any  superior 
being  as  are  implied  in  sacrifices,  and  that  there  are  no  duties 
except  such  as  Ave  oavo  to  ourseh^es  and  to  our  fellow  creatures. 
The  effect  of  this  neglect  of  reverence  toAvards  the  gods  A\^as 
to  lead  to  a neglect  of  respect  for  parents  and  teachers. 
Accordingly,  the  vow  of  obedience  is  never  taken  by  the  monks 
and  nuns  of  Gautama.  The  present  reverence  for  parents  and 
teachers  among  the  Buddhists  is  evidently  an  inheritance  from 
Brahminism. 

Gautama  quoted  nothing  from  a previous  Buddha.  As  the 
ijyse  dixit  of  Pythagoras,  so  the  “ I knoAv  of  Sakyamuni 
Avas  the  ultimate  authority.  At  length,  however,  this  self- 
assertion  reacted.  Singularly  enough,  the  self-denial  and 
abject  humility  exemplified  by  Gautama  and  his  immediate 
followers  had  a circular  motion  which  brought  them  round  at 
length  into  i^erfect  selfishness  and  into  the  presumptuous  fancy 
that  they  actually  were  or  were  going  to  be  for  a time  rulers 
of  the  world.  Bishop  Heber  one  day  asked  a Buddhist  priest 
of  great  reputed  sancity  whether  he  worshipped  the  gods. 
“Xo,’’  he  replied;  “the  gods  worship  me.^^ 

It  is  a system  of  practical  atheism.  It  acknowledges  no 
moral  governor  of  the  universe,  no  supreme  judge  and  no 
future  ])unishment  in  any  Christian  sense;  for  eA^ery  Buddha, 
as  AA^ell  as  Gautama  himself,  has  suff’ered  for  his  inutilities  and 
blunders  committed  in  a previous  state  of  existence,  as  he 
may  in  like  mannner  suffer  in  the  future;  not,  however,  as  the 


DESCRIPTION  OF  BUDDHISM. 


125 


penalty  of  just  laws,  but  in  obedience  to  the  law  of  cause  and 
effect — but  above  all,  according  to  the  ‘‘unerring  Wheel  of 
Fate.’^  If  a Buddhist  injures  no  one  but  himself,  he  has 
committed  no  wrong.  He  refuses  to  swallow  animalculai, 
because  the  act  is  in  his  belief  a species  of  murder,  but  if  he 
can  reconcile  the  act  with  his  own  theory  of  utility  and  kind- 
ness he  refuses  not  to  commit  adultery.  Mr.  Hardy,  while  in 
Ceylon,  found  the  natives  who  are  followers  of  Gautama 
reducing  their  theory  to  practice. 

The  celibacy  of  the  Buddhist  priesthood,  like  that  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church,  has  a tendency  to  degrade  marriage 
and  to  encourage  many  of  the  most  promising  class  of  society 
to  abandon  their  relatives  and  to  neglect  their  duties  to  their 
parents,  children  and  friends.  In  this  manner  it  undermines 
the  very  foundations  of  human  society.  And  yet  the  Buddhist 
priesthood  has  a very  strong  hold  on  the  hearts  of  the  people, 
for  this  reason:  it  represents  in  its  members  almost  every 
family  of  respectability  in  the  nations  which  sustain  it.  The 
total  ignoring  of  caste  is  favorable  to  national  unity  and  to 
the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  humanity  and  kindness. 

The  ascetics  of  Buddhism  live  in  poverty  and  retirement, 
dressing  in  rags  fastened  together  with  their  own  hands. 
Over  these  is  thrown  a yellow  cloak.  When  they  appear  in 
public  they  carry  a wooden  bowl  as  they  beg  from  door  to 
joor.  They  eat  the  simplest  food,  allowing  themselves  only  one 
meal,  which  must  be  eaten  in  the  forenoon.  They  pass  part 
of  the  year  in  the  forests,  with  no  other  shelter  than  the 
boughs  of  trees,  and  at  night  they  sleep  in  a sitting  posture  on 
an  outspread  mat  or  cloth. 

The  regular  priests  of  Gautama,  like  the  ascetics,  are  sup- 
ported by  voluntary  contributions.  Each  goes  out  every 
morning,  bearing  his  own  rice-pot  or  bowl,  which  is  soon  filled 
by  the  liberality  of  the  people.  These  men  not  only  perform 


120 


TIIK  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


tbe  sacred  rites,  but  teacli  tlie  boys  in  schools  at  the  monas- 
teries. Every  rainy  season,  boys,  wrapped  in  a yellow  cloth, 
flock  to  them  for  instruction. 

The  monasteries  are  called  kyoungs.  “ The  Burmese,’^  says 
Mr.  Judson,  ‘‘  when  about  to  erect  a kyoung,  choose  a rising 
spot  of  ground,  sufliciently  remote  from  the  village  or  city  to 
convert  the  noise  of  the  busy  world  without  into  a distant 
pleasing  hum.  The  clear  waters  of  an  artificial  pool  sparkle  in 
the  vicinity;  images  of  gilded  wood  or  of  alabaster  are  elevated 
on  small  thrones;  lodged  in  the  branches  of  the  sacred  Banian, 
and  niched  in  shrines  which  are  scattered  here  and  there 
among  the  fruit  trees;  a few  richly-scented  flowers  are  allowed 
to  bud  and  blossom  in  the  cool  shadows ; and  the  whole  scene 
is  overlooked''  by  a neighboring  pagoda,  whose  little  gilded 
bells,  kept  in  motion  by  the  air,  create  a continual  low,  mur- 
muring music.  When  a Burman  draws  near  one  of  these  quiet 
and  beautiful  places,  he  reverently  bares  his  feet,  for  to  him  it 
is  holy  ground.’^ 

The  present  venerable  head  of  Buddhism  is  in  Tibet,  being 
called  Delai  Lama,  The  spiritual  sovereign,  previously  to  the 
fourteenth  century,  resided  in  China.  The  Buddhists  formerly 
manifested  a zealous  missionary  spirit.  Princes  and  princesses 
sometimes  became  earnest  propagandists.  They  likewise  sent 
missionaries  to  foreign  parts,  many  of  whom  were  successful 
in  making  proselytes.  Although  banished  from  India  by  the 
Brahmins,  they  still  flourish  in  Ceylon, in  Burmah,  Siam,  Cochin 
China,  Tartary  and  Japan.  In  China  their  faith  is  somewhat 
corrupted  by  Shamanism ; and  in  Burmah,  especially  among 
the  Peguans  of  that  empire,  it  is  debased  by  Hat  or  demigod 
worshii),  from  both  which,  according  to  Dr.  Judson,  Buddhism, 
in  its  original  ])urity,  is  quite  distinct.  In  China,  Gautama  is 
called  Foc^  or  Fuh.  Of  the  one  thousand  millions  of  the  pop- 
ulation of  the  earth,  Buddhists,  it  has  been  estimated,  number 


NIGBAN. 


127 


about  four  hundred  millions,  while  Brahminists  amount  to 
about  one-fourth  as  many,  or  nearly  one  hundred  millions. 
Professor  Max  Muller  thinks  the  number  of  Buddhists  fifty 
millions  higher  than  Dr.  Judson’s  computation. 

The  general  effect  of  Buddhism  is  to  advance  Atheism. 
Gautama  incorporated  into  his  system  the  two  atheistic 
schools  out  of  the  six  into  which  the  Hindu  philosophy  was 
divided  before  his  time.  The  chief  advantage  the  Buddhist 
priests  confer  on  the  nations  that  are  deceived  by  them,  is 
that  of  general  education.  The  Burmans  are  very  generally 
taught  to  read  their  own  language.  It  has  lately  been  claimed 
by  British  apologists  of  Gautama  that  his  religion  is  one  of 
benevolence. ..  Unhappily,  however,  his  benevolence  was  most 
conspicuously  shown  toward  the  brute  creation,  and  to  beasts 
of  prey  at  that.  His  command  against  murder  is  popularly 
understood  chiefiy  to  forbid  the  destruction  of  the  lower  ani- 
mals. As  for  the  superior  class  of  devotees,  they  consider  it 
a work  of  the  highest  merit  to  sacrifice  one’s  own  life  in  order 
to  feed  a starving  tiger  with  one’s  own  flesh.  Edwin  Arnold, 
in  his  “Light  of  Asia”  (Book  Y.),  reproduces  with  many  poetic 
embellishments  a legendary  instance  of  this  kind,  from  a life 
of  Gautama. 

The  import  of  the  word  nighan  has  led  to  so  much  contro- 
versy that  it  suggests  the  inquiry  whether  Gautama,  now  in 
that  questionable  state,  may  not  be  that  beast  in  the  Apocalypse 
which  icaSj  is  not^  and  yet  is.  The  learned  world  is  still  divided 
on  the  question  whether  it  means  annihilation  or  a blissful 
trance.  It  is  maintained  that  Gautama  substituted  Karma — 
character,  or  the  sum  total  of  every  individual’s  good  or  bad 
-actions, — for  the  transmigrating  soul  of  the  Brahmins,  and  that 
he  taught  that  this  Karma  constituted  the  element  of  the  form 
of  every  man’s  future  existence. 


128 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Blit  we  must  beware  of  confounding  Buddhism  with  ]5rah- 
ininism.  “They  are  not,’’  says  Mr.  Judson,  “ different  iiranches 
of  the  same  religion;  for,  though  tliey  both  recognize  tlie 
universal  Oriental  doctrine  of  transmigration,  they  are  in 
almost  every  other  particular  directly  antagonistic.’^ 

It.  may  here  be  well  to  mark  the  difference  between  the 
nighan  of  the  Buddhists  and  the  nirvana  of  the  Brahmins. 
The  former  means  absorption  in  the  deity,  in  the  Pantheistic 
sense ; the  latter  signifies — what  ? Certain  it  is  that  it  does  not 
signify  a Pantheistic  absorbtion  ; for  Buddha  is  their  deity,  and 
he  has  now  passed  into  nigban.  But  the  idea  that  there  is  any 
being  into  whose  divine  essence  Buddha  is  absorbed  would 
imply  that  there  is  a being  superior  to  him.  To  teach  such  a 
doctrine  would  in  their  opinion  be  blasphemous. 

What,  then,  does  the  word  nighan  signify  ? The  term  comes 
into  the  Burman  tongue  from  the  Pali,  which  is  a sister  of 
the  Sanskrit  — dead  languages  both.  In  the  early  sacred 
books,  which  weTe  all  written  in  the  Pali,  nighan  appears  to 
signify  passive  rest,  and  consequently  an  exemption  from  all 
evil,  such  as  sickness,  weariness,  restlessness,  decay  and  death. 
It  is  a passing  beyond  the  process  of  transmigration,  through 
which,  according  to  the  Burman  belief,  all  men  and  all  things 
else  are  supposed  to  be  going.  Transmigration  is  a process 
of  painful  activity  and  change;  nigban  is  a state  of  blissful 
repose.  So  some  of  the  Buddhist  priests  interpret  the  Be-ta- 
gat. 

But  candor  compels  us  to  add  that  the  followers  of  Gautama 
have  for  the  most  part  departed  from  the  primitive  faith  of  the 
Light  of  Asia.”  Mr.  Judson,  who  passed  the  best  i>art  of  his 
life  among  the  Burmans,  declares  that  he  could  not  discover 
many  natives  that  understood  by  nigban  anything  else  than 
mere  annihilation.  This  is  easily  accounted  for.  How  many 


BUDDHIST  ATHEISM. 


129 


terms  in  Christian  theology,  and  derived  from  the  Bible  itself, 
have  now  glided  into  meanings  very  different  from  the  original 
import ! It  is  as  if  an  old  mail-coach  were  driven  along  a new 
road  and  carried  foreign  passengers  and  their  strange  baggage. 
According  to  this  later  belief,  Gautama  himself  has  already 
ceased  to  be,  and  therefore  the  Burmese  have  no  living  and 
eternal  God.  Mr.  Judson  could  not  discover,  either  in  the 
Burmese  versions  of  these  Pali  scriptures,  or  in  conversation 
with  professedly  rigid  Buddhists,  anything  to  redeem  the  sys- 
tem from  the  charge  of  absolute  atheism.  The  few  semi- 
atheists whom  he  occasionally  met,  however-  closely  they  might 
adhere  to  the  practices  of  Buddhism,  readily  acknowledged 
that  they  did  not  depend  exclusively  for  their  opinions  on  the 
literal  teachings  of  their  sacred  books.  He  had  been  nearly 
four  years  in  Burmah,  much  of  that  time  talking  daily  with  the 
natives  about  their  religion,  before  he  found— as  he  did  in  1817 
(see  his  letter  dated  March  7), —a  man  that  believed  in  an 
eternal  God;  that  is  to  say,  a God  that  is  not  subject  to  old  age 
and  death,  but  always  exists.  It  was  the  discovery  of  a violet 
in  the  sands  of  ilubia.  ‘‘I  cannot,’^  says  he,  “tell  how  I 
felt  at  that  moment.’^  This  was  the  only  pure  Burman  he  ever 
discovered  that  acknowledged  an  eternal  God,  although  he 
afterwards  found  two  others  who  rose  almost  to  the  dignity 
of  Deism,  namely,  the  Minister  of  State,  Moung  Zah,  and  the 
Prince  Me  Kara.  Eemember,  patient  reader,  the  question  is 
not  now  what  is  the  meaning  of  a word  in  the  Pali;  not  what 
nirvana  signifies  (this  is  quite  aside  from  the  present  inquiry) ; 
not  what  Gautama  himself  taught— but  what  the  Burmans  be- 
lieved while  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  lived,  suffered  and  taught 
among  them.  Clearly,  in  those  days,  as  at  the  present  time, 
the  mass  of  unenlightened  Burmans  never  heard  or  imagined 
that  nighan  signified  anything  but  nonentity,  or  literal  destruc- 
tion of  form  and  substance. 


130 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTrST  MISSIONS. 


We  have  now  briefly  examined  what  primitive  Buddhism 
was  and  wliat  modern  Buddhism  is,  in  respect  of  a divine 
being  and  of  nighan.  Let  us  finally  observe  its  effect  on  the 
minds  and  hearts  of  the  Barmans.  As  there  is  no  Buddhist 
priest,  however  devout  or  whatever  hi&  opinions  concerning 
iiigban,  that  believes  that  Gautama  now  has  or  ever  will  have 
any  thing  to  do  with  our  moral  character  and  conduct,  he  is 
practically  atheistic— in  other  words,  without  God  m the  world — 
as  really  and  emphatically  so  as  was  the  Epicurean  of  old 
Greece.  And  then  the  table  of  the  five  precepts  of  Buddhism, 
which  have  been  so  extravagantly  lauded  by  all  the  best 
authors  that  have  written  respecting  them,  wants  the  “ first 
commandment  with  promise.^^  The  last,  which  forbids  the 
drinking  of  intoxicating  liquors,  is  inierile  for  narrowness,  as 
it  does  -not  prohibit  gluttony  or  the  use  of  opium  as  a luxury. 
All  these  precepts  are  of  a negative  kind,  and  therefore,  like 
every  negative  system  of  morals,  ])roductive  of  asceticism  and 
a sanctimonious  retirement  from  the  world.  But  the  grand 
defect  of  this  system  of  precepts  is  that  it  is  totally  silent  about 
our  duties  to  God,  or  what  are  called,  in  Christian  lands,  the 
duties  of  the  First  Table.  This  glaring  omission  goes  very  far 
to  confirm  our  conclusion  that  the  Buddhism  of  to-day  is  both 
theoretically  and  practically  a system  of  Atheism. 

Gautama  accordingly  condemmed  divine  worship  or  the 
adoration  of  superior  beings;  and  yet  his  followers,  with  odd 
inconsistency,  have  multiplied  his  images  beyond  computation. 
The  cave  temple  on  the  banks  of  the  Salwen,  described  by 
Dr.  Malcom,  exhibited  thousands  of  his  images.  Forests  of 
flowers  are  daily  laid  upon  his  shrines,  and  countless  millions 
of  lips  daily  repeat  the  formula  ‘‘I  take  refuge  in  Buddha,’^ 
idly  fancying  that  in  the  very  act  of  disobeying  his  greatest 
j>rohibition  they  offer  him  the  most  acceptable  worship. 

Another  and  worse  inconsistency  of  theirs,  is  that  while 


SOULLESSNESS  OF  EUDDHISM. 


131 


they  repeat  old  stories,  and  invent  new  ones,  in  praise  of  his 
henevolenee,  their  own  daily  life  and  their  whole  political  his- 
tory are  marked,  beyond  those  of  almost  all  other  half-civilized 
X)eoples,  with  torture  and  murder,  deliberate,  unrelenting’  and 
soulless.  ^ 

Should  any  reader  doubt  this,  let  him  read  the  experiences  of 
Judson  in  the  Death -Prisons  at  Ava  and  at  Oung-pen-la.  Any 
good  history  of  Burmali,  or  of  Ceylon,  will  likewise  serve  to 
silence  any  questionings  that  may  remain. 


Cave  Temple  at  Carlee, 


JUDSON  IN  PRISON  AT  OUNG-PEN-LA, 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE  LIFE  OP  .TCTDSOH  IN  THE  PALACE  AND  IN  THE  PRISON. 

Learning  Burmese. — A ten  days’  vo5'age  prolonged  to  six  months. — Trouble 
at  Rangoon  meanwhile. — Judson  attempts  preaching  without  a native 
assistant. — Builds  and  opens  a Zayat. — First  Baptism.— Other  Con- 
verts.— Visit  to  Ava. — Description  of  the  Palace. — Indifferent  success 
of  the  visit. — Progress  of  the  Gospel  at  Rangoon. — First  female  con- 
vert in  Burmah  baptized. — Voj^age  to  Bengal. — Mrs.  Judson  sails  for 
England  and  America. — Dr.  Price  re-inforces  the  Mission. — Mr.  Judson 
goes  to  Ava  as  Interpreter.  — A lot  presented  to  Mr.  Judson  by  the 
Emperor. — Completes  his  translation  of  the  ^^ew  Testament. — Mrs. 
Judson  returns  after  a long  absence. — Rumors  of  war  between  England 
and  Burmah. — Motives  for  going  to  reside  at  Ava. — ]Mrs.  Judson  an 
object  of  popular  curiosity. — Mr.  Judson  coolly  received  at  Court. — War 
already  begun. — The  expedition  of  Sir  A.  Campbell  appears  in  the  harbor 
of  Rangoon. — Imprisonment  and  threatened  death  of  Messrs.  Hough  and 
Wade. — Rangoon  captured. — Judson  and  Price  arrested  as  suspected 
spies. — Mr.  Judson's  arrest  and  first  imprisonment. — Brutality  of  the 
keepers. — The  miseries  of  the  prisoners. — Mrs.  Judson’s  exertions  in 
their  behalf. — Her  forebodings  of  Mr.  Judson's  fate  and  her  own. — The 
fortunes  of  the  MS.  Xew  Testament. 

SX  their  arrival  iii  Rangoon,  the  principal  seaport  of 
Barmah,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  gave  themselves  to  the 
acquisition  of  the  language  of  the  empire.  Mrs.  Judson  had 
not  been  long  here  before  her  health  began  to  suffer  from  the 
effects  of  the  climate,  and  her  symptoms  became  so  alarming 
that  she  went  to  Madras  for  medical  advice.  Her  health  being 
soon  restored  she  returned  to  Rangoon.  For  three  years  Mr. 
Judson  was  busy  in  learning  the  language,  which  is  one  of  some 
difficulty,  being  at  that  time  without  any  adequate  grammar. 
His  first  attempt  at  writing  in  the  Burman  language  was  a tract 


132 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


containing  a summary  of  the  Christian  religion.  In  October, 
1816,  the  Eev.  G.  IT.  Hough  came  to  them,  bringing  with  him 
a i)rinting-press,  the  gift  of  tlie  Serampore  Mission.  By  this 
press  was  printed  a translation  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  and 
the  Summary  already  mentioned.  On  Dec.  25th,  1817,  Judson 
sailed  for  Chittagong,  in  Arracan,  to  obtain  the  services  of  a 
native  Christian  as  an  assistant.  He  left  Eangoon  expecting  a 
passage  of  ten  or  twelve  days,  but  singularly  enough,  it  turned 
out  a voj^age  of  six  months.  The  vessel,  being  driven  out  of 
her  course,  made  sail  for  Madras.  Finding  it  impossible  to 
make  that  port,  on  the  2Gth  of  January  they  again  changed  her 
course.  The  following  month  they  once  more  changed  the 
ship’s  destination,  and  made  sail  for  Ma-sul-i-pa-tarn,  a port 
north  of  Madras.  This  place  was  reached  on  the  18th  of 
March,  twelve  weeks  after  embarking  at  Eangoon.  Ho  then 
travelled  three  hundred  miles  in  a palankeen,  reaching 
Madras  on  the  8th  of  April.  Here  he  waited  until  July  20th 
for  a passage  to  Eangoon,  reaching  home  August  2d,  1818. 

During  Mr.  Judson’s  absence,  plowing  the  sea,  the  mission 
at  Eangoon  was  reduced  to  a dead-alive  state.  After  he  had 
been  absent  for  nearly  three  months,  and  no  tidings  had  been 
received  from  him,  Mrs.  Judson  began  to  abandon  all  hope  of  his 
return.  At  this  time  Mr.  Hough  w^as  arrested  and  threatened 
with  banishment;  and  Mrs.  Judson  drew  up  a petition  to  the 
Viceroy  which  procured  his  release.  The  cholera  now  began  feu* 
the  first  time  to  rage  in  the  empire.  The  beating  of  the  death - 
drums  was  heard  all  the  day  long.  Then  came  the  report  of 
an  impending  war  between  the  English  and  the  Burmese,  A 
storm  seemed  gathering,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hough  resolved  to 
retire  before  it.  They  begged  Mrs.  eTudson  to  accompany  them 
to  Bengal.  It  was  now  nearly  six  months  since  Mr.  Judson 
had  left  liorne,  and  she  had  heard  nothing  directly  from  him. 
Dreading  to  stay  alone  in  that  land  of  “wrong  and  outrage,” 


THE  FIRST  BURMAN  CONVERT. 


133 


she  commenced  a reluctant  preparation  for  the  voyage.  They 
embarked  on  the  5th  of  July,  but  meeting  with  some  delays, 
Mrs.  Judson  returned  to  the  mission  house,  resolved  to  stay 
and  abide  the  consequences.  Within  a week  after  her  return 
Mr.  Judson  arrived,  lamenting  the  loss  of  time  and  his  disap- 
pointment in  not  obtaining  one  of  the  Arracanese  converts  as 
an  assistant  in  his  first  efforts  to  preach. 

But  still  he  did  not  abandon  his  purpose  to  attempt  public 
worship.  The  mission  house  was  retired  from  the  public  road, 
and  almost  hid  by  trees.  Purchasing  a piece  of  ground  adjoin- 
ing their  premises  and  near  the  road,  he  erected  a zayat  upon 
it  and  opened  the  place  for  preaching  in  April,  1819.  This 
service  was  soon  followed  by  signs  of  the  gracious  presence 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  One  memorable  day  in  the  history  of  this 
mission  was  April  30th,  1819 ; on  that  day  Moung  Kau  made  his 
first  visit  to  the  zayat.  He  repeated  his  visit  daily.  On  the 
5th  of  May,  Mr.  Judson  says  in  his  journal,  “I  begin  to  think 
that  the  grace  of  God  has  reached  his  heart  * * It  seems 

almost  too  much  to  believe  that  God  has  begun  to  manifest  his 
grace  to  the  Burmans;  but  this  day  I could  not  resist  the 
delightful  conviction  that  this  is  really  the  case.  Praise  and 
GLORY  BE  TO  HiS  NAME  FOREVERMORE.  Ameil.’^  Oil  the  27th 
of  June,  Moung  l^au  was  baptized  in  a large  pond  in  the 
vicinity,  the  bank  of  which  was  ‘‘ graced  with  an  enormous 
image  of  Gautama.  This  first  baptism  in  the  Burman  empire, 
administered  to  the  first  Burman  convert,  was  the  occasion 
of  unutterable  joy  to  these  missionaries  of  the  Cross.  This 
native  convert  became  a valuable  assistant  to  Mr.  Judson. 
Two  additional  converts  were  baptized  in  the  November  fol- 
lowing. There  were  also  several  serious  inquirers  ; but  these, 
learning  that  the  Viceroy  was  displeased  with  their  visits  to 
Mr.  Judson,  ceased  going  to  the  zayat.  The  three  native 
Christians,  however,  held  on  their  way  courageously.  But  it 


134 


THE  STORY  OF  RAl’TTST  MISSIONS. 


was  evident  that  the  people  dared  no  longer  resort  to  the 
zayat.  Mr.  Judson  resolved  to  appeal  from  the  Viceroy  to  tlie 
Emperor,  with  a view  to  obtain  toleration  for  the  new  religion. 
President  Wayland  was  of  opinion  that  no  missionary  of  the 
Gospel  should  pursue  such  a course,  and  that  Mr.  Judson  in 
later  years  looked  upon  the  subject  in  tbe  same  liglit  that  he 
did.  As  it  would  be  aside  from  our  purpose  to  discuss  this 
question,  we  will  accompany  Messrs.  Judson  and  Colman  to 
the  “ Golden  City.’’  Ascending  the  Irrawaddy,  taking  with 
them  the  Bible  in  six  volumes,  gilded  in  Burman  style,  as  a 
present  to  the  Emperor,  in  due  time  they  were  conducted, 
through  various  splendor  and  parade,  until  tliey  ascended  a 
flight  of  stairs  and  entered  a most  magnificent  hall.  They  were 
directed  by  the  private  Minister  of  State  where  to  sit,  and 
there  wait  for  the  golden  foot  to  advance.  ‘‘  The  scene  to 
which  we  were  introduced,”  says  Mr.  Judson, “really  surpassed 
our  expectation.  The  spacious  extent  of  the  hall,  the  number 
and  magnitude  of  the  pillars,  the  height  of  the  dome,  the  whole 
completely  covered  with  gold,  present  a most  grand  and  im- 
posing spectacle.  Very  few  were  present,  and  those  evidently 
great  ofiicers  of  state.  We  remained  about  five  minutes,  when 
every  one  put  himself  into  the  most  respectful  attitude,  and 
Moung  Yo  whispered  to  us  that  his  Majesty  had  entered.  We 
looked  through  the  hall  as  far  as  the  pillars  would  allow,  and 
presently  caught  sight  of  this  modern  Ahasuerus.  He  came 
forward  unattended  — in  solitary  grandeur,  — exhibiting  the 
proud  gait  and  majesty  of  an  Eastern  monarch.  * * He 

strided  on.  Every  head  except  ours  was  now  in  the  dust. 
We  remained  kneeling,  our  hands  folded,  our  eyes  fixed  on  the 
monarch.  'When  he  drew  near,  we  caught  his  attention.  He 
stoi)ped,  partly  turned  toward  us,  — ‘ AVho  are  these?’  ‘The 
teachers,  great  King,’  I replied.  ‘What!  you  speak  Burman, 
— the  priests  that  I heard  of  last  night?’  After  asking  a 


JUDSOX’S  VISIT  TO  THE  EMPEllOll. 

number  of  questions,  lie  sat  down  on  an  elevated  seat,  liis  hand 
resting  on  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  and  his  eyes  intently  fixed  on 
us.’’  The  petition  was  then  read  to  his  Majesty.  The  Emperor 
heard  it,  and  stretched  out  his  hand.  Moung  Zah  crawled  for- 
ward and  presented  it.  Afterwards  he  received  a tract  which 
Mr.  Judson  had  expressly  prepared  for  his  Majesty.  He  held 
the  tract  long  enough  to  read  the  first  two  sentences,  which 
assert  that  there  is  one  eternal  God,  who  is  independent  of  the 
incidents  of  mortality,  and  that  beside  him  there  is  no  God; 
and  then,  with  an  air  of  indifference,  perhaps  disdain,  he 
dashed  it  down  to  the  ground.  The  Emperor  took  no  notice 
of  the  presents  they  had  laid  before  him.  The  private  Minister 
of  State  said,  among  other  things:  “In  regard  to  the  objects 
of  your  petition,  his  Majesty  gives  no  order.  In  regard  to 
your  sacred  books,  his  Majesty  has  no  use  for  them; — take 
them  away.” 

The  missionaries  were  cast  down,  but  not  in  despair.  They 
made  one  more  effort  to  accomplish  their  purpose.  One  of 
the  British  residents  of  Am-a-ra-pu-ra,  or  New  Ava  (now  the 
capital  instead  of  Old  Ava),  was  a rich  merchant,  Mr. 
Gouger,  who  was  acquainted  with  the  private  Minister  of 
State,  Moung  Zah.  Through  the  kind  offices  of  Mr.  Gouger, 
they  obtained  another  interview  with  the  Minister  of  State. 
The  result  was  that  they  were  assured  that  there  was  no 
probability  of  obtaining  a toleration  of  a foreign  religion. 
They  then  returned  to  Rangoon,  resolving  to  remove  to 
that  part  of  Arracan  which  was  under  British  protection. 
But  the  entreaties  of  the  native  converts,  and  the  fact  that 
there  were  several  new  inquirers,  caused  them  to  re-consider 
their  decision.  These  converts  evinced  great  courage ; while 
one  of  the  inquirers,  the  learned  Moung  Shwa  Gnong,  seemed 
to  derive  boldness  from  the  very  things  which  disheartened 
the  missionaries. 


THE  STORY  OE  IRVTTEST  MISSIONS. 

Mr.  jind  Mrs.  Colman  established  themselves  at  Cliittaj^on^^, 
ill  order  to  collect  the  converts  of  Arracan  and  to  jirovide  a 
place  of  refuge  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jndson  and  the  native  con- 
verts of  Hangooii,  in  case  of  imrsecution.  Meanwhile  the 
divine  blessing  attended  the  exertions  of  ]Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jiidson 
at  Rangoon.  Three  natives  were  baptized  in  the  KSpring  of 
1820.  In  June  it  was  found  that  Mrs.  Judson’s  health  demand- 
ed a voyage  to  Bengal,  and  as  she  was  too  feeble  to  go  alone, 
Mr.  Jndson  decided  to  accompany  her.  But  before  their 
departure  their  hearts  were  cheered  by  the  addition  to  the 
little  church  of  four  more  converts,  among  whom  were  the 
learned  Moung  Shwa  Gnong  and  a married  woman  of  superior 
mind  and  great  energy — the  first  female  disciple  in  Burmah, 
Mah  Men-la.  She  was  baptized  at  night,  by  torchlight.  The 
church  now  included  ten  native  converts,  and  these  manifested 
a spirit  of  supplication.  They  were  wont  to  hold  prayer- 
meetings  in  the  zayat  of  their  oivn  accord. 

The  Judsons  now  made  a voyage  to  Bengal,  spent  two 
months  with  the  British  missionaries  at  Serampore,  and  after 
an  absence  of  about  five  months  returned  to  Rangoon.  Mrs. 
Jndson  derived  great  benefit  from  this  voyage;  but  six  months 
later  she  was  attacked  with  such  dangerous  illness  that  she 
was  advised  to  try  the  virtues  of  a long  sea  voyage.  Accord- 
ingly she  embarked  for  Calcutta,  and  proceeded  thence  to 
London,  where  she  arrived  in  improved  health.  From  England 
she  proceeded  to  the  IJnited  States.  Of  her  visit  to  this  coun- 
try at  that  time  we  sliall  elsewhere  give  a more  full  account. 

Soon  after  his  wife’s  departure  from  Rangoon,  Mr.  Jndson 
was  joined  by  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Price,  M.  D.,  who  had  come 
out  to  the  East  with  the  intention  of  discharging  the  two-fold 
duty  of  missionary  and  physician.  Dr.  Price,  commencing 
l>ractice  in  Rangoon,  showed  such  skill,  particularly  in  diseases 
of  the  eye,  tliat  his  fame  soon  spread  to  the  capital.  Only 


A TERILOrS  VISIT. 


137 


seven  mouths  after  his  arrival,  he  was  summoned  to  Ava  by 
the  Emperor  on  account  of  his  medical  skill.  Mr.  Judson 
was  obliged  to  accompany  him  as  interpreter.  He  left  behind 
a church  of  eighteen  native  members  (one  of  them  had  died), 
and  two  inquirers.  Mro  Judson  resided  at  the  capital  several 
months,  and  had  some  interviews  with  the  Emperor,  the 
princes  and  ministers  of  state.  As  Dr.  Price  was  much  at  the 
palace,  Mr.  Judson^s  necessary  attendance  as  interpreter  en- 
abled him  incidentally  to  talk  about  the  religion  of  Christ. 
The  Emperor  requested  the  missionaries  to  remain  at  Ava.  A 
pleasant  lot  was  given  them,  on  which  Mr.  Judson  built  a small 
house;  and  when  he  was  about  to  return  to  Eangoon,  the 
Emperor  expressed  his  regret  and  invited  him  to  return  soon, 
accompanied  by  Mrs.  Judson,  and  make  Ava  his  home.  After 
going  back  to  his  mission,  he  completed  his  translation  of  the 
iTew  Testament, 

On  the  5th  of  December,  1823,  Mrs.  Judson  arrived,  after  an 
absence  of  two  years  and  three  months,  bringing  with  her  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wade.  The  latter,  along  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hough, 
were  now  left  in  charge  of  the  mission,  while  the  Judsons 
proceeded  to  Ava,  with  the  view  of  establishing  a mission  in 
the  capital.  There  was  some  prospect  of  a war.  Mrs.  Judson, 
on  her  return  voyage,  had  been  warned  at  Calcutta  of  a prob- 
able collision  between  Burmah  and  England;  and  had  been 
advised  by  her  friends  not  to  return  to  Eangoon.  But  the 
medal  had  two  sides.  It  was  understood  to  be  the  then  policy 
of  Great  Britain  not  to  enlarge  her  territories  in  the  East. 
There  had  been  previous  rumors  of  this  kind  which  had  proved 
groundless.  Besides,  Mr.  Judson  had  recently  been  received 
at  Ava  with  clemency  and  marked  condescension.  Nor  was 
this  all ; when  she  arrived  at  Eangoon,  her  husband  had  made 
up  his  mind  to  go  and  fix  his  residence  at  the  capital ; he  had 
almost  completed  the  needful  preparations  for  the  passage  up 


13S 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSFONS. 


the  Irrawaddy.  To  erowii  all,  Dr.  Price,  who  was  iu  great 
favor  at  court,  would  give  them  a cordial  welcome,  and  stand 
between  them  and  all  casual  ebullitions  of  imperial  wrath. 

Our  missionaries  reached  Ava  after  a wearisome  i)assage 
of  six  weeks.  On  her  arrival,  Mrs.  Judson  saw  that  she  was 
an  object  of  universal  curiosity.  A foreign  female  was  a sight 
never  before  beheld  in  Ava.  Whenever  she  walked  out, 
crowds  followed  her.  Though  th^y  everywhere  treated  her 
with  respect,  yet  some  would  run  some  way  before  her,  in 
order  to  have  a long  look  as  she  approached  them.  But  Mr. 
Judson  was  surprised  at  the  coolness  of  his  reception  at  court. 
Dr.  Price  was  out  of  favor,  and  suspicion  rested  on  most 
of  the  foreigners  then  in  the  capital.  Tlie  Queen  had  ex- 
pressed wishes  for  the  arrival  of  Mrs.  Judson,  but  now  made 
no  inquiries  after  her  nor  intimated  a wish  to  see  her. 

The  cause  of  this  suspicion  and  suspension  of  courtesy  is 
easily  indicated.  The  Burmans  had  already  begun  to  invade 
the  British  province  of  Chittagong.  An  army  had  gone  forth 
with  the  anticipation  of  leading  the  Governor-General  of  India 
a captive  in  chains  to  the  golden  feet  in  Ava.  But  the  English 
had  secretly  prepared  to  avenge  the  wrongs  they  had  endured 
in  the  constant  encroachments  of  the  Burmese  on  their  pos- 
sessions. In  May,  an  army  of  six  thousand  men,  under  Sir 
Archibald  Campbell,  suddenly  appeared  in  the  river  below 
Rangoon.  So  great  was  the  surprise  of  the  natives  that 
scarcely  a shot  Avas  fired.  Every  foreigner  was  suspected  by 
the  natives,  and  the  Viceroy  ordered  the  arrest  and  imprison- 
ment of  every  man  in  thnt  city  ‘‘who  wore  a hat.’^  Messrs. 
Hough  and  Wade  were  chained  and  imprisoned  under  armed 
keepers.  In  the  morning  the  British  fleet  was  seen  ap- 
l)roaching  the  town,  and  the  keepers  Avere  ordered  to  put  the 
j)risoners  to  death  the  moment  the  first  shot  Avas  fired  upon 
the  city.  Repeatedly  Averc  the  lives  of  the  missionaries  threat- 


KANGOON  TAKEN  BY  THE  ENGLISH. 


139 


ened.  In  one  instance  they  were  compelled  to  kneel  with 
their  heads  bent  forward  for  the  convenience  of  the  execu- 
tioner, who  was  ordered  at  that  moment  to  behead  them.  At 
length,  however,  they  were  reprieved,  and  then  concealed 
in  a vault  of  the  great  golden  pagoda  until  they  were  released 
by  the  English..  They  then  lost  no  time  in  embarking  for 
Bengal. 

On  the  23d  of  May,  1824,  a message  reached  the  house  of 
Dr.  Price  that  Kangoon  was  taken  by  the  English.  The  mis- 
sionaries had  just  concluded  family  worship.  The  intelligence 
produced  a shock  which  was  followed  by  alternate  fear  and 
joy.  Mr.  Gouger,  the  young  English  merchant,  who  happened 
to  be  with  them  when  the  news  came,  had  more  reason  than 
they  to  be  afraid.  He  went  and  consulted  the  Emperor’s  most 
influential  brother,  who  told  him  to  give  himself  no  uneasiness, 
for  his  Majesty  had  assured  him  that  the  few  foreigners,  of 
whatever  nationality,  residing  at  Ava  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  war,  and  would  not  be  molested.  As  the  missionaries  were 
Americans,  and  not  British  subjects,  they  had  good  reason  to 
suppose  that,  in  any  event,  they  would  pass  through  the  crisis 
without  any  annoyance  from  Burmese  officials. 

The  functionaries  of  the  empire  were  now  all  in  motion.  In 
three  or  four  days  they  were  able  to  send  off  an  army  of  ten 
thousand  men.  No  doubt  was  entertained  of  the  defeat  of  the 
English.  In  a truly*  Oriental  spirit,  reminding  one  of  the 
words  of  Sisera’s  mother,  a wild  young  buck  of  the  palace 
said  ; “ Bring  for  me  six  white  strangers  to  row  my  boat  and 
“To  me,’’  said  a lady  of  rank,  “bring  four  white  strangers  to 
manage  the  affairs  of  my  house;  for  I understand  they  are 
trusty  servants.”  “The  war  boats  in  high  glee,”  wrote  Mrs. 
Judson,  “passed  our  house,  the  soldiers  singing  and  dancing 
and  exhibiting  gestures  of  the  most  joyous  kind.  Poor  fel- 


140 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


lows ! said  we,  you  will  probably  never  dance  again.  And  so  it 
proved;  for  few,  if  any,  ever  saw  again  their  native  home.’’ 

Soon  after  the  army  left,  three  British  residents  were  arrested 
and  imprisoned.  They  were  suspected  to  be  spies.  As  Mr. 
Judsoii  and  Dr.  Price  had  received  money  from  America,  the 
Burmese  authorities,  ignorant  of  the  business  of  exchange, 
represented  them  to  the  Emperor  as  in  the  i)ay  of  the  English, 
and  very  })robably  spies.  ITis  Majesty,  in  an  angry  tone,  said; 
“ Arrest  the  two  teachers  immediately.”  One  day  while  Mrs. 
Judson  was  preparing  for  dinner,  a Burmese  ollicer,  holding  a 
black  book,  with  a dozei^  men,  rushed  into  the  room,  ac- 
companied by  one  whose  face  was  tattooed,  known  as  the 
executioner.  Mr.  Judson  was  seized  by  the  executioner, 
thrown  down  on  the  door,  and  a small  hard  cord  tied  round 
both  his  arms  above  the  elbow.  This  cord  is  used  not  oidy  for 
security  but  for  torture  as  well.  It  may  be  so  tied  as  to  cut 
through  the  flesh.  The  prisoner,  pinioned  by  it,  is  at  the 
mercy  of  his  keeper,  who,  by  drawing  it  more  tightly,  can 
almost  take  away  respiration,  dislocate  the  shoulder,  and  even 
cause  blood  to  gush  from  his  victim’s  nostrils  and  mouth,  until 
he  drops  dead. 

In  vain  did  Mrs.  Judson  beg  the  executioner  to  loosen  the 
cords;  she  ofii’ered  him  money  in  order  to  mitigate,  if  possible, 
the  torture.  All  mercy,  on  any  terms,  was  refused.  Mr.  Judson 
was  taken  to  the  “death  prison,”  where  he  and  all  “white 
foreigners”  were  secured  with  three  pairs  of  fetters  each, 
which  confined  their  feet  only  a few  inches  apart.  Then  a long 
bamboo  pole  was  passed  between  their  legs  and  fastened  at 
the  ends;  so  that  they  were  forced  to  lie  in  a row  upon  the 
ground;  one  leg  rested  on  the  upper  side  of  the  bamboo  pole, 
and  with  its  Aveight  of  shackles  pressed  painfully  on  the  limb 
below.  There  lay  nine  men,  closely  crowded  together  in  a room 


JUBSON  THROWN  INTO  PRISON. 


141 


made  of  boards,  with  no  windows  and  no  ventilation  except 
from  the  crevices  in  the  boards  of  the  prison  and  its  one  small 
door.  It  was  in  the  hot  month  of  a tropical  Junej  they  were 
compelled  to  lie  on  the  damp  ground,  from  which  arose  a 
poisonous  miasma.  The  autliorities  did  not  supply  them  witli 


Arrest  of  Mr.  Judson. 


food.  For  this,  if  rich,  they  were  totally  dependent  on  the 
money  concealed  by  their  servants  wherewith  to  go  and  buy 
something  to  eat;  if  poor  and  friendless  they  were  liable  to  die 
of  starvation.  They  owed  their  sustenance  mostly  to  the  exer- 
tions of  Mrs.  Judson,  although  on  occasional  days  of  sacred 


142 


THE  STORY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIOKS. 


festivity  tlie  native  women  would,  as  a religious  duty,  bring 
them  rice  and  fruit.  As  the  officials  made  no  allowance  for 
clothing,  the  prisoners  were  in  a few  months  almost  naked. 
]\rrs.  Judson  considered  it  lier  duty  to  ])rovide  tliem  not  only 
witli  food  but  with  clothing. 

The  keei)ers  of  the  prison  were  all  criminals,  with  a mutilated 
nose  or  a blind  eye,  or  with  the  ears  cut  away,  or  else  with  the 
name  of  their  crime  branded  in  the  forehead  or  breast.  The 
others  were  tattooed  with  a dark  ring  uj)on  the  cheek  or  above 
the  eye.  The  liead  keeper  wore  the  word  loo-thaf,  or  murder, 
burned  into  the  flesh  of  his  breast.  lie  inflicted  his  cruelties  as 
if  they  were  so  many  practical  jokes  and  Ids  favorite  amusement. 

The  fellow  prisoners  of  Mr.  Judson  and  Dr.  Price  were  from 
nearly  all  classes ; robbers  and  murderers  as  well  as  innocent 
men,  who  were  accused  or  suspected  of  being  disloyal  or  of 
having  treasures  which  the  tyrant  could  confiscate.  The  stand- 
ard of  morals  among  the  votaries  of  Gautama,  “the  Light  of 
Asia,’’  maybe  illustrated  by  the  following  incident  given  by  Mr. 
Crawfurd  in  his  “Embassy  to  Ava”  When  Mr.  Judson  was  in 
the  prison,  as  he  informed  Mr.  C.,  he  overheard  two  chiefs,  who 
were  subjected  to  temporary  confinement'  for  some  peccadillo, 
discoursing  together  on  moral  subjects.  The  elder  of  the  two 
asked  the  other  if  he  knew  the  proper  definition  of  an  upright 
man.  The  younger  i)rofessed  his  ignorance;  when  the  senior 
added— “Then  I will  tell  you:  an  upright  man  is  the  same  as  a 
worthless  man  or  simpleton.” 

In  three  or  four  daj^s,  the  houses  of  Mr.  Judson,  Dr.  Price 
and  the  British  residents  were  searched  and  their  property 
confiscated.  The  i)roperty  of  the  British  merchant,  Mr.  Gouger, 
to  the  amount  of  $50,000,  was  seized  and  carried  to  the  palace. 
The  officers,  on  their  return  from  this  act  of  spoliation,  while 
j)assing  Mrs.  Judson’s  house,  said,  “AYewill  visit  your  house 
on  the  morrow.”  ?:5he  accordingly  concealed,  in  the  earth  under 


HR.  JUDSON’S  IMPRISONMENT. 


143 


the  house,  all  her  silver,  a few  other  articles  of  value,  and  so 
much  of  Mr.  Judsoids  manuscript  of  the  Testament  as  had 
not  yet  been  printed.  • 

From  the  time  Mr.  Judson  was  thrown  into  prison,  his 
devoted  and  heroic  wife  was  tireless  in  her  exertions  to  ob- 
tain some  mitigation  of  her  husband’s  sufferings.  She  applied 
to  the  jailor,  to  the  Governor  of  the  North  Gate  of  the  palace, 
to  the  King’s  sister,  and  to  the  Queen.  She  tried  the  virtue 
of  gifts  and  of  importunity.  She  was  often  put  off  with  empty 
promises  and  the  assurances  of  faithless  and  heartless  men. 
Her  prevailing  opinion  was  that  her  husband  would  suffer  a 
violent  death ; and  she  would  of  course  languish  out  a miser- 
able existence  in  the  hands  of  an  iron-hearted  and  tyrannic 
monster. 

Some  months  of  torture  and  agony  thus  wore  away  before 
there  was  any  manifestation  of  mercy  to  our  missionary  and 
his  wife.  At  length  she  was  permitted  to  make  a little  bamboo 
room  in  the  prison  yard,  where  her  husband  was  allowed  to 
be  much  by  himself.  One  of  the  first  things  Mr.  Judson 
inquired  after,  as  soon  as  he  and  Mrs.  Judson  were  permitted 
to  speak  together  in  English,  was  the  manuscript  translation 
of  the  New  Testament.  Fearing  it  might  be  stolen,  or  ruined 
by  mold,  it  was  thought  best  to  sew  it  up  in  the  form  of  a 
pillow,  covered  with  a mat. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


BKUISEO  BUT  NOT  FORSAKEN. 

A Mince-pie  as  a reminder  of  Home. — Little  ^Maria  brought  to  tlie  Death 
Trison. — Verses  on  the  occasion. — The  Hardships  of  the  Prisoners  in- 
creased.— 'Their  execution  momentarily  expected. — The  Governor  of  the 
North  Gate. — His  disclosure  of  his  attempt  to  save  the  prisoners  from 
execution. — The  hostility  of  the  Queen’s  brother. — Mr.  Judson  attacked 
with  a slow  fever. — The  British  Lion  brought  to  the  Prison  in  his  royal  cage. 
Permitted  to  starve  to  death. — Mr.  Judson  gets  permission  to  occupy  the 
vacated  cage. — Mr.  Judson  translated  to  the  Inclosure  of  the  Governor 
of  the  North  Gate. — His  removal  to  the  Prison  of  Oung-pen-la. — Mrs. 
Judson  kept  ignorant  of  time  of  his  departure. — Sets  off  to  find  him. — 
The  miseries  of  his  Journey  to  the  Prison. — Mr.  Judson  preferred  death 
to  life. — A Bengali  saves  him  from  perishing  by  the  way. — The  prisoners 
expect  speedy  execution. — Mrs.  Judson's  afflictions. — Burmese  girl  taken 
down  with  Small-pox. — Mr.  Judson  attacked  with  Fever. — His  wounded 
feet. — Mrs.  Judson  at  length  very  sick. — Mr.  Judson  hobbles  about  from 
house  to  house  to  beg  nursing  for  little  Maria. — The  prisoners  pass  from 
great  fear  to  great  hope. — Good  news  from  Ava. 

One  (lay  ]\Irs.  Judson  thought  she  would  try  and  surprise 
her  husband  with  something  that  would  remind  him  of  home. 
She  hit  upon  the  project  of  making  for  him  a mince  pie.  But 
how  could  she  make  it^  By  the  help  of  buffalo  beef  and  plan- 
tains, she  contrived  something  that  looked  like  the  pie  he  had, 
in  brighter  days,  eaten  in  Plymouth  and  Bradford.  The 
dinner  was  that  day  sent  to  the  prison  by  the  hand  of  a ser- 
vant. She  had  intended  it  in  all  kindness ; but  when  lie  saw  it, 
memories  of  home  overpowered  him.  He  bowed  his  head 
uj)on  Ids  knees  and  wept  like  a child. 

After  the  birtli  of  Maria,  her  mother  was  absent  from  the 
l)rison  for  twenty  dnys  together;  then  the  pale,  luiny  infant  was 


DISTRESSING  SCENES  IN  PRISON. 


145 


brought  to  its  father  to  see  and  kiss  for  the  first  time.  When 
Mrs.  Jiidson  reached  the  prison,  her  husband  met  her  at  the 
door.  The  interview  sank  deep  into  Mr.  Judson’s  heart,  and 
after  they  parted,  he  composed  in  his  mind  a number  of  touch- 
ing verses  addressed  to  his  infant  daughter;  of  which  the 
following  lines  are  a part: — • 

“Why  ope  thy  little  eyes? 

What  would  my  darling  see? 

Thy  sorrowing  mother’s  bending  form  ? 

Thy  father’s  agony? 

Wouldst  mark  the  dreadful  sight 
Which  stoutest  hearts  appal : 

The  stocks,  the  cord,  the  fatal  sword, 

The  torturing  iron  mall? 

No,  darling  infant,  no! 

Thou  seest  them  not  at  all ; 

Thou  only  mark’st  the  rays  of  light 
Which  flicker  on  the  wall.” 

When  little  Maria  was  nearly  two  months  old,  her  mother 
was  one  morning  shocked  by  a message  from  her  husband,  say- 
ing that  he  and  the  other  white  prisoners  were  put  into  the 
inner  prison  in  five  pairs  of  fetters  each ; that  his  little  bamboo 
room  had  been  torn  down,  and  his  mat  and  pillow  had  been 
taken  away  from  him  hf  the  jailors.  Why  this  return  to  former 
severity  ? The  news  that  Bandula  had  been  defeated,  and  that 
the  British  army  had  left  Eangoon  and  was  advancing  on  the 
capital. 

The  situation  of  the  prisoners  was  now  very  distressing.  More 
than  a hundred  of  them  were  shut  up  in  one  room,  without  any 
ventilation  except  through  the  cracks  in  the  boards.  It  was 
the  beginning  of  the  hot  season,  and  from  excessive  perspir- 
ation and  loss  of  appetite,  the  white  prisoners  looked  more  like 
the  dead  than  the  living. 


THE  STORY  OE  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


14() 

Tlicy  now  expected  deatli.  One  evenin^^  a wliisper  went 
from  one  to  another  that  they  would  ])e  led  out  to  execution 
that  night  at  three  o’clock.  The  effect  on  the  i)risoners  can  be 
better  imagined  than  described.  Kone  of  them  were  inclined 
to  go  to  sleep.  At  length  the  hour  of  doom  ai)peared  at  liand. 
They  grew  more  and  more  sad.  Some  one  suggested  that  they 
l)ray  together,  and  ]\Ir.  eTudson  was  requested  to  lead  their 
devotions.  Then  he  and  ])robably  each  of  the  others  prayed 
apart.  And  still  they  waited.  Doubting  and  fearing,  they  yet 
watched  every  movement  in  the  prison.  At  length  they  began 
to  hope  that  the  hour  had  passed,  and  that  they  had  been 
deceived.  Finally  the  door  opened.  The  jailor  came  in,  and 
they  saw  it  was  morning.  They  had  indeed  been  cruelly 
deceived : whether  through  malice  or  mistake  they  could 
not  learn.  The  head  jailor  made  sport  of  their  miseries. 

Driven  to  desperation,  Mrs.  Judson  determined  to  see  the 
Governor  of  the  North  Gate,  and  although  she  had  been  for- 
bidden to  ask  of  liim  any  favors  for  the  prisoners,  she  boldly 
advanced  into  his  audience-room  and  addressed  him  in  a 
strain  of  pathetic  expostulation.  The  old  official’s  heart  was 
melted,  and  he  we])t  like  a child.  “I  knew,”  said  he,  “you 
would  make  me  feel.  I therefore  forbade  your  application.  I 
do  not  wish  to  increase  the  sufferings  of  the  prisoners.  When 
I am  ordered  to  execute  them,  the  least  that  I can  do  is  to  put 
them  out  of  sight.”  Three  times,  he  said,  he  had  been  told  by 
the  Queen’s  brother  to  execute  the  white  prisoners  secretly. 
But  he  had  refused  to  do  so.  He  declared  that  he  could  not 
release  the  prisoners  from  their  present  confinement,  and  she 
must  not  ask  it. 

After  continuing  in  the  inner  i)rison  more  than  a month,  Mr. 
.Judson  was  attacked  with  a slow  fever.  About  this  time  the 
]>risoners  Avere  astonished  by  the  arrival  of  a lion  in  a cage, 
whicJi  was  ])lac(Ml  in  the  j)rison  yard,  close  against  the  principal 


A LODGING  IN  A LION’S  CAGE. 


147 


building.  The  keepers  would  not  give  the  animal  any  food. 
Was  the  poor  starving  lion  a prisoner  also?  He  really  was. 
A year  before  the  war,  the  King  had  received  from  some 
foreigner  the  present  of  a lion,  and  he  had  become  a great 
favorite  with  him.  As  the  British  army  advanced  towards  Ava, 
it  was  suggested,  with  strange  glances,  that  the  British  bore  a 
lion  on  their  standard.  The  Queen’s  brother  was  positive  that 
this  lion  was  a demoniac  charmer  of  the  King’s  heart.  The 
King’s  counsellors  were  brought  to  concur  with  the  Queen’s 
brother.  At  last  the  King  was  persuaded  to  send  the  animal  to 
the  death-prison,  but  commanded  that  it  should  not  be  slain 
without  his  decree.  But  the  Queen’s  brother,  without  his  know- 
ledge; gave  orders  to  the  keepers  not  to  give  the  animal  any 
food.  The  prisoners  had  grown  familiar  with  starvation  and 
death ; several  of  their  number  had  died  in  the  prison.  But 
the  companionship  of  a starving  lion  threw  over  them  a new 
shadow  of  death.  Daily  did  they  see  him  wasting  away  with 
hunger  and  thirst.  After  dark,  some  women,  weary  perhaps 
with  the  lion’s  roaring,  or  the  noise  he  made  by  struggling 
against  the  cage,  would  quietly  thrust  a piece  of  meat  between 
the  bars,  or  the  keeper  would  now  and  then  throw  a pail  of 
water  over  him. 

But  at  last  the  poor  animal  died.  The  poor  mass  of  skin  and 
bones  was  carried  forth  and  buried.  It  occurred  to  Mr.  Judson 
that  this  cage  would  make  an  airy  retreat  for  him  in  his  sick- 
ness. Mrs.  Judson  obtained  permission  from  the  Governor  to 
have  her  husband  removed  from  the  inner  prison  to  this  very 
public  hospital.  His  emotions,  in  this  suggestive  place,  must 
have  been  much  like  those  of  a man  lying  in  his  predestined 
coffin.  Although  Mr.  Judson  was  thankful  to  God  for  the  use 
of  the  lion’s  cage,  yet  his  wife  was  not  altogether  satisfied. 
She  accordingly  fixed  on  a spot  in  the  Governor’s  inclosure, 
opposite  the  prison  gate,  as  the  site  of  a little  bamboo  cabin. 


m 


THE  STORY  OP  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


After  i)utting  it  up,  she  incessantly  begged  the  Governor  to 
allow  her  to  remove  her  husband  from  the  cage  to  this  more 
comfortable  retreat.  At  last  her  importunities  were  suc- 
cessful. 

When  Mr.  Judson  had  been  in  this  comfortable  bamboo  hut 
two  or  three  days,  one  morning  the  Governor  sent  for  Mrs. 
Judson  in  a great  haste.  At  first  she  was  alarmed,  but  on 
arriving  at  the  Governor’s  house  she  was  agreeably  disap- 
pointed to  learn  that  he  only  wanted  to  consult  her  about  his 
watch.  He  was  unusually  agreeable  and  talkative.  When  she 
left  him  to  return  to  her  room,  one  of  the  servants,  pale  with 
terror,  came  and  told  her  that  all  the  white  prisoners  had  been 
carried  away,  but  he  knew  not  whither.  Mrs.  Judson  ran  from 
street  to  street  inquiring  of  all  she  met,  but  no  one  could 
answer  her.  Some  of  the  friends  of  the  foreigners  went  to  the 
place  of  execution,  but  found  them  not.  At  length  she  learned 
from  the  Governor  that  he  had  purposely  detained  her  in  talk 
about  his  watch,  so  that  she  might  not  witness  the  removal 
of  her  husband.  The  prisoners  had  been  removed  to  Amara- 
poora.  “You  can  do  nothing  for  your  husband,”  said  the  Gov- 
ernor; “take  care  of  yourself.”  Towards  night,  however,  she 
determined  to  set  off  the  next  morning  for  Amarapoora.  Kext 
morning  she  went  down  the  river  in  quest  of  Mr.  J udson.  She 
took  with  her  little  Maria,  then  three  months  old,  and  two 
Burman  children  wiiom  she  had  adopted,  Mary  and  Abby 
Ilasseltine,  and  a faithful  old  Bengali  cook. 

After  reaching  Amarapoora,  almost  used  up  with  fatigue  (she 
had  held  little  Maria  in  her  arms  all  the  way  from  Ava),  Mrs. 
Judson  was  told  that  the  prisoners  had  been  taken  four  miles 
farther,  to  a place  called  0ung-pen4a.  Without  loss  of  time 
she  hastened  forward  to  the  prison,  and  at  sun-down  found  her 
husband.  Ilis  first  words  were,  “ Why  have  you  come  ? I hoped 
you  would  not  follow;  for  you  cannot  live  here.”  The  next 


THE  TERRIBLE  JOURNEY  TO  OUNG-PEN-LA. 


149 


morning  Mr.  Judson  gave  her  an  account  of  the  brutal  treat- 
ment he  received  on  being  taken  out  of  the  prison.  As  soon 
as  Mrs.  Judson  had  gone  to  the  Governor’s  house,  one  of  the 
jailors  rushed  into  the  little  bamboo  cabin,  seized  him  by  the 
arm,  pulled  him  out,  stripping  him  of  all  his  clothes  excepting 
his  shirt  and  pantaloons.  He  tore  off  his  chains,  and  tying  a 
rope  around  his  waist,  dragged  him  to  the  court-house,  where 
the  other  prisoners  had  previously  been  taken.  They  were 
then  tied  two-and-two,  and  delivered  into  the  custody  of  an 
officer,  who  went  before  them  on  horse-back  while  his  slaves 
drove  the  prisoners,  each  of  the  slaves  holding  a rope  which 
connected  each  pair  of  prisoners.  They  had  eight  miles  to 
walk.  It  was  in  May,  one  of  the  hottest  months  of  the  year ; 
the  sand  and  gravel  were  like  burning  coals  to  the  feet  of  the 
prisoners.  They  had  gone  only  half  a mile  when  Mr.  Judson’s 
feet  became  so  painfully  blistered  that,  as  they  were  crossing 
a little  river,  he  ardently  longed  to  throw  himself  into  the 
water.  Had  he  not  regarded  suicide  as  a sin,  he  would  have 
drowned  himself  to  end  his  bodily  sufferings.  At  length  his 
feet,  already  blistered,  became  perfectly  destitute  of  skin.  To 
pain  was  added  the  exhaustion  resulting  from  fever  and  inability 
to  swallow  food.  He  was  now  ready  to  fall  and  perish,  but  was 
supported  for  a mile  or  two  by  being  permitted  to  take  hold  of 
the  shoulder  of  a stouter  fellow-captive.  J ust  at  this  moment 
the  Bengali  servant  of  the  British  merchant,  Mr.  Gouger,  see- 
ing the  distresses  of  Mr.  Judson,  took  off  his  turban,  tore  it  in 
two,  gave  half  to  his  master  and  half  to  Mr.  Judson,  which  he 
instantly  wrapped  around  his  wounded  feet.  Mr.  Judson  was 
supported  the  rest  of  the  way  by  taking  hold  of  the  shoulder 
of  this  servant,  who  cheerfully  lent  his  assistance,  and  at  times 
almost  carried  the  feeble  and  tortured  captive.  A Greek,  who 
was  one  of  their  number,  died  of  fatigue  and  violence  before 
reaching  the  prison  at  Oung-pen-la.  When  they  arrived,  and 


150 


THE  8TOHY  OE  liAPTl^T  MISSIONS. 


saAV  tliat  the  old  prison  was  in  rniiis^  they  all  as  one  were  of 
opinion  that  they  were  to  he  burnt  as  a saerihec*,  aceording  to 
the  repoi’t  that  Avas  juiiviously  (ai-oulated  at  ^\ya. 


Mr.  Judson  Begging  Milk  for  his  Babe. 

]\rrs.  Jndson  l)egged  one  of  the  jailors  to  proeiire  her  shelter 
lor  tlH5  night,  lie  took  her  to  his  own  house,  Avhieh  eoidained 
two  little  rooms,  in  one  of  AAiiieh  his  family  lived.  The  other, 
which  Avas  half  full  of  grain,  he  ottered  to  her.  The  next 
moi  ning  Mary,  one  of  the  little  Burman  girls,  eanght  the  small- 
|)()X.  Her  daughter  iAIai'ia,  only  threfi  mouths  and  a half  old, 
(taught  tlie  di.s(‘as(t.  Meanwhile  ^Mr.  dudson’s  fever  continued^ 


SEEKING  HELP  FROM  BURMESE  MOTHERS. 


151 


and  for  several  days  lie  was  unable  to  move  because  of  the 
mangled  condition  of  his  feet.  He  carried  the  marks  of  the 
journey,  as  well  as  those  of  the  shackles,  for  the  remainder  of 
his  life. 

Watching,  fatigue,  poor  food  and  poorer  lodging,  at  length 
caused  Mrs.  Judson^s  health  to  give  way.  Little  Maria, 
deprived  of  her  usual  nourishment,  was  consequently  a great 
sufferer,  and  threatened  with  starvation.  By  making  presents 
to  the  jailors,  the  helpless  mother  obtained  leave  for  Mr.  Judson 
daily  to  come  out  of  the  prison  to  carry  the  poor  little  wailing 
Maria  from  door  to  door,  begging  the  mothers  of  pagan  babies 
to  spare  her  a little  milk.  His  daily  round  as  a beggar  was 
painfully  made.  He  could  only  shuffle  along ; for  a short  chain 
still  connected  his  shackled  feet. 

Meanwhile  the  prisoners  were  preparing  for  death.  But  all 
of  a sudden,  intelligence  arrived  from  Ava.that  their  worst 
enemy,  Fciken  ^¥oon^  one  of  the  brothers  of  the  King,  having 
been  suspected  of  high  treason,  had  been  suddenly  executed. 
The  white  foreigners,  as  they  afterwards  ascertained,  had  been 
sent  to  Oung*pen-la  for  the  express  purpose  of  sacrificing 
them. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE  RELEASE  OF  JUDSON,  AND  Ills  SUBSEQUENT  CAREER. 

Good  News  from  the  Governor  of  the  North  Gate. — Mr.  J.  liurried  off  to 
the  Burmaii  Camp  as  an  Interpreter. — llis  Bamboo  Hovel  on  the  banks 
of  the  Irrawaddy. -Madding  Fever. — Returns  to  a sense  of  his  Misery. — 
Mrs.  Jndson  dangerously  111. — Terms  of  the  Treaty  aivanged  at  last. — 
Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Judson  prepare  to  leave  Ava. — The  Adventures  of  the 
Manuscript  N.T  . — The  Happy  Voyage  down  the  Irrawaddy.— Anecdote 
of  Comparative  Happiness. — Total  and  long  ignorance  of  American 
friends,  of  the  whei’eahouts  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J. — The  Expulsive  Power 
of  Daily  Peril. — News  of  their  safety  diffuses  general  joy. — Dinner 
given  by  Gen.  Campbell  to  the  Burmese  Commissioners. — Mrs.  Judson’s 
sight  of  the  Native  Commissioners  reminds  her  of  an  Incident  or  two. — 
Henry  Havelock  present. — Mr.  J.  a companion  of  Mr.  Crawfurd  in  search 
of  a Site  for  the  Capital  of  the  ceded  Burmese  Provinces. — Amherst 
selected. — Mr.  J.  attends  Mr.  C.  on  his  Embassy  to  Ava. — Condition  on 
which  Mr.  J.  promises  to  go. — Unexpected  delays  in  the  Business  of 
the  Embassy. — Meanwhile  Mrs.  Ann  H.  Judson  expires  at  Amherst. — Mr. 
J.’s  letter  to  the  Mother  of  his  late  Wife. — The  Grave  under  the  Hopia. 
Death  of  Little  Maria. — Gen.  Campbell  makes  Maulmain,  not  Amherst, 
the  Capital  of  British  Burmah. — Mr.  J.,  along  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wade, 
remove  thither. — The  Hermitage. — “ The  Three-Fold  Cord.  ” — Excur- 
sions to  Rangoon  and  Prome. — Priests  of  Gautama  dissuade  people  from 
going  to  hear  him  preach. — Mr.  J.’s  lament  over  Prome  as  he  floats’down 
the  Irrawaddy. 

TIYhE  time  at  length  arrived  for  the  release  of  Mr.  Judson 
from  the  prison  at  Oung-peii-la.  His  attached  friend,  the 
Governor  of  the  North  Gate  of  the  palace,  sent  him  the  first 
intelligence  that  a royal  order  for  his  release  had  been  given. 
And  accordingly  the  prisoners  were  returned  to  Ava,  and  Mr. 
Judson  was  hurried  off  to  the  Burmese  camp  at  Maloun,  to  act 
as  translator  and  interpreter  in  the  negotiations  with  the 
British  government.  Exposed  for  three  days  to  the  scorching 


JUDSON  RELEASED.— END  OF  THE  WAR. 


153 


sun  and  the  chilling  dews,  and  then  placed  in  a small  floorless 
bamboo  hovel  on  the  burning  sands  that  border  the  Irrawaddy, 
lie  was  so  ill  of  a fever  as  to  be  almost  helpless.  Here  he 
explained  the  papers  that  were  brought  to  him,  until  it  brought 
on  insanity  and  unconsciousness.  When  he  came  to  himself, 
he  was  lying  alone  in  a little  room,  made  by  suspending  a mat 
from  the  projecting  eaves  of  a cook-shop.  The  transactions 
which  resulted  in  a treaty  of  peace,  were  too  vexatious  and 
numerous  to  be  recounted  here.  Meanwhile  Mrs.  Judson  was 
seized  with  a dangerous  fever.  Her  head  was  shaved  and  her 
feet  were  covered  with  blisters.  She  expected  to  die,  and  as 
she  could  take  no  nourishment,  she  became  almost  as  jiale  and 
emaciated  as  a corpse.  Her  Burmese  neighbors  came  in  to  see 
her  expire,  and  said,  ‘‘  She  is  dead,  and  if  the  king  of  angels 
should  come  in,  he  could  not  restore  her.’^ 

Over  and  over  again  were  the  negotiations  broken  off.  At 
length,  however,  the  terms  of  the  treaty  were  flxed.  The  King 
promised  to  pay  a large  sum  of  money  by  way  of  indemnity, 
and  to  cede  Arracan  and  the  Tenasserim,  two  provinces  on  the 
sea-coast,  to  the  British  government.  He  was  also  to  restore 
all  the  property  he  had  caused  to  be  taken  from  the  mission- 
aries, and  permit  them  to  retire  in  safety  to  the  British 
provinces.  Mr.  Judson  and  Dr.  Price  had  proved  indis- 
pensable in  these  negotiations,  and  the  King,  having  discovered 
their  value,  invited  them  to  remain  in  the  capital.  Dr.  Price 
considered  it  his  duty  to  accept  the  invitation,  but  Dr.  Judson 
without  loss  of  time  prepared  to  depart. 

They  are  now  for  a little  time  gathering  up  the  remainder  of 
their  household  effects.  During  the  war  their  house  had  been 
levelled  to  the  ground,  and  all  articles  of  value  conveyed 
out  of  the  city.  These  were  collected,  and  among  them  the 
manuscript  of  the  New  Testament,  to  which  we  before  adverted 

The  keeper  to  whose  share  the  old  pillow  fell,  on  the  day  they 
12 


154 


THE  STORY  OF  lEVPTIST  MISSIONS. 


were  thrust  into  the  inner  i)rison,  had  afterwards  ex(*hangcd  it 
for  another.  Wlien,  on  tlie  morning  of  his  departure  for 
Oung-j)en-la,  Mr.  Judsoii  was  again  robbed  of  Ids  clothes  and 
bedding,  one  of  the  keepers  untied  the  mat  which  was  used  as 
a cover  to  the  pillow  and  threw  the  roll  of  liard  cotton  away. 
Some  hours  later,  the  faithful  servant  of  Mr.  Judson,  stumbling 
upon  this  one  relic  of  the  vanished  cai)tives,  carried  it  to  the 
now  empty  house  of  Mr.  Judson.  The  precious  manuscript 
which  that  cotton  concealed  now  formed  a part  of  those  be- 
longings of  the  family  which  were  to  be  packed  uj)  for  the 
voyage  down  the  Irrawaddy. 

“It  was  on  a cool  moonlight  evening,”  writes  Mrs.  Judson, 
“in  the  month  of  March,  that,  with  hearts  filled  with  gratitude 
to  God  and  overflowing  with  joy  at  our  prospects,  we  passed 
down  the  Irrawaddy,  surrounded  by  six  or  eight  golden  boats 
and  accompanied  by  all  we  had  on  earth.  * * AYe  now,  for 

the  first  time  for  more  than  a year  and  a half,  felt  that  we  were 
free,  and  no  longer  subject  to  the  oppressive  yoke  of  the 
Burmese.  And  with  what  sensations  of  delight  on  the  next 
morning  did  I behold  the  masts  of  the  steamboat,  the  sure 
presage  of  being  within  the  bounds  of  civilization.”  One 
evening,  in  later  years,  several  persons  were  at  the  mission 
house  repeating  anecdotes  of  what  different  men  in  different 
ages  had  regarded  as  the  highest  type  of  human  enjoyment 
— that  is,  enjoyment  derived  from  the  conditions  and  circum- 
stances of  lifco  “ Pooh ! ” said  Mr.  Judson ; “ these  men  were  not 
qualified  to  judge.  I knew  of  a much  higher  pleasure  than  that. 
AYhat  do  you  think  of  floating  down  the  Irrawaddy,  on  a cool 
moonlight  evening,  with  your  wife  by  your  side  and  your  baby 
in  your  arms,  free — all  free  ? But  my  dear  Emily,  cannot 
understand  it,  either;  it  needs  a twenty-one  months’  qualifica- 
tion; and  I can  never  regret  my  twenty-one  months  of  misery, 
when  I recall  that  one  delicious  thrill.  I think  I have  had  a 
better  appreciation  of  what  heaven  may  be  ever  since.” 


UNIVERSAL  SYMPATHY  WITH  THE  JUDSONS. 


155 


For  nearly  two  long  years  had  the  fate  of  the  missionaries  at 
Ava  been  totally  unknown  in  America.  Their  relatives  and 
friends,  the  j^atrons  of  the  mission  and  the  Christian  public, 
both  in  England  and  America,  were  left  to  the  most  painful 
conjectures.  Were  they  murdered  by  the  Burmans  as  friends 
and  spies  of  the  British  Government?  Have  they  fallen  victims 
to  disease  and  starvation,  in  a climate  unfriendly  to  Europeans, 
and  in  a nation  at  war  with  Great  Britain?  Do  they  linger  in 
captivity,  waiting  for  us  to  pay  a great  ransom  for  them?  To 
such  questions  as  these,  nobody  could  frame  a satisfactory 
answer. 

Let  any  one  read  Mrs.  Judson^s  account  of  these  events  from 
beginning  to  end,  as  contained  in  her  letter  addressed  to  her 
brother,  dated  Eangoon,  May  26,  1826,  and  he  cannot  fail  to 
understand  Mrs.  Judson’s  explanation  of  her  silence.  “Some- 
times, for  a moment  or  two,  my  thoughts  would  glance  towards 
America  and  my  beloved  friends  there;  but  for  nearly  a year 
and  a half,  so  entirely  engrossed  was  every  thought  with 
present  scenes  and  sufferings,  that  I seldom  reflected  on  a 
single  occurrence  of  my  former  life,  or  recollected  that  I had 
a friend  in  existence  out  of  Ava.’^  Had  Mr.  Judson  attempted 
to  communicate  with  his  fellow  missionaries  in  British  India^, 
his  letters  would  probably  have  been  intercepted,  and  he  would 
inevitably  have  been  executed  as  a British  spy. 

When  at  last  the  news  flew  to  Europe  and  America,  that  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Judson  had  returned  in  safety  to  Eangoon,  the  whole 
civilized  world  gradually  shared  the  general  joy;  and  when  a 
full  narrative  of  their  sufferings  was  published,  it  called  forth 
the  pity  and  sympathy  of  all  intelligent  Christians. 

But  to  return  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson.  On  their  arrival  at 
the  British  camp,  they  were  congratulated  by  the  officers,  and 
shown  into  a tent  which  Sir  Archibald  Campbell  had  ordered 
to  be  pitched  near  his  own.  It  was  larger  than  his,  with  the 
addition  of  a pleasant  veranda. 


150 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


A few  (lays  after  they  reached  the  camp,  a dinner  was  given 
by  General  Camj)bell  to  the  Burmese  Commissioners,  to  which 
Mrs.  Jiulson  was  invited.  The  scene,  in  ])art,  is  thus  described 
by  Dr.  Judsoii:  When  the  dinner  hour  arrived,  the  company 
marched  in  couples,  to  the  music  of  the  band,  towards  the 
table,  led  by  tlie  General,  who  walked  alone.  As  they  came 
opposite  the  tent  with  the  veranda  before  it,  suddenly  the 
music  ceased,  the  whole  procession  stood  still;  and,  while  the 
wondering  Burmans  turned  their  eyes  in  all  directions,  the 
General  entered  the  tent.  In  a moment  he  reappeared  with  a 
lady  on  his  arm  (no  stranger  to  the  conscious  Commissioners), 
whom  he  led  to  the  table  and  seated  at  his  own  right  hand, 
The  abashed  Commissioners  slid  into  their  seats  shrinkingly. 
where  they  sat  as  though  transtixed  by  astonishment  and  fear. 

“I  fancy  these  gentlemen  must  be  old  acquaintances  of 
yours,  Mrs.  Judson,’’  remarked  General  Campbell;  “.and 
judging  from  their  appearance,  you  must  have  treated  them 
very  ill.’^ 

Mrs.  Judson  smiled. 

“What  is  the  matter  with  yonder  owner  of  the  pointed 
beard pursued  Sir  Archibald;  “he  seems  to  be  seized  with 
an  ague  fit.’^ 

Mrs.  Judson,  fixing  her  eyes  upon  the  trembler,  answered: 
“Tie  is  an  old  acquaintance  of  mine,  and  may  probably  infer 
danger  to  himself,  from  seeing  me  under  your  protection.’^ 

She  then  proceeded  to  relate  how,  while  her  husband  was 
suffering  from  fever  in  the  inner  prison,  she  had  walked  several 
miles  to  this  man’s  house  to  ask  a favor.  She  waited  till  noon 
for  a hearing,  and  then  her  request  was  roughly  refused.  As 
she  was  turning  sorrowfully  away,  he  seized  her  silk  umbrella. 
It  was  in  vain  that  she  begged  he  would  restore  it  to  her.  She 
represent(;d  the  danger  of  walking  home  at  noon  without  it; 
and  ])leaded  that  if  he  took  that,  he  would  at  least  furnish  her 


REJOICING  IN  RENEWED  LIBERTY. 


157 


with  a paper  one  to  protect  lier  from  the  scorching  heat.  The 
votary  of  Gautama— the  ‘‘  Light  of  Asia,’^  the  pattern  of  loving- 
kindness,— laughed  at  her,  and  turned  her  leanness  and  pale- 
ness into  a jest.  ‘‘It  is  only  stout  people,”  said  he,  who  are 
in  danger  of  sun-stroke;  the  sun  cannot  find  such  as  you!” 
— and  so  turned  her  from  his  door,  to  walk  several  miles  in  the 
hottest  hours  of  the  day. 

With  expressions  and  glances  of  indignation  did  the  officers 
listen  to  this  incident.  Among  those  who  heard  it  and  wit- 
nessed the  deathly  paleness  of  the  poor  Barman,  as  he 
suspected  that  he  was  the  hero  of  the  story,  was  Henry 
Havelock,  whose  military  career  began  in  the  Barman  cam- 
paign, and  whose  connection  with  British  missions  in  India  will 
hereafter  demand  oar  attention. 

“I  never  thought  I was  over  and  above  vindictive,”  remarked 
Mr.  Judson,  when  he  told  the  story,  “but  really  it  was  one  of 
the  richest  scenes  I ever  beheld.” 

“I  presume  to  say,”  says  Mrs.  Judson,  “that  no  persons  in 
the  world  were  ever  happier  than  we  were  during  the  fortnight 
we  passed  at  the  English  camp.  For  several  days  this  single 
idea  wholly  occupied  my  mind,  that  we  were  out  of  the  power 
of  the  Barman  government,  and  once  more  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  English.  Our  feelings  continually  dictated  expres- 
sions like  this — ‘What  shall  we  render  to  the  Lord  for  all  his 
benefits  towards  us ! ’ ” 

Upon  their  return  to  Kangoon  in  1826,  after  an  absence  of 
two  years  and  three  months,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  found  that 
several  of  the  native  converts  were  dead,  and  most  of  the 
others  missing.  At  the  treaty  of  Yandabo,  Mr.  Judson’s  know- 
ledge of  the  Burman  language  had  made  him  very  serviceable 
to  the  British  government.  He  was  accordingly  invited  by  Mr. 
Crawfurd,  Commissioner  of  the  East  India  Company,  to  accom- 
pany him  on  an  excursion  to  find  a suitable  site  for  the  new 


158 


THE  STOltY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


capital  of  the  ceiled  Burinaii  provinces.  They  selected  a place 
on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Sal  wen,  to  be  called  Amherst,  in 
honor  of  the  Governor-General.  Mr.  Judson  fixed  on  the  new 
capital  as  a suitable  mission  station,  and  removed  thither  with 
his  family.  Meanwhile  Mr.  Crawfurd,  being  appointed  envoy 
to  Ava,  to  negotiate  a supplementary  treaty,  requested  Mr. 
Judson  to  accompany  him.  For  a long  time  Mr.  Judson  re- 
fused to  go.  At  last  he  promised  to  accompany  him  if  he 
would  use  every  effort  to  obtain  from  the  King  a guaranty,  to 
all  his  subjects,  of  the  right  of  religious  liberty.  Mr.  Crawfurd 
promised  to  do  so.  It  was  expected  that  the  objects  of  the 
embassy  would  be  accomplished  in  about  three  months,  but 
more  than  six  months  wore  away  before  he  could  return  to  his 
missionary  work.  Ko  provision  in  favor  of  religious  liberty,  or 
even  of  toleration,  could  be  secured. 

Three  months  after  her  husband’s  departure  for  Ava,  Mrs. 
Judson  was  seized  with  a fever.  As  her  constitution  had  been 
enfeebled  by  previous  attacks  of  severe  sickness,  she  was  con- 
vinced that  this  fever  would  prove  fatal.  A friend  had 
informed  Mr.  Judson  that  she  was  ill,  but  not  dangerously  so= 
lie  was  therefore  astounded  when  the  news  reached  him  at 
Ava  that  she  had  expired  at  Amherst,  on  the  24th  of  October, 
1826.  On  his  return  to  Amherst,  in  a letter  to  Mrs.  Hasseltine 
he  says:  ^‘Amidst  the  desolations  death  has  made,  I take  up 
my  pen  once  more  to  address  the  mother  of  my  beloved  Ann. 
I am  sitting  in  the  house  she  built,  in  the  room  where  she 
breathed  her  last,  and  at  the  window  from  which  I can  see  the 
tree  that  stands  at  the  head  of  her  grave,  and  the  top  of  the 
‘small,  rude  fence’  which  they  have^put  up  to  protect  it  from 
incautious  intrusion.” 

Exactly  six  months  later,  little  Maria  also  died,  and  was 
buried  beside  her  mother  under  the  hope  tree — hopia. 

“ Short  grief,  short  ])ain,  dear  babe,  were  thine; 
iVow;— joys  eternal  uiid  divine.” 


DEATH  OF  MRS.  JUDSON  AND  LITTLE  MARIA. 


159 


Although  our  missionary’s  house  was  now  desolate,  and  he 
was  left  to  mourn  in  solitude,  he  addressed  himself  anew  to  his 
vocation.  But  his  stay  at  Amherst  was  brief.  Contrary  to  his 
expectation,  its  prosperity  was  declining ; Sir  Archibald  Camp- 
bell having  gone  twenty-five  miles  up  the  Salwen,  and  made 
Maulmain  the  capital  of  British  Burmah.  Mr.  Judson,  there- 
fore, along  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wade,  removed  thither ; and 
thenceforward  Maulmain  became  the  chief  seat  of  the  mission. 
Here  Mr.  Judson  continued  to  preach  and  teach  with  his  usual 
activity.  Schools  were  established;  two  houses  of  worship 
were  opened,  and  before  the  close  of  1828  more  than  thirty 
converts  were  added  to  the  church.  The  New  Testament  was 
thoroughly  revised,  and  twelve  small  works  in  the  Burmese 
were  prepared. 

But  let  no  one  suppose  that  Mr.  Judson  hoped  by  intense 
toil  to  cure  the  wounds  that  suffering  and  death  had  infiicted 
on  his  heart.  Knowing  that  communion  with  God  alone  would 
secure  the  needed  balm,  he  gave  his  leisure  moments  to  secret 
prayer,  self-denial,  and  doing  good  to  the  sick  and  the  poor ; 
thus  reducing  to  practice  the  advice  he  gives  in  his  excellent 
little  tract,  “The  Three-Fold  Cord.”  When  we  remember  that 
his  health  was  still  suffering  from  the  hardships  of  his  prison 
life,  and  that  he  had  been  bereft  of  his  admirable  wife  and  only 
child,  we  need  not  wonder  that  now  for  a little  season  he  read 
much  the  works  of  the  Quietists,  and  imbibed  some  of  the 
teachings  of  Madam  Guion,  Thomas  a Kempis,  and  others  of 
that  class.  One  morning,  as  he  sought  solitary  converse  with 
God,  he  went  far  away  into  a thick  jungle,  overlooked  by  a 
forsaken  and  moss-grown  pagoda.  Here  he  found  a pathless 
wild,  amidst  which  he  sat  down  to  read  his  Bible,  meditate  and 
pray.  The  spot  was  all  the  more  secure  from  intrusion, 
because  of  the  belief  of  the  natives  that  it  was  a haunt  of 
tigers.  Eeturning  next  day  to  his  retreat,  he  found  a rude 


160 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


bamboo  seat  in  the  place,  and  over  it  a canopy  made  of  tlie 
woven  branches  of  the  trees.  He  never  knew  to  whom  lie 
was  indebted  for  this,  but  a native  deacon  (he  afterwards 
whispered  the  fact  to  Mrs.  Jiidson)  had  so  far  overcome  his 
fear  of  tigers,  as  to  go  out  in  the  dark  to  make  this  hermitage. 

Mr.  Judson  had  suffered  much  froiira  peculiar  dread  of  death, 
which  took  the  form  of  a nervous  shrinking  from  decay  and  cor- 
ruption. This  he  believed  to  be  the  result  of  pride  and  self- 
love;  and  in  order  to  subdue  it  he  had  a grave  dug,  and  would 
sit  by  the  verge  of  it  and  look  into  it,  imagining  how  each 
feature  and  limb  would  appear,  days,  months  and  years  after  it 
had  lain  there.’^  In  the  same  spirit  of  self-denial,  he  gave  to 
the  Missionary  Society  his  whole  patrimonial  estate,  ministered 
to  such  persons  as  were  sick  of  the  most  revolting  diseases, 
and  spent  forty  days  at  his  hermitage,  in  prayer  and  fasting, 
partaking  of  no  food  except  a little  rice. 

In  apology  for  this  short  period  of  Mr.  Judson’s  life,  (only 
several  months  in  all),  it  has  been  sensibly  observed  that  these 
extraordinary  acts  of  prayer,  mortification  and  of  charity  were 
only  temporary,  as  remedies  against  certain  temptations,  and  as 
means  of  moral  improvement;  that  he  never  professed  to  have 
arrived  at  the  perfection  he  sought  and  believed  to  be  attain- 
able. Dr.  Wayland,  in  defence  of  Mr.  Judson,  asserts  that  the 
latter  never  advised  any  one  to  live  in  this  manner;  and  yet  the 
doctrines  of  the  “Three-Fold  Cord’^  (written  during  this  season 
of  asceticism),  unless  qualified  and  supplemented,  are,  we  fear, 
liable  to  lead  ignorant  but  well-meaning  persons  into  dubious 
if  not  dangerous  paths.  We  ought  to  add  that  Mr.  Judson  him- 
self, in  subsequent  life,  looked  back  with  trembling  on  this  stage 
of  his  pilgrimage. 

But  this  was  with  him  no  time  of  exclusive  contemplation. 
In  the  midst  of  these  mystic  comniunings,  he  visited  Eangoon 
again,  ainl  made  an  excursion  up  the  Irrawaddy  to  Prome.  At 


JUDSON’S  l.AMENT  OVEIl  PKOME. 


101 


almost  every  landing  he  found  groups  of  natives  desirous  of 
tracts,  occasionally  met  with  former  converts,  and  was  told 
of  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  on  former  distributions  of  tracts 
and  parts  of  Scriptures.  At  Prome  his  labors  were  at  first 
attended  with  much  success;  but  after  preaching  in  the  zayats 
about  two  months,  his  congregations  forsook  him.  Why  this 
unexpected  falling  off?  The  King  of  Burmah  had  heard  of  the 
commotion  caused  by  the  grace  and  Gospel  of  God,  and  sent  to 
the  Governor  an  order  for  Mr.  Judson’s  expulsion.  It  appears, 
however,  that  this  order  was  intended  as  a warning  to  the  peo- 
ple, who  from  that  time  feared  to  go  to  his  meetings  or  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  him.  Certain  it  is,  that  the  Governor  did  not 
dare  to  execute  the  royal  command.  Mr.  Judson,  however,  felt 
that  for  the  time  being  the  priests  of  Gautama  had  prevailed 
against  him,  and  accordingly  he  set  off  to  return  to  Eangoon. 
As  he  floated  down  the  Irrawaddy,  and  while  he  was  yet  in 
sight  of  the  city,  he  uttered  these  touching  and  memorable 
words : “ Farewell  to  thee,  Prome  ! Willingly  would  I have 
spent  my  last  breath  in  thee  and  for  thee.  But  thy  sons  ask 
me  not  to  stay;  and  I must  preach  the  gospel  to  other  cities 
also ; for  therefore  was  I sent.  Bead  the  five  hundred  tracts  I 
have_  left  with  thee.  Pray  to  the  God  and  Saviour  that  I have 
told  you  of.  And  if  thereafter  thou  call  me,  though  in  the 
very  lowest  whisper,  and  it  reach  me  in  the  very  extremities  of 
this  empire,  I will  joyfully  listen  and  come  back  to  thee.^^ 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


THE  I.AST  DAYS  OF  A IJFE  OF  SACKIFICES. 

At  Kaiigooii  again. — At  Study  in  a Garret. — Demands  on  liis  attention  as 
a Contideiitial  Adviser. — Reluctantly  gives  liimself  to  Translating. — 
Finishes  tlie  Burmese  Bible. — Thoughts  on  the  Nature  of  Primitive 
Preaching — Marries  the  Widow  of  the  lamented  Missionary  Boardman. 
— Her  Mission  Work  in  Tavoy. — Mr.  J.  Begins  to  Revise  the  Burman 
Bible. — Dr.  Malcom’s  Visit.  —Completes  his  Revision  of  the  Burmese 
Bible. — His  desire  that  it  should  be  placed  in  every  Burman  house- 
hold in  the  Church — The  Excellence  of  this  Bible  as  a Literary  Work; 
its  Future  Reception. — Drawn  from  home  by  Sickness  of  his  Family. — 
Commences  a Burmese  Dictionary. — Mrs  S.  B.  Judson's  health  requires 
a Sea  voyage. — Her  Death  and  Burial  at  St.  Helena. — Mr.  J.  sets  sail  for 
Boston. — Unexpected  Welcome. — His  travels' through  the  UnTes  States. 
— His  Addresses  before  Colleges  etc. — Attends  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention.— Rev.  Dr.  Jeter's  Farewell  Address. — Prepares  to  return  to 
Burmah. — Third  Marriage. — Embarks  in  company  with  New  Mission- 
aries— Contemplates  returning  to  Ava. — Goes  forward  to  Rangoon,  and 
tlien  returns  to  Maulmain. — Takes  a violent  Cold. — Sickness. — Dies  and 
is  Buried  at  Sea. — The  M5^steries  that  turn  out  Mercies. — The  Darkness 
of  to-day  is  because  of  the  Sowing  of  Light. — Dr.  J's  High  Estimation 
of  the  Services  of  Forgotten  INIen  and  Women. — A Good  Time  Coming. 
— Tlie  Emperor  of  Burmah  builds  a Church,  Parsonage  and  School-House 
near  the  spot  where  stood  the  Cage  of  the  Starving  British  Lion. 

^I^^ETUKNING  to  Rangoon,  Mr.  Judson  took  up  again  the 
work  of  translation.  He  confined  himself  to  a garret  in 
order  to  get  time  to  carry  forward  his  version  of  the  Psalms, 
which  had  been  neglected  for  three  years.  His  missionary  voca- 
tions now  multiplied.  He  was  the  confidential  adviser  of  the 
English  Commissioners  stationed  on  the  Burmese  coast.  The 
Rooms  in  Boston  often  consulted  him  about  prudential  matters. 
It  was  at  his  suggestion  that  Dr.  Jones  went  to  Siam,  Mr.  Brown 


JUDSON  AND  THE  LAST  LEAF  OF  THE  BURMESE  BIBLE. 


COMPLETION  OF  THE  BURMAN  BIBLE. 


163 


to  Assam,  and  Mr.  Boardman  to  Tavoy.  Yet  he  loved,  beyond 
any  other  service,  preaching  in  the  jungle  or  forest.  Being  of 
a consumptive  tendency  and  sanguine  temperament,  he  instinct- 
ively craved  the  open  air,  public  speaking,  and  a life  of  adventure. 
It  was  not  without  a struggle,  therefore,  that  he  began  to  devote 
himself  to  the  work  of  translation,  in  compliance  with  the  wishes 
of  the  Missionary  Board.  The  paper,  we  are  told,  which  records 
his  resolution  to  forsake  the  jungles,  was  found  bedewed  with 
his  tears.  To  many,  the  sedentary  life  of  si  translator  would 
be  regarded  as  one  of  greater  promise  of  life  and  health.  It 
was  not  so  to  him ; to  him  it  was  a shortening  of  his  days  and 
a darkening  of  even  these  with  eclipses,  clouds  and  storms. 

When  Mr.  Judson  returned  to  Maulmain,  he  shut  himself  up 
for  two  years  in  a room  he  had  prepared  at  the  end  of  the 
native  chapel,  for  the  purpose  of  completing  the  Bible  in  the 
Burmese  language.  In  the  meantime  he  employed  several 
assistants,  whom  he  sent  daily  into  different  parts  of  the  city 
and  surrounding  country  to  speak  publicly,  to  read  and  dis- 
tribute tracts,  and  to  talk  with  the  natives  concerning  their 
religious  interests. 

At  length,  after  many  years  of  labor,  he  was  permitted  to 
rejoice  in  the  completion  of  the  Burmese  Bible.  In  an  humble 
postscript,  dated  January  31st,  1834,  he  writes,  “Thanks  be  to 
God,  I can  now  say  I have  attained.  I have  knelt  down  before 
him,  with  the  last  leaf  in  my  hand,  and  imploring  his  forgiveness 
for  all  the  sins  which  have  polluted  my  labors  in  this  depart- 
ment, and  his  aid  in  future  efforts  to  remove  the  errors  and 
imperfections,  which  necessarily  cleave  to  the  work,  I have  com- 
mended it  to  his  mercy  and  grace;  I have  dedicated  it  to 
his  glory.  May  he  make  his  own  inspired  word,  now  complete 
in  the  Burman  tongue,  the  grand  instrument  of  filling  ail  Burmah 
with  songs  of  praise  to  our  great  God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ! 
Amen.’^ 


1G4  THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 

Alas!  poor  erring  man!  while  you  were  so  long  and  painfully 
employed  on  those  pages,  you  were  not,  according  to  the 
sapient  judgment  of  some  noisy  men  of  to-day,  “preaching 
the  Gospel.”  It  is  but  fair,  however,  to  add  that  you  took  a 
somewhat  wider  view  of  })reaching.  After  laboring  among  the 
heathen  more  than  thirty  years,  you  returned  to  your  native 
land,  and  in  an  address  before  one  of  our  benevolent  societies 
you  declared  that  “ the  Apostle  did  as  really  and  certainly,  as 
effectually  and  extensively,  proclaim  the  Gospel,  when  he 
penned  his  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  and  his  letter  to  the 
Romans,  as  when  he  addressed  the  Jews  in  their  synagogues, 
or  received  company  in  his  own  hired  house  at  Rome.”  In  this 
error,  if  error  it  was,  Dr.  Judson  was  confirmed  by  the  immortal 
Carey,  who  considered  the  reading  of  “a  proof”  of  Scripture 
on  the  Lord’s  day,  to  be  as  holy  an  act  as  to  study  and  preach  a 
sermon,  or  to  engage  in  any  of  the  solemnities  of  worship ; and 
indeed,  in  its  consequences,  of  far  higher  importance. 

A few  months  after  this  scholarly  triumph,  Mr.  Judson  was 
joined  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Boardman,  who  after  the  death  of  her 
husband  had  been  carrying  forward  the  mission  at  Tavoy, 
establishing  schools,  making  long  and  perilous  tours  through 
the  Karen  forests,  and  actually  conducting  the  worship  of  the 
natives.  Her  work  and  character  will  engage  our  attention  in 
another  part  of  the  present  volume. 

Mr.  Judson  now  began  to  revise  the  Burman  Bible.  The 
progress  of  criticism,  and  improved  helps  to  the  study  of  the 
originals,  enabled  him  to  discover  some  imperfections  in  his 
version.  He  was  still,  however,  giving  much  time  to  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  native  church  in  Maulmain.  Amid  these 
labors  his  heart  was  greatly  cheered  by  the  arrival  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  jMalcom  and  fourteen  missionaries.  During  his  stay  at  the 
capital  of  Burmah,  Dr.  IVIalcom  preached  a sermon  to  the 
British  and  American  residents  and  sojourners.  He  tells  us 


COMPLETION  OF  THE  BURMAN  BIBLE. 


165 


that  Mr.  Judson  had  not  heard  a sermon  in  English  for  fourteen 
years. 

Dr.  Malcom’s  account  of  Mr.  Judson’s  health  and  vigor  is  a 
thought  too  exaggerated.  The  fact  was  he  had  suffered  from 
the  annual  fever  for  eight  years  in  succession,  and  though  it 
was  gradually  growing  lighter,  yet  it  was  still  hanging  on  and 
depriving  him  of  a great  deal  of  time.  Less  than  two  years 
later,  1839,  consumption  commenced  its  attacks  and  compelled 
him  to  visit  Calcutta.  He  took  several  short  voyages,  but  with- 
out removing  pain  in  the  organs  of  speech.  He  was  invited  to 
visit  his  native  land,  but  he  could  not  consider  it  his  duty  to  leave 
unfinished  the  great  labor  of  his  life.  But  these  years  of  de- 
clining health  were  enlivened  by  another  and  crowning  success. 
In  1840  he  completed  his  revision  of  the  Burman  Scriptures,  of 
quarto  size.  He  resolved  to  present  it  to  each  Christianized 
head  of  a family,  in  rather  a formal  manner,  carrying  it  himself 
to  the  house,  and  there  solemnly  enjoining  its  daily  perusal  and 
the  habit  of  morning  and  evening  family  worship.  This  was 
practicable ; for  most  Burmans  can  read.  It  had  been  the  great 
hope  of  his  life  to  make  this  version  of  the  Bible,  and  to  gather 
a church  of  one  hundred  native  members.  His  hope  had  been 
realized.  It  was  now  his  purpose  that  this  Bible  should  be  pre- 
sented to  every  family  in  the  blood-bought  and  dearly  beloved 
flock. 

Of  this  version,  scholars  of  that  day  said  that  it  was  the  most 
perfect  work  of  the  kind  that  had  as  yet  appeared  in  India.  Mr. 
Judson  brought  to  this  task  no  common  preparation.  His 
intercourse  with  all  sections  of  the  people,  from  the  death- 
prison  to  the  golden  palace,  had  made  him  but  too  well 
acquainted  with  every  dialect  of  the  Burmese  language.  No 
other  foreigner  has  ever  been  to  such  a school,  and  none  there- 
fore can  pretend  to  have  attained  to  such  a mastery  of  this 
heathen  tongue.  A gentleman  of  high  rank  in  India,  and  a 


106 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


proficient  in  the  Burmese  hinguage,  writing  in  the  Calcutta 
Ecvicic,  “ ventures  the  opinion  that  as  the  Luther  Bible  is  now, 
ill  the  hands  of  Protestant  Germany,  so,  three  centuries  lienee, 
Judson’s  Bible  will  be  the  Bible  of  the  Christian  churches  of 
Burmah.”  ^ 

WliHe  Mr.  Judson  was  receiving  congratulations  from  all 
quarters  on  account  of  the  conclusion  of  his  great  work,  he 
was  driven  from  his  home  by  the  sickness  of  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren. While  on  a short  voyage  for  their  benefit,  his  youngest 
child,  Henry,  died  at  Calcutta,  and  was  buried  in  the  mission 
grave-yard  at  Serampore.  He  then  made  a voyage  to  the 
Isle  of  France,  and  after  an  absence  of  five  months  returned 
to  Maulmain.  In  compliance  with  the  instructions  of  the 
Board  of  Missions,  he  had  already  commenced  the  Burmese 
Dictionary.  Upon  this  he  continued  to  labor  until  ho  was 
again  interrupted  by  the  dangerous  sickness  of  Mrs.  Judson. 
Being  invited  to  accompany  the  British  Commissioner  and  his 
family  in  an  excursion  along  the  Tenasserim  coast,  Mrs.  Judson 
tried  for  six  weeks  the  benefits  of  sea-air,  touching  at  Tavoy 
and  Mergui,  but  returned  weaker  than  when  she  set  out.  Her 
only  hope  of  complete  recovery  was  in  a sea  voyage  to  a 
northern  climate;  and  accordingly  Mr.  Judson,  his  wife  and 
three  children,  embarked  for  England.  He  also  took  with  him 
two  native  assistants,  to  aid  him  in  continuing  the  Dictionary 
whilst  absent  from  Burmah.  On  arriving  at  the  Isle  of  France, 
Mrs.  Judson  was  so  iqrch  better  that  she  resolutely  began  to 
think  of  going  forward  without  her  husband.  But  being  at- 
tacked with  a relapse  of  disease,  she  consented  that  her 
husband  should  accompany  her.  They  now  embarked  in  a 
ship  directly  for  Boston.  Mrs.  Judson  declined  very  rapidly, 
and  it  seemed  she  must  die  and  be  buried  at  sea;  but  she 
continued  to  sink  and  revive  until  she  reached  the  port  of  St. 
Helena,  where  she  expired  on  the  1st  of  September,  1815.  In 
I . See  Appendix. 


JUDSON  REVISITS  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


167 


other  pages  of  this  volume  the  reader  will  find  some  further 
account  of  this  most  excellent  Christian  lady. 

On  the  evening  of  her  burial,  the  widowed  invalid  and  his 
motherless  children  re-embarked  for  Boston,  and  arrived  in  the 
harbor  October  15th.  Before  coming  on  shore,  he  was  filled 
with  solicitude.  With  almost  total  loss  of  voice,  and,  from  long 
neglect  of  the  oral  use  of  his  mother-tongue,  scarcely  able  to 
put  three  sentences  together,  how  would  he  be  able  to  address 
public  assemblies  % And  as  the  time  of  his  arrival  could  not 
be  anticipated,  where  was  he  to  look  for  lodgings  for  himself 
and  his  little  ones?  But  his  brethren  in  Boston  had  been  on 
the  lookout  for  his  arrival,  and  received  him  with  cordiality 
and  great  enthusiasm.  A hundred  of  the  most  hospitable 
mansions  in  Boston  were  ready  to  receive  him,  and  all  the  best 
families  felt  it  would  be  a high  honor  to  number  him  among 
their  guests.  In  addressing  churches,  colleges  and  societies, 
some  pastor  usually  stood  by  his  side  to  repeat  to  the  audience 
the  words  whispered  in  his  ear.  His  best  addresses  were 
those  which  he  wrote  beforehand,  to  be  read  by  some  minister 
on  the  occasion  for  which  they  were  intended.  For  nearly 
nine  months  he  travelled  from  city  to  city  and  college  to 
college,  being  everywhere  received  with  hearty  and  reverent 
welcome.  He  had  been  absent  from  his  native  land  ever  since 
he  first  left  it  (now  more  than  thirty  years  ago),  in  the  ardor 
of  youth  and  in  the  company  of  a young  and  hopeful  band  of 
missionaries,  including  his  own  beautiful  Ann  and  the  gentle 
Harriet  Newell. 

The  present  writer  would  be  glad  to  describe  his  own  inter- 
view with  the  veteran  missionary,  but  implacable  time  and 
space  forbid  him  to  linger  on  this  and  far  more  important 
incidents.  He  can  only  give  the  conclusion  of  Eev.  Hr.  Jeter’s 
eloquent  address  of  welcome  in  behalf  of  the  Foreign  Mission 

Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention : — 

13 


THE  STORY  OF  liAPTTST  MISSIONS 


1()8 

“ Blit  1 must  close  my  remarks.  Brother  Jmlson,  we  are  acquainted 
with  your  liistory.  We  have  marked  your  toils,  have  sympathized  with 
your  sutferings,  liave  shed  many  a tear  at  tlie  foot  of  tlie  “ liopia  tree,”  iiave 
gone  in  fancy  on  mournful  pilgrimage  to  the  rocky  island  of  8t.  Helena, 
have  rejoiced  in  your  successes  and  in  the  successes  of  your  devoted  associ- 
ates, and  liave  longed  and  fervently  wished  to  see  your  face  in  the  flesh. 
This  jirivilege  we  now  enjoy.  Welcome,  thrice  welcome  are  you,  my 
brother,  to  our  city,  our  churches,  our  bosoms!  I speak  as  the  representa- 
tive of  Southern  Baptists.  We  love  you  for  the  truth's  sake,  and  for  your 
labors  in  the  cause  of  Christ.  We  honor  you  as  the  Father  of  American 
Missions. 

“One  thought  i:)ains  us.  To-morrow  morning  you  will  leave  us.  We 
shall  see  your  face  no  more.  You  will  soon  return  to  Burmah,  the  land  of 
3'our  adoption.  There  you  will  continue  your  labors,  and  there,  probably, 
be  buried.  But  this  separation  is  not  without  its  solace.  Thank  God,  it  is 
as  near  from  Burmah  to  Heaven  as  from  Kichmond  or  any  other  point  on 
the  globe.  Angels,  oft  commissioned  to  convey  to  Heaven  the  departing 
spirits  of  pious  Burmans  and  Karens,  have  learned  the  way  to  that  dark 
land.  When  dismissed  from  j'our  toils  and  sufferings,  they  will  be  in  read- 
iness to  perform  the  same  service  for  you.  God  grant  that  we  may  all  meet 
in  that  bright  world.  There  sin  shall  no  more  annoy  us,  separation  no 
more  pain  us,  and  every  power  will  have  full  and  sweet  employ  in  the  ser- 
vice of  Christ. 

“ And  now,  my  brother,  I give  my  hand  in  token  of  our  affection  to  you 
and  your  cordial  reception  among  us.” 

Mr.  Jiidson  often  longed  to  return  to  Burmah.  Wise  men 
thought  he  ought  to  remain  in  America  two  years  longer, 
assuring  him  that  by  that  time  liis  health  might  be  permanently 
restored.  But  his  heart  was  already  in  the  field  of  his  former 
battles  and  victories.  Before  proceeding  to  Boston  to  prepare 
for  his  homeward  voyage,  he  was,  June  2d,  1846,  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Emily  Chubbuck,  a literary  lady  of  brilliant 
gifts  and  unaffected  piety,  respecting  whom  more  will  be  said 
in  another  part  of  this  volume.  On  the  11th  of  July  he  em- 
barked, with  Mrs.  Judson  and  several  new  missionaries,  and 
arrived  at  Maulmain  on  the  30th  of  November.  Before  leaving 
America  lie  had  provided  for  a possible  return  to  Kangoon,  or 
even  to  Ava.  A change  liad  taken  place  in  the  Burman 
government,  though  he  had  no  great  confidence  that  it  had 


JUDSON’S  DEATH,  AND  BURIAL  AT  SEA. 


109 


smoothed  the  way  for  his  return  in  the  character  of  a simple 
missionary,  intent  on  the  conversion  of  the  natives.  How  the 
‘‘  Master  of  Life  and  Death, the  ‘‘  Lord  of  the  Land  and  Sea,’^ 
and  ‘‘Sovereign  of  Twenty-four  Umbrellas,’^  would  receive  him 
when  his  golden  feet  condescended  to  advance,  he  could  not 
pretend  to  predict.  Still,  it  might  possibly  be  “ the  accepted 
time’’  for  the  land  of  Gautama.  He  therefore  proceeded  to 
Eangoon,  re-organized  the  church  there,  and  awaited  an  op- 
portunity to  go  up  to  Ava.  But  the  unexpected  news  from 
America,  that  the  appropriations  for  the  mission  had  been 
reduced,  caused  him  to  return  to  Maulmain  and  give  himself  to 
the  composition  of  the  Dictionary.  For  six  months  he  thought 
it  expedient  to  abstain  from  preaching,  and  never  again  fully 
assumed  a pastoral  care. 

In  November,  1849,  Mr.  Judson  took  a violent  cold  while 
engaged,  during  the  night,  in  assisting  Mrs.  Judson  in  the  care 
of  one  of  the  children,  who  had  been  seized  with  sudden  sick- 
ness. This  cold  was  followed  by  the  fever  of  the  country, 
which  proved  to  be  the  severest  illness  he  had  ever  known. 
A trip  to  Mergui  and  to  Amherst  were  tried  in  vain,  and  then 
a long  sea-voyage  was  proposed.  At  first  Mr.  Judson  was 
opposed  to  this,  as  Mrs.  Judson  was  not  able  to  accompany 
him,  but  he  finally  resolved  to  set  off.  He  embarked  April  3d, 
1850,  for  the  Isle  of  France,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Kanney. 
Much  time  was  consumed  in  getting  fairly  out  into  the  Bay  of 
Bengal.  The  breezes  of  the  sea  failed  to  rally  his  wasted 
strength.  After  many  seizures  of  suffering,  followed  by  sleep 
or  the  consumptive’s  hope  of  recovery,  his  pains  left  him,  and 
he  gradually  sank  to  his  final  rest.  He  was  buried  in  the  blue 
waters,  three  days  away  from  the  mountains  of  Burmah ; “ but 
no  man  knoweth  of  his  sepulchre  unto  this  day.”  His  body 
was  buried  in  the  ocean. 

Whose  restless  mounds  that  pass  away 

Mock  the  eye  that  questions  where  it  lay.” 


170 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


His  mortal  remains  were  committed  to  the  waves  the  same  day 
tliat  he  died,  April  12tli,  1850. 

It  seemed  good  to  the  All-wise  God  that  no  man  should  be 
able  to  find  the  grave  of  the  Moses  of  our  missionary  exodus. 
Too  many  of  us  cherish  a superstitious  regard  for  the  relics  of 
the  great  and  the  good.  I do  verily  believe  that  it  was  for  the 
purpose  of  keeping  us  secure  against  this  and  other  hugger- 
mugger  that  our  Eternal  Father  i)ermitted  ]\rr.  Judson  to 
destroy  all  his  papers  of  a i)ersonal  character ; Mrs.  Ann  II. 
Judson  to  tear  in  pieces  all  the  letters  that  were  in  her  i)0sses- 
sion  at  the  time  of  the  captivity  in  Ava;  the  incendiary  to 
consume  such  of  his  manuscripts  as  were  reduced  to  ashes 
with  Mr.  Stevens’  house  at  Maul  main ; the  storm  to  sink  the 
ship  which  carried  all  his  correspondence  with  Dr.  Staughton ; 
the  foundering  of  the  ship  which  Avas  conveying  to  this  coun- 
try his  letters  to  his  missionary  brethren  in  Burmah ; and 
finally  the  fire  in  Boston  which  melted  the  stereotype  plates 
of  Dr.  Wayland’s  sterling  Memoir  of  our  great  missionary 
lawgiver.  Did  I hearken  to  the  cry  of  the  human  that  is  in  me, 
I would  much  lament  these  instances  of  literary  destruction. 
Some  facts  which  would  be  of  much  value  to  my  readers  have 
been  consumed.  But  some  grains  of  the  incense  of  that 
offering  remain  unconsumed  amidst  the  ashes,  and  I would 
refresh  myself  with  their  sweetness. 

If  one  hand  of  the  All-wise  God  is  so  clearly  seen  in  hiding 
from  us  so  much  information  concerning  Mr.  Judson,  the  other 
is  ecjually  visible  in  pointing  very  steadily  and  significantly  to 
the  precious  records  which  remain  for  our  guidance,  our  en- 
couragement and  our  perpetual  admonition. 

What  tragic  scenes,  full  of  agony  of  mind  and  body,  succeed 
one  another  throughout  the  life  of  Mr.  Judson!  How  often 
does  he  api)ear  another  old  classic  priest  Laocoon,  eome  back 
again,  but  transfigured  and  struggling  with  that  old  serpent 


JUDSON’S  TRIBUTE  TO  ‘‘UNKNOWN  MARTYRS.” 


171 


the  Devil,  as  he  coils  himself  round  and  round  him  and  his 
dearest  ones.  But,  unlike  the  Laocoon  of  old,  he  would  have 
preferred  to  suffer,  if  he  must,  less  in  the  public  gaze.  lie 
knew  that  there  were  many  poor,  obscure  servants  of  the  Lord 
who  had  suffered,  perhaps,  longer  and  more  keenly  than  he ; 
and  he  could  not  think  it  poetic  justice  that  these  should  die 
and  be  forgotten  in  this  naughty  world.  To  a lady  in  India, 
herself  a missionary,  much  given  to  murmuring  because  of  the 
general  lack  of  a spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  he  once  replied  in  these 
characteristic  words : “ Why  ! I would  pour  out  my  blood  like 
water  in  such  a cause  as  this ; and  so  would  you,  and  so  would 
hundreds  and  thousands,  both  at  home  and  in  the  mission  field. 
Many  pour  out  what  is  much  better,  the  incense  of  prayerful 
hearts.  There  is  many  a martyr  spirit  at  the  kitchen  fire,  over 
the  wash-tub  and  in  the  plough-field ; many  obscure  men  and 
women  make  personal  sacrifices  by  the  side  of  which  ours — 
yours  and  mine  — will  appear  in  the  great  day  very  small 
indeed.’’ 

“ Wait  twenty  or  thirty  years,  and  then  perhaps  you  will 
hear  from  us  again!”  were  the  words  of  Judson  to  some 
friends  of  missions  who  appeared  to  be  growing  impatient  and 
hopeless.  And,  indeed,  what  has  God  wrought  in  Burmah ! 
Near  the  spot  where  stood  the  lion’s  cage  to  which  the  sick 
Judson  retired,  mayhap  to  die,  the  King  of  Burmah  has  built  a 
Christian  church,  a parsonage  and  a school-house,  at  his  own 
expense  j and  his  Majesty  sends  some  of  his  own  sons  and 
nephews  to  the  Christian  school.  Yes,  O,  Judson!  we  have 
heard  from  thee  again  ! And  the  centuries,  as  they  come  and 
go,  will  hear  from  thee  again  I 

Note. — The  best  memoir  of  our  foremost  missionary  is  the  “Life  of 
Adoiiiram  Judson,”  by  his  son,  Rev.  Edwai  d Judson,  published  by  Ran- 
dolph & Co.,  New  York.  The  author  (who,  as  pastor  of  the  Berean  Baptist 
Church,  New  Y'ork,  is  doing  noble  missionary  work  among  the  heathens  of 
the  metropolis)  gives  prominence  to  his  celebrated  father’s  social,  domestic 
and  personal  traits,  and  his  style  is  lucid,  animated  and  manly. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


LUTHER  RICE  AND  HIS  SERVICES  AT  HOME  AND  ABROAD. 

The  Relation  of  Mr.  Rice  to  Mr.  Judson. — His  Birth  and  Education. — First 
Attempt  to  awaken  a Missionary  Spirit. — Why  his  Name  was  Omitted  in 
an  Address  to  the  Association. — One  of  the  Provoking  Causes  of  the 
Board  of  Commissioners. — Ilis  Appointment  as  Missionary. — Ilis  obsti- 
nate defence  of  Pedobaptism. — Calls  on  Carey  before  breakfast,  to  consult 
his  Greek  N.  T. — Baptism  at  Calcutta. — Ills  Exertions  in  founding 
Auxiliary  Mission  Societies.— His  Appearance  and  Character  as  a 
Preacher. — His  Inlluence  in  the  South. — His  Agency  in  founding  and 
sustaining  Columbian  College. — Dr.  Neale’s  Anecdotes  of  the  way  Rice 
befriended  him — of  Columbus  and  the  Sulky. — A born  Pathfinder. — 
Belonge  d to  the  Gigocracy. — Death  and  Burial. — Habits  of  Thought  and 
of  giving  to  Foreign  Missions  among  the  Baptists  when  Rice  returned. 
— Judson's  testimony  as  to  the  Missionary  Spirit  among  Congregation- 
alists. — General  Attention  directed  to  the  Conversion  of  the  Indians  of 
North  America. — Legal  contest  over  Will  of  Mrs.  Norris. — The  Economy 
of  Benevolence. — Cent  and  Mite  Societies. — An  Incident  in  the  Writer’s 
Family  Life;  “ A Friend  of  Missions.” — Wives  of  Missionaries  among  the 
Indians. — Anti-Mission  Churches. — Fossil  Remains  of  Pharaoh’s  Lean 
Kine. — Luther  Rice  anticipated  Colportage. — Forwards  the  Cause  by 
circulating  books  on  Missions. — Some  Ministers  four  hundred  years  behind 
the  time. — The  Advantages  of  Single-blessedness. — Rice  and  Bishop 
Asbury. — A Maiden  Missionary’s  Solitary  Work  in  India. 

Luther  Eice  sustained  much  the  same  relation  to  Judson,  as 
Fuller  did  to  Carey.  The  one  held  the  ropes  while  the  other 
went  down  into  the  deep  gold  mine.  He  came  home  from  the 
East  for  the  purpose  of  waking  up  the  Baptist  churches  in 
America  and  engaging  them  in  Foreign  Missions.  It  was 
through  him  that  Judson  wrote  letters  of  promise  and  appeal 
to  his  Baptist  brethren  at  liome,  while  he  in  turn  wrote  letters 
of  encouragement  to  Judson,  keeping  him  informed  of  the 
jirogress  of  tlie  missionary  spirit,  and  assuring  him  of  Baptist 
co-operation  and  sup])ortc. 


LUTHER  RICE  AND  THE  BEGINNINGS  OF  MISSIONS.  173 


He  was  born  in  Kortliborougb,  Mass.,  March  25th,  1783.  He 
was  in  his  early  years  distinguished  for  his  love  of  study  and 
perseverance  in  scientific  pursuits.  He  was  converted  while 
pursuing  his  studies  at  Leicester  Academy.  Entering  Williams 
College  in  1807,  in  the  year  following  he  became  one  of  the  five 
famous  students  who  formed  a secret  missionary  society,  with 
the  constitution  and  signatures  written  in  cipher.  It  has  been 
asserted  that  Mills  was  the  founder  of  this  society.  This  belief 
may  have  been  created  by  the  fact  that  his  name  appears  first 
among  the  signers.  They  all,  however,  signed  the  constitution 
at  the  same  time,  and  it  signifies  nothing  who  put  down  his 
name  first.  Nor  is  the  fact  of  the  existence  of  this  society  very 
important  so  far  as  foreign  missions  are  concerned ; for  it  is 
well  known  that  at  that  time  almost  all  the  members  were 
deliberating  as  to  their  duty  to  the  American  Indians.  And 
could  it  be  proved  that  Mills  was  the  foremost  member  and 
founder  of  this  secret  society,  it  would  still  remain  to  be  shown 
who  was  first  in  turning  his  thoughts  toward  India.* 

Graduating  at  Williams  College  in  1810,  Mr.  Eice  next  be- 
came a student  in  the  then  newly-formed  Andover  Seminary. 
About  the  same  time,  he  united  with  five  of  his  Congrega- 
tional brethren  in  a request  to  the  General  Association  of 
Massachusetts  for  their  advice  and  assistance  in  respect  of  a 

*It  is  usual  for  Pedobaptists  to  make  Mills  the  originator  of  all  our 
foreign  missions ; but  when  called  upon  for  facts  and  crowded  by  arguments, 
they  became  verj'-  devout  in  their  remarks  on  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
God  in  not  allowing  any  one  man  to  have  the  glory  of  being  foremost. 
Such  evasions  are  of  the  nature  of  sophistical  cant.  Luther  Rice  never 
took  any  part  in  the  controversy,  but  his  most  intimate  friends  contended 
that  he  was  the  originator  of  the  project  of  foreign  missions,  so  far  as 
Williams  College  was  concerned.  Soon  after  he  entered  college,  in  1807,  he 
said,  “I  have  deliberately  made  up  my  mind  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
heathen;”  and  added,  “ I do  not  know  but  it  may  be  in  Asia.”  Naturally 
of  a very  comprehensive  mind  and  great  ardor  of  temperament,  it  is  not  at 
all  strange  that  he  should  have  been  the  first  to  compassionate  the  miseries 
of  those  who  dwell  on  the  other  side  of  the  world. 


174 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  mSSTONS. 


mission  to  the  heathen.  But  before  tlie  paper  was  presented, 
his  name  and  that  of  Mr.  Richards,  which  happened  to  stand  at 
the  end  of  the  list,  were  struck  off,  for  fear  of  alarming  the 
Association  with  too  large  a number.  Tlie  result  of  this  appli- 
cation was  the  formation  of  the  American  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners for  Foreign  Missions. 

Mr.  Rice,  as  we  have  seen  elsewhere,  sailed  for  India  from 
Philadeli)hia  at  about  the  same  time  that  Mr.  Judson  em- 
barked at  Salem.  He  appears  to  have  given  some  attention  to 
the  subject  of  Baptism  during  the  voyage ; for  we  are  told  that 
while  at  sea  he  showed  himself  a more  obstinate  friend  of 
Pedobaptism  than  any  of  his  fellow-missionaries.  The  first 
sign  of  any  change  in  his  sentiments  was  while  sojourning  at 
Serampore.  “I  had  no  suspicion  of  iV^  says  Dr.  Carey,  ‘Hill 
one  morning  when  he  came,  before  I was  up,  to  examine  my 
Greek  Testament.’’  He  was  baptized  at  Calcutta,  November 
1st,  about  four  months  after  his  arrival  in  Bengal.* 

In  speaking  of  the  circumstances  which  led  to  Mr.  Rice’s 
return  to  America,  we  have  elsewhere  observed  that  the 
Baptists  of  America  were  farther  advanced  than  commonly 
supposed  in  their  zeal  for  Foreign  Missions,  and  that  Messrs. 
Judson  and  Rice  must  have  known  that  they  hazarded  nothing 
in  being  transferred  to  the  patronage  of  the  Baptist  denomi- 
nation. The  same  vessel  which  carried  Mr.  Rice  to  India 
carried  also  Dr.  Johns,  a British  Baptist  missionary,  who  just 
before  his  embarkation  had  collected  five  thousand  dollars  for 

*It  is  very  generally  supposed  that  Mr.  Rice  did  not  give  any  attention  to 
our  views  of  Baptism  until  after  his  arrival  in  Calcutta,  whereas,  in  fact, 
Br.  Johns,  during  the  voyage,  called  his  attention  to  Dr.  Campbell  s remarks 
on  the  signification  of  the  Greek  word  haptizo^  thus  leading  him  to  suspect 
that  sprinkling  was  not  the  pro])er  mode  of  baptizing.  It  was  also  during 
the  passage  that  his  talks  with  the  British  Baptists,  Messrs.  Johns  and  Lawson, 
and  perhaps  their  wives,  convinced  him  of  the  insulliciency  of  the  reasons 
commonly  given  to  show  that  infants  are  proper  subjects  for  baptism. 


LUTHER  RICE. 


175 


Serampore  from  the  Baptists  of  Boston  and  Salem.  During 
the  five-months  voyage,  if  not  before  he  set  out,  Mr.  Eice  must 
have  heard  Dr.  Johns  express  his  opinion  of  the  missionary 
spirit  of  the  American  Baptists.  Mr.  Eice  was  also  befriended 
by  Baptists  before  he  embarked  for  India.  At  first,  Mr.  Eice 
had  not  expected  to  accompany  Messrs.  Judson,  Kewell  and 
the  rest,  but  to  follow  them  the  next  year.  Consequently  he 
had  not  made  application  to  the  Board  to  be  sent  out  with 
them.  But  he  afterwards  suddenly  made  up  his  mind  to  go 
with  them,  and  applied  to  the  committee,  who,  though  they 
were  not  authorized  to  appoint  a missionary,  permitted  him  to 
be  of  the  party,  provided  he  would  go  out  at  his  own  expense. 
And  within  nine  days  of  the  embarkation  he  begged  funds 
enough  for  his  outfit  and  passage.  ^‘A  handsome  portion^^ 
of  this  came  from  the  liberality  of  the  Baptists.  This  fact  was 
stated  by  him  after  his  return  from  India,  in  reply  to  the 
Treasurer  of  the  Pedobaptist  society,  who  had  requested  him 
to  refund  the  money  expended  on  his  outfit.  He  at  the  same 
time  reminded  the  society  of  the  contrast  between  their  treat- 
ment of  him  and  their  “non-sectarian  professions.’^ 

After  his  return  to  America,  Mr.  Eice  evinced  great  tact, 
activity  and  executive  ability  in  organizing  missionary  societies, 
which  were  afterwards  auxiliaries  of  the  Triennial  Convention. 
Of  these  he  set  on  foot  five  and  twenty  in  the  course  of  the 
year  preceding  the  formation  of  the  Convention.  His  industry 
was  very  great.  He  gave  himself  only  five  or  six  hours  of 
sleep ; the  rest  of  his  time  was  given  to  travelling,  to  collecting 
money,  to  keeping  accounts,  to  writing  letters  and  circulars, 
drafting  reports  and  preparing  sermons.  Though  going  from 
place  to  place,  he  did  not  repeat  his  sermons.  He  made  it  a 
rule  to  select  his  texts  in  the  order  of  the  chapters,  until  he  had 
preached  through  the  entire  ^N’ew  Testament.  Consequently, 
as  his  texts  and  subjects  were  always  fresh,  he  was  constantly 


176 


THE  STOIIY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


pondering  new  matter  for  the  piilint.  He  was  mueh  occupied 
with  business,  and  yet  he  could  ])ass  from  it  to  the  social  circle 
and  to  the  ])ulpit  with  great  ease,  and  i)reach  very  impressive 
and  persuasive  sermons.  As  a speaker,  he  was  natural,  i^ath- 
etic  and  full  of  pertinent  and  practical  thought.  In  ])erson,  h(‘ 
was  tall,  being  about  six  feet  in  height ; in  later  years,  a little 
portly.  Ilis  eyes  were  small,  but  pleasant;  his  voice  was  calm 
and  penetrating,  reaching  distinctly  the  utmost  hearer.  lie 
avoided  cant,  and  ever  appeared  the  hearty,  sincere  and  honest 
man.  Though  fluent,  he  never  spoke  without  having  something 
to  say ; and  if  his  sermons  were  not  written  (they  never  were), 
they  were  well  studied.  Aside  from  the  special  cause  he 
pleaded,  his  influence  as  a mere  preacher  of  the  Gospel  was 
very  great.  It  is  said  that  many  fruits  of  his  labors  are  dis- 
tinctly traced  among  the  Southern  churches.  The  visit  of  Mrs. 
Ann  H.  Judson  to  her  native  land  was  a great  event  in  his  life. 
It  called  up  the  memories  of  da^^s,  when  ^Gife  was  young  and 
hope  was  high,^^  • Her  visit  to  Washington  reminded  his 
brethren  of  his  relation  to  Foreign  Missions  and  to  the  most 
distinguished  of  those  who  were  personally  engaged  in  them. 

For  four  years  more  he  continued  to  serve  as  agent  of  the 
Convention.  But  in  1826,  when  Columbian  College  was  sepa- 
rated from  it,  he  resolved  to  share  the  fortunes  of  his  beloved 
institution.  As  a friend  of  theological  education,  he  was  at  that 
time  in  advance  of  his  Baptist  brethren,  even  of  Mr.  Judson 
himself.  He  was  instrumental  in  raising  the  standard  of  minis- 
terial training  for  missionary  service,  and  in  educating  some  of 
our  most  distinguished  pastors  and  men  of  letters.  Among 
these  was  the  celebrated  Eev.  Dr.  Neale,  of  Boston.  “ When  I 
was  a boy  of  sixteen,’^  says  he,  “living  in  Connecticut  and  with 
no  means  of  defraying  the  expenses  of  my  education,  a letter 
came  to  my  pastor  from  the  Rev.  Luther  Rice,  saying:  “Tell  the 
young  man  to  como  to  Columbian  College,  Washington  City, 


A MEMBER  OF  THE  GIGOCRACY. 


177 


and  I reckon  we  shall  be  able  to  put  him  through.’’  I accord- 
ingly went  to  Washington,  and  found  Mr.  Eice  a warm  friend, 
and  ready  to  aid  me  in  the  severe  struggle  with  poverty  through 
which  I then  and  in  subsequent  years  passed,  in  preparing 
for  the  Christian  ministry.”  * * « jjig  Porse,  Colum- 

bus— named  for  the  College  rather  than  in  honor  of  the  great 
navigator,  and  harnessed  to  the  old  rickety  sulky — was  con- 
stantly on  the  go.  Columbus  was  everywhere  known  as 
familiarly  as  his  master;  and  whenever  he  appeared  at  the 
door  of  minister,  merchant  or  planter,  it  was  understood  that 
a donation  was  wanted  for  the  College.”  How  is  it,”  said  one 
of  the  brethren  to  him  one  day,“  that  you,  who  were  made  for 
a minister  or  missionary,  should  devote  your  whole  life  to  beg- 
ging money  for  that  College*?”  “Well?”  said  Mr.  Eice,  shrug- 
ging his  shoulders,  and  putting  on  a pleasant  and  shrewd  look, 
“ I am  a mystery  to  myself — all  I can  say  is,  that  it  has  pleased 
Almighty  God  to  raise  up  just  such  a man  as  Luther  Eice.  ” 

The  existence  of  Columbian  College  and  the  genesis  of  the 
Triennial  Convention  are  largely  due  to  the  industry,  patience, 
self-denial,  versatility  and  devoted  piety  of  Luther  Eice;  and  if, 
as  has  been  said,  he  had  less  power  to  steer  ships  than  to  build 
and  launch  them,  it  is  equivalent  to  saying  that  he  was  not  a 
universal  genius,  an  Admirable  Crichton,  or  a many-eyed  and 
many-handed  Hindu  god. 

He  was,  to  say  the  least,  respectable  according  to  the  British 
test  of  respectability.  He  was  able  to  ride  in  a gig— a member 
of  the  gigocracy  is,  beyond  all  question,  respectable.  Yes,  and 
Mr.  Eice  was  eminently  and  illustriously  so ; for  when  he  died, 
all  his  property,  which  consisted  mostly  in  Columbus  and  the 
sulky,  he  bequeathed  to  Columbian  College.  We  hope  the 
officials  of  that  institution  (now  a university)  will  never  forget 
that  its  founder  was  not  a judge,  or  a senator,  but  a poor  Bap- 
tist minister. 


178 


THE  STORY  OP  ]i ARTIST  MISSIONS. 


The  privations  and  toils  of  liis  migratory  life  were  only  aj)- 
proached  by  those  of  Bishop  Asbiiry.  His  journeys  lay  through 
wildernesses  of  pine  and  oak,  over  bridgeless  rivers;  through 
the  waters  of  numberless  fords,  across  muddy  valleys,  and  over 
steep  and  almost  pathlj3ss  mountains.  These  tours  extended 
southward  from  Phildelphia  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  west- 
ward from  the  Atlantic  to  middle  Kentucky  and  Tennessee. 
Sometimes,  in  order  to  attend  associations,  he  was  compelled  to 
travel  four  hundred  miles  in  six  days.  During  the  season  of 
associations  he  averaged  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  a 
week.  One  year  he  measured  6, GOO  miles;  another,  7,800.  So 
pressed  for  time  was  he  occasionally,  that  he  would  be  detained 
at  a place  writing  letters  till  midnight,  and  then,  without  sleep, 
set  off  on  his  journey.  How  often  he  lost  himself  we  know  not; 
once,  at  least,  while  travelling  by  night  in  Montgomery  County, 
N.  C.,  as  he  confesses,  he  got  lost,  had  to  pick  his  path  by  night 
along  by-roads,  none  of  them  fenced,  and  but  little  travelled. 
Missing  his  way,  he  found  himself  alone  in  a dreary  wilderness 
and  unable  to  discover  the  points  of  the  compass.  The  new  foot- 
path had,  as  backwoodsmen  would  say,  ended  in  a squirrel-track 
which  ran  up  a tree.  I stopped,’^  says  he,  and  besought  the 
Lord  to  lead  me  out.’^  In  less  than  five  minutes  after  rising 
from  his  knees,  he  fell  into  a road  that  led  him  to  a human  hab- 
itation. His  was  a life  of  rare  self-denial  and  self-sacrifice.  Few 
men  have  cheerfully  endured  so  many  hardships  and  shown 
so  thorough  a consecration  to  Christ.  For  more  than  twenty 
years,  and  until  he  died  in  the  prime  of  life,  he  toiled  in  a region 
that  was  poisonous  to  his  constitution,  through  Winter’s  cold 
and  Summer’s  heat,  in  sunshine  and  storm,  by  day  and  by  night, 
without  a home.  His  devotion  to  the  cause  of  missions  and  of 
ministerial  education  was  complete.  When  his  friends  pre- 
sented to  him  money  to  buy  now  garments,  he  often  employed 
it  in  enlarging  the  contributions  to  Columbian  College.  To 


INDIFFERENCE  OF  AMERICAN  CHRISTIANS. 


179 


meet  the  wants  of  this  institution,  he  relinquished  a patrimony 
of  some  $2,000;  so  that  in  1826  he  was  without  a cent  in  the 
world.  From  that  time  until  his  death,  embracing  a period  of 
ten  years,  he  travelled  almost  constantly  to  preach  and  collect 
for  the  College,  without  the  least  salary  or  support  from  that 
or  any  other  institution.  He  defrayed  his  travelling  expenses 
partly  from  the  sales  of  a few  religious  books,  and  partly  from 
the  gifts  of  individual  friends.  Without  a place  to  lay  his  head 
(the  kind  and  soothing  attentions  of  wife  and  children  he  never 
knew),  he  died  as  he  had  lived,  among  comparative  strangers, 
and  no  tear  of  kindred  affection  bedewed  his  grave. 

Mr.  Eice  died  at  Edgefield,  S.  0.,  September  25th,  1836. 
His  remains  repose  near  the  Pine  Pleasant  Baptist  Church. 
The  South  Carolina  Baptist  Convention  has  caused  a large 
marble  slab  to  be  placed  over  his  grave. 

While  travelling  among  the  Baptists  of  his  native  land,  Mr. 
Eice  met  with  a considerable  number  of  the  friends  of  Foreign 
Missions  who  had  for  ten  years  or  more  been  learning  to  give 
aid  to  the  Serampore  brethren.  Yet  the  state  of  feeling 
among  many  good  Christian  people  in  America  regarding  For- 
eign Missions  was  one  of  indifference,  or  at  best  very  languid 
interest.  When  young  Judson  visited  England,  with  a view  to 
enlist  the  London  Missionary  Society  in  behalf  of  himself  and 
his  fellow-candidates  for  foreign  service,  he  was  compelled  to 
testify  before  the  Committee  that  “zeal  for  missionary  effort 
seems  to  have  been  excited  chiefly,  if  not  entirely,  among  those 
who  have  only  their  personal  services  to  offer.’’  This  want  of 
enthusiasm  in  behalf  of  foreign  missions  was  not  so  much  the 
result  of  avarice  or  unconcern  for  the  progress  of  the  Eedeem- 
er’s  kingdom,  as  of  a very  general  conviction  that  American 
Christians  were  more  clearly  summoned  to  direct  their  mis- 
sionary exertions  to  the  conversion  of  the  aboriginal  savages 
that  were  scattered  in  unknown  numbers  over  a continent, 


THE  STORY  OF  ]iAP'ITST  MISSIONS. 


ISO 

many  parts  of  which  were  equally  unknown.  De^^raded  and 
almost  imbruted  Eed  Men,  idolaters  of  the  worst  description, 
inhabited  tlie  boundless  wilderness  on  the  borders  of  which 
they  were  settled.  Did  not  their  own  providential  situation, 
and  the  maxim  that  ‘‘Charity  begins  at  home,’’  call  aloud: 
“Seek  first  the  conversion  of  the  Indians.” 

The  first  large  legacy  left  for  Foreign  Missions  to  the 
American  Board  of  Commissioners — that  of  Mrs.  Norris — was 
contested  before  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  and  objec- 
tions were  emphatically  urged  against  any  and  all  attempts  to 
evangelize  the  heathen  of  India  until  the  barbarians  of  our  own 
country  should  be  converted  to  Christ.  Happily  justice  i)re- 
vailed,  and  the  thirty  thousand  dollars  in  dispute  ultimately 
went  to  the  cause  of  foreign  evangelization.  Then,  as  now, 
giving  to  benevolent  objects  beyond  the  bounds  of  one’s  own 
parish  was  by  some  considered  as  short-sighted  economy; 
how  much  more  short-sighted  to  give  money  which  was  going 
to  the  other  side  of  the  world,  never  to  return ! One  of  the 
advocates  of  the  validity  of  the  will  mentioned  above  gave 
forth  this  golden  sentence:  “Eeligion  is  a singular  commodity 
— the  more  we  export  of  it,  the  more  we  have  at  home.” 

The  sisterhood  of  the  churches  took  a lively  interest  in 
the  question,  and  discussed  it,  in  parlor  and  kitchen,  with 
considerable  animation.  These  were  the  days  of  female  Mite 
Societies  and  Cent  Societies.  But  the  titles  of  these  little 
organizations  give  no  clue  to  the  amounts  of  money  they  for- 
warded to  the  treasuries  of  the  national  Missionary  Societies. 
Sometimes  almost  all  the  earnings  of  an  industrious  and 
thrifty  woman  would  be  dedicated  to  the  service ; then  again, 
small  fortunes,  at  the  death  of  the  fair  owner,  would,  on  the 
recommendation  of  some  leading  member  of  one  of  these  little 
companies,  be  laid  as  an  oblation  on  the  altar  of  the  important 


cause. 


AMERICAN  WOMEN  AND  THE  FOREIGN  WORK. 


181 


One  (lay,  as  I was  searching  in  our  old  family  grave-yard  for 
certain  dates,  I passed  the  marble  slab  .which  had  been  placed 
at  the  head  of  iny  grandmother’s  grave.  I had  not  visited  it 
since  I was  a wild  and  thoughtless  boy,  and  remembered 
not  a word  of  the  epitaph  that  had  been  cut  into  it.  I saw 
that  it  so  inclined  to  one  edge  that  part  of  the  inscription  was 
buried  beneath  the  sod.  I seized  a hoe  that  was  lying  near, 
and  began  to  hack  away  the  turf.  After  a little  digging,  I 
brought  to  light  the  letter  A,  and  then  the  word  FRIEil^D  ; 
next,  OF.  Kow  my  curiosity  was  fairly  awakened,  and  I 
eagerly  asked  myself,  A friend  of  ivlioyn^  or  of  ivJiatf  Presently 
I exhumed  the  word  MISSIONS.  I shall  not  attempt  to  des- 
cribe my  delight  on  making  that  discovery.  I relate  the  little 
incident  here' as  illustrating  the  earnestness  of  many  Christian 
women,  in  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  on  the  subject 
of  foreign  missions.  From  her  known  solicitude  about  her 
posterity  ( she  composed  and  published  an  elaborate  letter  on 
the  necessity  of  personal  piety,  addressed  to  her  children  and 
grand-children ) , I inferred  that  this  inscription  was  chiselled 
in  the  marble  in  obedience  to  her  death-bed  request.  I was 
led  back  to  those  days  when  Christian  women  were  discussing 
the  subject,  and  taking  sides  for  or  against  foreign  missions; — 
how  she  resolved,  and  persevered  in  her  determination  to  the 
very  brink  of  Jordan. 

Other  women,  perhaps  as  excellent,  decided  in  favor  of 
Indian  missions;  and  not  a few  went  with  their  husbands  as 
missionaries  to  the  Eed  Men  of  the  West.  They  toiled  and 
suffered,  and  some  of  them  died,  martyrs  to  the  cause. 

Many  there  were — and  History  is  sorry  to  record  the  fact, — 
that  were,  on  principle,  opposed  to  all  missions.  They  have 
been  called  by  various  names  of  reproach ; as,  Hard-shells,” 
“Black-rocks,”  “Anti-mission  Baptists.”  Never  were  they 
exceedingly  numerous.  We  have  heard  that  some  of  them 


182 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Still  survive,  but  almost  all  their  churches  have  died  a natural 
death.  ‘‘Natural,’’  did  I say perhai)S  I should  have  said 
very  unnatural.  One  pulpit  orator,  many  years  since,  stigmat- 
ized them  as  “the  fossil  remains  of  Pliaraoli’s  lean  kine.”  This, 
•however,  must  be  said  in  their  favor,  that  they  had  the  courage 
of  their  opinions ; while  too  many  give  to  missions  as  little  as 
they,  yet  in  total  opposition  to  their  avowed  belief,  and  others 
give  much  inconsiderately  and  they  know  not  why. 

But  for  the  blessing  of  the  Master  on  the  exertions  of  Luther 
Rice,  the  last-mentioned  classes  of  professors  would  have  been 
very  numerous  to-day.  To  adopt  the  language  of  Professor 
William  Gammell:  “He  addressed  to  hundreds  of  congrega- 
tions the  rapt  predictions  of  the  prophets  and  the  thrilling 
exhortations  of  the  Apostles,  concerning  the  extension  and 
ultimate  triumph  of  the  Redeemer’s  kingdom  among  men.  He 
had  himself  stood  amidst  the  temples  of  heathenism,  and  had 
witnessed  their  cruel  abominations.  As,  with  his  ardent  imagi- 
nation, he  drew  the  life-pictures  of  those  benighted  lands, 
multitudes  would  hang  upon  his  lips  and  follow  his  footsteps 
with  an  enthusiasm  tliat  has  seldom  been  known  since  the  days 
of  the  eloquent  Whitefield.  * * His  name  deserves  to  be 

enrolled  among  the  ablest  and  most  devoted  of  the  founders 
of  our  American  Missions;  for  he  accomplished  a work  which 
no  one  of  his  contemporaries  could  possibly  have  achieved.” 

Nor  should  it  be  forgotten  that  he  adopted  all  such  means 
of  doing  good  as  were  within  his  reach.  He  not  only  preached 
on  Missions;  he  also  carried  about  with  him  and  circulated 
books  on  the  subject,  particularly  the  memoirs  of  Mrs.  Judson 
and  of  Mr.  Boardman.  The  minister  of  the  Gospel  who  fails 
to  employ  the  agency  of  the  evangelical  press  is  four  hundred 
years  behind  the  age. 

Much  of  his  devotion,  perseverance  and  efficiency  as  a great 
Christian  i)ionecr  must,  \ve  suppose,  be  attributed  to  his  single, 


THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  ‘‘SINGLE  BLESSEDNESS.” 


183 


or  “angelic’’  life.  The  great  bishop  Asbury,  like  him  in  his 
solitariness,  was  also  like  him  as  a traveller  and  explorer  over 
the  same  vast  regions  of  the  South.  The  planters  of  that  day 
were  feudal  barons,  living  far  apart.  Their  mansions  were 
connected  rather  by  bridle-paths  than  roads.  “ Columbus  ” 
had  often  to  discover  by  instinct  his  Avays  under  thickets  of 
oak  and  through  fords  of  deep  and  rapid  waters,  where  the 
sagacity  of  his  master  was  fearfully  helpless.  The  darkness  of 
night  and  the  remoteness  of  any  human  habitation,  as  well  as 
the  rage  of  American  wolves  and  catamounts  upon  finding  their 
haunts  thus  invaded,  would  have  made  a married  man  think 
painfully  of  his  wife  and  little  ones,  and  of  the  probability  that 
they  would  see  him  no  more.  But  Mr.  Eice,  having  no  home 
but  heaven,  could  imperil  his  life  without  these  fears  or  regrets. 
Besides,  he  had  to  lead  a life  of  dependence  and  poverty. 
Some  fair  reader  may  ask  “Would  not  the  companionship  of  a 
self-sacrificing  wife  have  cheered  him  by  the  example  of  her 
martyr-like  devotedness  1 There  is  no  piety,  you  know.  Sir, 
like  that  of  woman,  none  so  self-oblivious,  none  so  disdainful 
of  ease,  of  health  and  of  life  itself.  Was  she  not  last  at  the 
cross,  and  first  at  the  sepulchre!”  Assuredly,  madam;  and 
let  these  great  truths  be  often  brought  to  mind  by  pulpit  and 
press.  But  still,  it  may  be  good,  for  some  of  our  Christian 
ladies,  lest  they  should  think  too  highly  of  themselves,  to 
remember  that  the  being  who  was  crucified  for  our  redemption 
was  a man,  and  a single  man  at  that. 

It  is  right  to  add  that  it  was  not  Mr.  Eice’s  original  plan  to 
live  a single  life.  While  a student,  there  was  a strong  attach- 
ment, mutually  indulged,  between  himself  and  a young  lady  of 
piety  and  of  highly  respectable  connections,  and  whose  mind 
long  oscillated  respecting  her  duty  to  leave  her  native  land. 
For  a long  time  he  hoped  she  might  be  willing  to  share  with  him 

in  the  perils  and  privileges  of  a foreign  mission ; but  at  length  a 
14 


184 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


distinct  negative  was  given  to  the  question,  and  releasing  him 
from  all  engagements  with  her,  provided  he  should  determine 
to  go  to  India.  lie  was  very  reluctant,  even  with  her  consent, 
to  leave  her;  but  after  many  painful  thouglits  on  the  subject, 
he  resolved  to  forsake  all  and  follow  Christ  wherever  he  saw 
His  foot-prints.  In  the  light  of  this  i)art  of  his  history  it  was 
that  the  Eev.  Dr.  J.  13.  Jeter,  in  preaching  at  Eichmond 
a sermon  commemorative  of  his  death,  very  hai)pily  selected  as 
his  text.  Matt,  xix : 29,  Every  one  that  hath  forsaken  wife  or 
children,  etc.’^ 

Luther  Eice  sometimes  complained  of  his  lonesomeness. 
This  reminds  us  of  another  missionary  spirit  who  was  not  a 
stranger  to  it.  Two  years  before  he  found  a lonely  grave  in 
South  Carolina,  there  died  at  Maulmain,  of  jungle  fever,  a 
maiden  missionary,  of  brief  but  most  affecting  biography.  Miss 
Sarah  Cummings.  A native  of  Y^armouth,  Maine,  she  had  gone 
out  in  company  with  Messrs.  Simons  and  Hancock,  who  landed 
on  January  1st,  18J3.  Soon  after  her  arrival,  before  she  had 
acquired  the  language,  taking  with  her  the  Burman  teacher 
whom  she  had  engaged,  she  went  out  to  occupy  the  secluded 
station  which  had  just  then  been  planted  in  the  wilderness  at 
Chummerah.  Here  she  continued  till  June,  when  she  was 
taken  sick,  and  was  obliged  to  return  to  Maulmain  for  medical 
treatment.  She  resumed  her  station  in  July,  but  at  the  close 
of  September,  her  Burman  teacher  fell  sick.  Her  studies  being 
thus  interupted,  and  jungle  fever  beginning  to  prevail,  she 
had  the  sick  man  placed  in  a boat,  superintending  the  loading 
of  it  herself,  amidst  torrents  of  rain,  and  set  out  for  Maulmain. 
She  returned  to  Chummerah  in  December,  and  remained,  with 
the  exception  of  a few  days,  a year  and  a half,  until  her  last 
illness. 

Here  in  a cottage  of  leaves,  at  a distance  of  sixty  miles  from 
the  nearest  habitation  of  civilized  men,  she  cheerfully  resided, 


A MAIDEN  MISSIONARY  IN  THE  JUNGLE. 


185 


in  the  Karen  jungle,  studying  the  language,  superintending  the 
school,  ministering  to  the  sick,  and  by  her  presence  and  activity 
winning  the  confidence  of  the  natives  and  imparting  energy 
and  order  to  all  the  operations  of  the  station.  A little  church 
was  organized,  of  which  native  assistants  took  such  pastoral 
care  as  they  were  able.  But  the  brave  leader  of  the  little  band 
was  soon  summoned  to  a less  dangerous  field  of  service. 
Seized  with  the  jungle  fever,  she  hastened  to  Maulmain  for 
medical  aid;  but  she  was  beyond  human  skill,  and  departed 
hence  on  the  Lord’s  day,  in  August,  1834.  She  was  unconscious 
during  the  last  hours  upon  earth,  but  left  better  evidence  of 
preparation  for  heaven  than  can  be  furnished  by  a joyful  death 
— the  evidence  of  a holy  and  benevolent  life.  ‘‘  In  all  her  lone- 
liness and  trials,  amidst  all  her  toils  among  the  children  of  the 
wilderness,  without  a friend  to  assist  her,  or  even  a white  face 
to  look  upon,  she  was  uniformly  calm,  patient,  self-denying  and 
heavenly-minded.  In  a letter  written  at  the  end  of  her  first 
year  at  Chummerah,  she  briefly  and  in  an  unpretending  manner 
records  the  events  and  employments  of  the  year,  winding  up 
with  this  testimony : Crosses,  self-denials,  sulferings  and 
trials — none  have  I to  mention,  worthy  of  the  name.  The 
evils  I anticipated  have  not  been  realized,  and  a year  happier 
than  has  been  the  past,  have  I never  seen.” 

The  only  scrap  of  writing  which  she  left  was  a kind  of  Alma- 
nac for  1834,  prepared  for  her  own  use,  with  a paragraph  affixed 
of  which  the  following  prayer  is  a part: 

“ Thou  hast  by  Thy  good  providence  led  me  into  this  wilder- 
ness, and  here  Tbou  hast  often  times  spoken  comfortably  to 
me.  I bless  and  adore  Thee  for  Thy  great  goodness.  Who  of 
all  Thy  daughters  is  more  highly  favored!  And  now.  Lord, 
come  unto  me  and  make  Thine  abode  with  me.  Without  Thee 
I am  a lonely  being  indeed ; but  with  Thee  no  one  less  so.” 


180 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


She  eould  sing  with  Oheiliii,  the  broken-hearted  widower 
among  the  Ali)iiie  rocks,  and  the  i)astor  of  a semi -barbarous 
dock : 


“ Thy  glorious  eye  pervadeth  space; 

Tliy  presence,  Lord,  fills  every  place; 
And  whereso’er  my  lot  may  be. 

Still  shall  my  spirit  cleave  to  Thee. 

Renouncing  every  earthly  thing. 

And  safe  beneath  thy  spreading  wing, 
My  chief  desire  henceforth  shall  be. 

To  dedicate  myself  to  Thee.” 


Hindus  Canying  Offerings  to  an  Idol. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


THE  BAPTIST  TRIENNIAL  CONVENTION. 

Preparations  for  Organized  Mission  Work. — Dr.  Baldwin  and  Dr.  Staiighton. 
— Sums  of  Money  sent  to  Carey  from  American  Female  Mite  and 
Cent  Societies. — Baptist  Missionary  Magazine. — Demand  for  a National 
Society. — Young  Judson's  Doubts  about  the  Christian  uses  of  the 
Abrahamic  Covenant. — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  become  Baptists. — Forma- 
tion of  a Baptist  Missionary  Societ}^  in  Boston. — Mr.  Bice  appointed  to 
travel  through  the  Middle  and  Southern  States. — Rallies  the  Baptists  to 
meet  in  General  Convention  at  Philadelphia. — Names  of  some  of  the 
Leading  Delegates. — Object  of  the  Triennial  Convention. — The  Conven- 
tion friendly  to  the  Unity  and  Harmony  of  the  Denomination. — Adopt 
Judson  as  their  Missionary. — Rice  appointed  General  Agent. — A Theo- 
logical School  begun. — Site  for  Columbian  College,  D.  C. — Pecuniary 
Troubles  in  relation  to  the  College. — Mr.  Rice  made  the  Scape-goat. — 
Triennial  Meeting  of  1823;  Mrs.  Ann  H.  Judson  present. — Seat  of  the 
Convention  transferred  to  Boston. — Triennial  Meeting  at  Richmond, Va. 
in  1835. — Rev.  Howard  Malcoin  appointed  to  visit  the  Missions  in  Asia. 
Rev.  Solomon  Peck  appointed  Assistant  Secretary. — An  Inattentive 
King. — Debates  on  Slavery. — The  Alabama  State  Convention  asks  the 
Board  at  Boston  to  dofino  their  Position. — The  Present  Critic's  humble 
opinion  on  the  Powers  of  Boards  in  Like  Cases. — The  Reply  of  the  Board 
the  Morning  Gun  of  Inter-denominational  War.— Organization  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention. — Dr.  Judson  at  the  Meeting  of  the  Conven- 
tion at  Richmond,  Va. — The  Rev.  Mr.  Shuck,  of  the  IMission  to  China, 
enters  the  Service  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention. — The  Triennial 
Convention,  with  some  Modifications,  takes  the  Name  and  Form  of  the 
present  “ American  Baptist  Missionary  Union.” 

FIEST  of  our  Missionary  Societies  was  formed  in 
the  State  of  New  York,  in  the  year  1796.  Both  Baptists 
and  Presbyterians  were  its  patrons.  The  “Massachusetts  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  was  organized  in  1802.  Its  object 
was  “to  furnish  occasional  preaching,  and  to  promote  the 
knowledge  of  evangelical  truth  in  the  new  settlements;  or. 


188 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


furtlier,  if  eircniiistniiw^s  should  render  it  ])roi)er.”  In  tlie 
yoiir  18()3j  Dr.  Thddwiii,  at  tlu‘.  recinest  of  tlie  Society,  eoin- 
meiiecd  the  puhlieatioii  of  the  MassackusetU  Bapiisf  Misslonari/ 
Magazine.  Aiiotlier  leading  spirit  of  this  enterprise  was  Dr. 
Stoughton,  then  settled  at  Burlington,  X.  J.  An  Englishman  hy 
birth  and  edneation,  he  ha])i)eiied  to  be  present  at  Ketbning  in 

1792,  at  the  n(‘ver-to-be- 
forgotten  meeting  of  ]>ap- 
tist  miinsters  at  which  was 
formed  ‘^The  Ba])tist  Soci- 
ety for  Bro])agating  the 
Gosi)el  among  the  Hea- 
then.” He  did  not,  as  has 
been  generally  snj)i)osed, 
sign  the  Constitution — 
having  but  lately  closed 
his  studies  at  Bristol,  and 
not  yet  settled.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-three,  he 
was  sent  out  to  America 
to  take  a i)astoral  charge 
at  Georgetown,  S.  C.  In  spite  of  tempting  offers  to  settle  in 
England,  he  chose  to  come  to  a land  that  on  his  arrival 
was  little  more  than  an  unexplored  and  pathless  wilderness. 
After  his  settlement  among  ns,  he  kept  up  a fraternal  cor- 
respondence with  Fuller  and  Kyland,  and  other  friends  of 

the  heathen,  whom  he  had  left  behind  in  England.  Ilis  house 

was  ahva^^s  open  to  welcome  the  young  British  missionaries 
Avho  w(*re  eom])elled  by  the  regulations  of  the  East  India 
(k)m])any  to  go  out  to  India  by  Avay  of  America,  and  in  Amer- 
ican shi])S.  In  our  sketch  of  iMr.  Chamberlain,  w'e  find  him,  on 
landing  in  Xfwv  York  in  1802,  ])ro(*eeding  to  Burlington  to 
sjxmd  a f(wv  days  in  the  iamily  of  Dr.  Stanghton.  As  these 


MITE  SOCIETIES  AND  CENT  SOCIETIES.  . 


189 


missionaries  often  embarked  at  New  York,  their  stay  in  that 
city  was  sometimes  prolonged  by  waiting  for  a passage,  or  the 
detention  of  ^ ship.  Meanwhile  they  would  be  invited  to  make 
addresses  or  preach  sermons  on  the  subject  of  Missions.  ‘‘I 
well  remember,^^  says  Dr.  Wayland,  “ in  my  boyhood,  the  tem- 
porary residence  of  such  missionaries  in  New  York,  and  the 
deep  interest  which  their  presence  occasioned  in  all  the 
churches  in  that  city.’’  Dr.  W.  E.  Williams,  then  a boy,  also 
remembers  that  some  of  these  British  missionaries  sojourned 
at  the  parsonage  of  the  Oliver  Street  Baptist  Church,  of  which 
his  father,  the  Eev.  John  Williams,  was  the  pastor.  In  a letter 
to  the  latter,  Dr.  Carey  says:  “The  Lord  has  wonderfully 
stirred  up  the  whole  religious  world  of  every  denomination,  to 
favor  the  work  in  which  we  are  engaged,  and  to  contribute 
pecuniary  assistance  to  a large  amount.  Our  American  friends 
have  a special  claim 'upon  our  gratitude  in  this  respect.” 
Kobert  Ealston,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  himself  a liberal  donor, 
was  made  the  almoner  of  most  of  the  American  contributions 
to  the  Serampore  Mission.  During  the  years  1806  and  1807,  he 
remitted  to  India  about  $6000,  which  Dr.  Carey  gratefully 
acknowledged. 

But,  as  early  as  1804,  female  Mite  Societies  and  Cent  Soci- 
eties began  to  be  organized  in  the  principal  towns.  The 
Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine^  begun  in  1803,  had 
an  extensive  circulation  throughout  the  country.  It  contained 
letters  to  Dr.  Baldwin  from  Carey,  Fuller  and  Eyland,  and 
general  missionary  intelligence  from  India.  In  many  instances 
the  incomes  of  the  Mite  Societies  were  devoted  to  foreign 
missions. 

As  yet,  however,  there  was  no  great  national  society  through 
whose  agency  American  Baptists  could  carry  forward  the  work 
of  foreign  missions.  But  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  on  the  face 
of  the  waters.  In  mid-ocean,  on  board  the  brig  Caravan^  a 


100 


THE  STORY  OE  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


young  Congregational  missionary  was  anxiously  turning  over 
tlio  leaves  of  liis  Greek  Testament,  examining,  in  tlie  light  of 
its  pages,  the  relation  of  infants  and  servants  to  the  Abrahamic 
Covenant,  and  the  real  meaning  of  Baptism.  The  more  he 
examined  these  subjects,  the  more  was  lie  afraid  that  the 
Baptists  were  right  and  he  wrong.  Tlie  result  of  these  inves- 
tigations wdiile  tumbling  about  upon  the  great  waters  Ave  have 
already  ascertained. 

AYhen  the  intelligence  of  the  baptism  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Judsonand  Luther  Bice  reached  Boston,  in  February,  1813,  it 
caused  no  small  commotion  among  the  Baptists  of  that  city. 
Immediately  on  the  reception  of  Mr.  Judsoids  letter  addressed 
to  him.  Dr.  Baldwin  invited  several  leading  Baptist  ministers 
of  Massachusetts  to  meet  him  at  his  house  to  deliberate  on  the 
all-absorbing  question  of  the  day.  Upon  comparing  opinions, 
they  found  themselves  of  one  mind,  and  forthwith  proceeded 
to  form  what  they  called  “ The  Bajitist  Society  for  Propagating 
the  Gospel  in  India  and  other  Foreign  Parts. They  authorized 
their  Secretary,  Dr.  Sharp,  to  write  to  Mr.  Judson,  assuring 
him  that  the  American  churches  would  assume  his  support  as 
their  own  missionary  in  India.  In  September  of  the  same  year, 
at  a meeting  of  the  Board,  delegates  from  the  Haverhill  and 
Salem  Foreign  Mission  Societies  were  in  attendance.  Mr. 
Bice,  who  had  just  arrived  from  India,  was  also  present.  He 
had,  as  we  have  seen,  returned  for  the  express  purpose  of 
making  appeals  in  behalf  of  foreign  missions.  And  accordingly 
he  was  appointed  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  Philadelphia 
Association,  in  order  to  present  the  cause  to  the  churches  of 
that  old  and  flourishing  organization,  and  then  to  proceed 
south,  encouraging  the  Southern  churches  to  form  missionary 
societies  to  co-operate  with  those  of  Boston,  Salem  and  Haver- 
hill. 

Ill  compliance  with  this  appointment,  Mr.  Bice  travelled 


THE  TRIENNIAL  CONVENTION. 


191 


quite  extensively  in  the  Middle  and  Southern  States,  visiting 
churches  and  associations,  giving  graphic  accounts  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  heathen,  as  he  had  himself  witnessed  it,  and 
making  eloquent  appeals  to  the  people  in  behalf  of  the  new 
missionary  enterprise.  He  was  everywhere  received  with  a 
cordial  welcome  and  great  enthusiasm.  Churches  of  other 
denominations,  as  well  as  his  own,  were  opened  to  him.  He 
organized  many  missionary  societies,  and  obtained  large  dona- 
tions from  individuals  and  from  churches.  Other  leading 
ministers  addressed  churches  and  associations  on  tlie  subject; 
and  the  public  sentiment  thus  created  seemed  to  demand  the 
formation  of  a national  society  for  the  promotion  of  missions. 
Hence  the  societies  scattered  over  the  older  States  agreed  to 
send  delegates  to  a general  meeting  in  some  central  city,  for 
the  purpose  of  organizing  such  national  society. 

Philadelphia  was  fixed  upon  as  the  place  of  meeting,  and  so, 
on  the  18th  of  May,  1814,  the  delegates  assembled.  Among 
the  names  then  enrolled  we  find  those  of  very  gifted  and  dis- 
tinguished men,  such  as  Tliomas  Baldwin,  Lucius  Bolles, 
Stephen  Gano,  John  Williams,  William  Staughton,  Horatio 
G.  Jones,  Obadiah  B.  Brown,  Luther  Bice,  Bobert  B.  Semple^ 
Bichard  Furman,  Matthias  B.  Tallmage,  William  B.  Johnson 
and  others.  The  meeting  was  organized  by  the  choice  of  Bev. 
Dr.  Furman,  of  South  Carolina,  as  President,  and  Bev.  Dr. 
Baldwin,  of  Massachusetts,  as  Secretary. 

The  object  of  this  Convention  was  declared  to  be  the  sending 
of  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to  the  heathen;  and  in  pursu- 
ance of  this  end,  the  Convention  continued,  for  many  years, 
to  be  a very  efficient  organization.  It  served  to  unite  the 
distant  and  diversified  churches  in  one  vast  fraternal  self- 
denying  and  beneficent  purpose.  It  undermined  the  great 
ugly  image  of  Mammon  at  home,  in  the  very  act  of  sending 
money  to  help  destroy  the  idols  that  rule  and  ruin  the  other 


192 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


side  of  our  terraqueous  g]ohe.  Tt  sifted  tliose  eli undies  from 
their  selfisliness,  and  wliile  it  made  them  more  excdusive  tlian 
ever  in  their  cliurch-fellowship,  it  enabled  them  to  exercise  the 
charities  of  a more  general  and  more  sociable  Christian  fellow- 
ship. 

One  of  the  first  resolves  of  the  Board  of  tlie  Convention  was 
that  the  Eev.  Adoniram  Jiidson,  nowin  India,  be  considered  as 
their  missionary,  and  that  provision  be  made  for  the  support  of 
himself  and  himily.  The  Board  also  appointed  Mr.  Eice  to  be 
their  missionary,  but  he  was  directed  to  continue  his  itinerant 
service  in  the  United  Htates,  with  a view  to  enlist  the  public 
mind  in  missionaiy  exertions,  and  to  assist  in  organizing  such 
societies  or  institutions  as  would  serve  to  carry  the  missionary 
design  into  successful  execution. 

The  general  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  Convention  was, 
according  to  its  constitution,  to  take  place  only  once  in  three 
years;  and  accordingly  its  first  triennial  gathering  was  held  in 
Philadelphia  in  May,  1817.  At  this  meeting  the  Convention 
added  to  its  great  object  another  which  was  then  regarded  as 
ancillary  to  it,  namely,  ministerial  education.  Dr.  Staughton  and 
Mr.  Eice,  both  from  the  first  leading  promoters  of  the  work  of 
the  Convention,  had  for  some  time  before  this  convocation  taken 
occasional  opportunities  to  draw  the  attention  of  their  breth- 
ren to  the  importance  of  an  educated  ministry  in  order  to  a 
more  efiicient  ])rosecution  of  the  missionary  work.  In  the  first 
address  of  the  Convention  to  its  constituents  the  importance  of 
a theological  seminary  was  distinctly  stated;  and  the  meeting 
of  1817  conditionally  authorized  the  establishment  of  such  an 
institution.  The  Bai)tists  of  Philadelphia  having  already  an  edu- 
cation society,  generously  jiassed  over  its  funds  to  the  treasury 
of  the  Convention,  and  similar  societies  in  other  parts  of  the 
United  States  were  invited  to  follow  their  example. 

]\Ir.  Eice,  who  at  this  meeting  had  asked  his  brethren  of  the 


ADOPTION  OF  COLUMBIAN  COLLEGE. 


193 


Board  distinctly  to  express  their  views  respecting  the  question 
of  his  immediate  return  to  Burmah,  was  told  that  it  was  not  his 
duty  to  depart  as  yet  for  the  Burman  empire,  but  to  continue 
to  act  as  general  agent  of  the  Board  in  the  United  States.  At 
the  meeting  of  the  Board  in  the  year  1818,  Mr.  Eice  was 
instructed  to  make  collections  and  solicit  individual  donations 
for  the  proposed  seminary.  A number  of  young  men,  patron- 
ized by  the  Board,  had  already  commenced  their  studies  in 
Philadelphia,  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Staughton. 

Mr.  Eice  now  gave  himself  to  the  work  of  raising  funds  for 
the  endowment  of  the  contemplated  seminary.  Meanwhile  it 
was  thought  very  desirable  to  give  the  institution  a fixed 
habitation  and  name.  Because  of  its  centrality,  the  city  of 
Washington  was  considered  the  most  suitable  situation.  A 
lot  on  a commanding  hill,  about  a mile  north  of  the  Executive 
Mansion,  was  purchased  in  1819,  and  buildings  commenced. 
At  the  second  meeting  of  the  Triennial  Convention,  in  1820,  Mr. 
Eice  reported  that  he  had  raised  money  enough  to  pay  for  the 
land  and  to  authorize  the  erection  of  the  buildings.  The  insti- 
tution was  incorporated  by  Congress  in  1821.  President  Monroe 
and  other  public  functionaries  expressed  decided  approbation 
of  the  plan.  Dr.  Staughton,  the  zealous  and  intelligent  friend 
of  Foreign  Missions,  was  elected  President  and  Professor  of 
Ehetoric.  The  Convention  adopted  the  College  as  their  own, 
and  continued  Mr.  Eice  their  agent  in  its  behalf,  with  special 
instructions  not  to  contract  debts.  But  from  various  causes 
the  income  from  all  sources  failed  to  cover  the  growing  indebt- 
edness; and  the  difficulties  which  the  Trustees  of  the  College 
and  the  Board  of  the  Convention  had  to  face  grew  more  and 
more  embarrassing,  until  the  triennial  meeting  of  1826,  when  this 
body  withdrew  from  all  pecuniary  responsibility  in  relation  to 
he  College. 

Mr.  Eice  was  at  the  time  much  blamed  for  his  lack  of  busi- 


104 


THE  STOllY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


ness  sagacity;  but  the  late  Dr.  Neale,  who  knew  him  intimately, 
has  testified  that  he  never  heard  his  moral  or  Cliristian  integrity 
called  in  question.  In  almost  every  great  financial  fix,  it  is 
natural  and  common  enough  to  make  some  individual  the 
scapegoat  of  the  company,  the  board  or  the  corporation;  and 
accordingly  Mr.  Rice  was  superseded  by  Rev.  Robert  B. 
Semple,  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  the  Baptist  preachers  of 
Yirginia,  and  a man  of  known  tlirift  and  economy,  but  unhappily 
in  feeble  health,  and  destined  to  end  his  mortal  career  three 
years  afterwards,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two. 

But  to  return  to  the  history  of  the  Convention.  The  third 
triennial  meeting  was  held  in  Washington  in  May,  1823.  The 
chief  event  of  its  session  was  the  visit  of  Mrs.  Ann  II.  Judson, 
who  had  returned  to  America  in  the  previous  year.  Her 
conversations  with  the  leading  members  of  the  Convention,  and 
her  statements  before  a committee  appointed  to  confer  with 
her  respecting  the  Burman  Mission,  led  to  the  adoption  of 
several  important  measures.  About  this  time  her  History  of 
the  Burman  Mission  was  i)ublished. 

In  1824  the  Board  and  not  a few  of  the  patrons  of  Foreign 
Missions,  becoming  dissatisfied  with  the  relation  of  Columbian 
College  to  the  Convention,  resolved  to  transfer  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Burman  Mission  to  the  care  of  an  executive 
committee  at  Boston.  Another  consideration  also  had  weight 
in  bringing  about  this  proceeding.  The  Asiatic  trade  of  the 
United  States  being  at  that  time  chiefly  confined  to  Boston  and 
Salem,  it  was  thought  that  greater  facilities  were  needed  for 
communication  with  the  Burman  missionaries  than  were 
afi'orded  while  the  seat  of  the  business  transactions  of  the 
Mission  was  at  Washington.  In  1826  the  Rev.  Dr.  Staughton 
resigned  Ids  office  as  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Board, 
and  the  same  year  the  entire  business  of  the  Convention  was 
transferred  to  Boston.  The  Rev.  Lucius  Bolles,  D.  D,,  was 


REV.  HOWARD  MALCOM  SENT  TO  THE  EAST. 


105 


appointed  Coresponding  Secretary,  and  requested  to  devote  liis 
undivided  attention  to  the  duties  of  his  office;  the  lion.  Hemaii 
Lincoln  was  ax)pointed  treasurer. 

The  events  of  the  history  of  the  Convention  were  of  little  pop- 
ular interest  until  the  eighth  triennial  meeting,  which  was  held 
at  Kichmond,  Virginia,  in  May,  1835.  There  were  i^resent  Messrs. 
Cox  and  Hoby,  delegates 
from  the  English  Bai)tist 
Union,  who  had  been  sent 
over  to  the  meeting  for 
the  i)urpose  of  cultivating 
more  fraternal  relations 
between  the  Baptist  chur- 
ches and  other  ecclesias- 
tical bodies  of  England 
and  America.  Never  be 
fore  had  the  Convention 
held  its  triennial  meeting 
so  far  in  the  South,  and 
consequently  at  no  i)re- 
vious  meeting  had  so  many 
brethren  from  the  Southern  States  been  i)resent  to  enliven  its 
sessions  with  their  enthusiastic  eloquence. 

In  the  autumn  of  1835  the  Board  appointed  one  of  their 
number,  the  Bev.  Howard  Malcom,  to  visit  the  missions  in  Asia. 
He  sailed  from  the  United  States  in  the  fall  of  1835,  in  company 
with  fourteen  missionaries.  After  an  absence  of  two  years 
and  six  months,  he  returned  to  this  country,  arriving  in 
March,  1838.  His  volumes  of  Travels  in  South-Eastern  Asia’^ 
were  published  soon  after  his  return,  and  were  extensively  read. 
They  have  been  approved  by  some  of  our  most  accomplished 
critics,  as  well  for  the  value  of  their  matter  as  for  the  ideas- 
autuess  of  their  style.  In  183G  the  Bev.  Solomon  Peck  was 


Rev.  Richard  Furman, D.  D. 


J96 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


elected  Assistant  Corresponding  Secretary,  and  in  1838,  Corres- 
ponding Secretary  for  the  Foreign  Department,  an  office  which 
he  held  for  many  years  after  in  the  Missionary  Union. 

By  the  bye:  Mr.  Jndson,  in  his  deposition  before  Mr.  Commis- 
sioner Crawfurd,  at  the  close  of  the  Burman  war  in  182G,  testifies 
that  he  frequently  conversed  with  the  King  at  Ava,  on  religion, 
geography  and  history,  for  ten  minutes  or  a quarter  of  an  hour 
together.  His  majesty  was  incapable  of  giving  his  attention  to  any 
subject  for  a longer  time.  Now,  patient  reader,  if  you  have  any 
such  feeble  powers  of  attention,  be  assured  that  w^e  will  soon 
give  your  mind  a recess. 

Passing  over  dreary  years  of  necessary  but  tedious  business, 
we  now  approach  very  memorable  events.  The  question  of 
Slavery  had  for  many  years  been  agitated  in  other  jfiaces, 
before  it  found  its  way  into  the  anniversary  meetings  of  benev- 
olent societies.  About  the  year  1844  it  began  to  engross  the 
attention  of  almost  all  good  Christian  ])eople.  Commerce, 
politics  and  religion  felt  its  disturbing  influence,  and  it  was  at 
length  found  that  the  unity  of  the  Triennial  Convention  was 
threatened  by  dissensions  about  Slavery.  The  treasury  of  the 
society  saw  streams  that  formerly  flowed  into  it  turned  aside 
into  new  channels.  Many  men  of  wealth,  and  some  churches, 
withheld  their  usual  contributions  on  the  ground  that  they  had 
scruples  against  affording  any  aid  to  a society  that  received  the 
money  of  slaveholders,  and  was  perhaps  willing  to  send  out 
slaveholding  missionaries  to  pagan  lands.  Meanwhile  the  Bap- 
tists of  the  South  began  to  fear  that  their  rights  as  members 
of  the  society  were  put  in  jeopardy  by  the  declarations 
of  some  Northern  religious  newspapers,  preachers  and  lec- 
turers. Hence  the  Alabama  State  Convention  passed  a series 
of  resolutions  on  the  subject,  in  which,  among  other  things, 
th(;y  demanded  of  tlie  acting  Board  an  explicit  avowal  that 
slaveholders  were  eligible  and  entitled  equally  with  iionslave- 


A SPLIT  ON  TnE  SLAVERY  QUESTION. 


197 


holders  to  any  appointments,  either  as  agents  or  as  mission- 
aries, in  the  gift  of  the  Board.  To  this  the  Board  replied, 
among  other  things,  that  in  respect  of  the  question  whether  a 
person  holding  slaves,  but  possessing  in  other  respects  the 
requisite  qualifications,  would  be  appointed  as  a missionary,  the 
Board  declared  that  “ if  any  one  should  offer  himself  as  a mis- 
sionary, having  slaves,  and  should  insist  on  retaining  them  as 
his  property,  they  could  not  appoint  hiin.'^  It  is  now  too  late  in 
the  day  to  discuss  the  general  question  of  Slavery,  but  it  seems 
pretty  clear  to  us  that  the  acting  Board  exceeded  its  constitu- 
tional powers  when  it  entertained  for  a moment  the  series 
of  resolutions  from  Alabama.  All  such  papers  properly  be- 
longed to  the  deliberations  of  the  Triennial  Convention,  whence 
the  Board  derived  its  existence. 

The  action  of  the  Southern  churches  was  perhaps  equally 
premature.  The  members  of  the  Convention  residing  in  the 
Southern  States  ought,  as  it  appears  to  us,  to  have  held  their 
grievances  in  abeyance  until  the  next  meeting  of  the  Triennial 
Convention,  in  which  they  still  had  a voice.  Instead  of  this, 
however,  they  and  their  Southern  friends  forthwith  renounced 
all  their  rights  in  the  Convention,  and  created  a new  organization 
called  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention.  In  view  of  this  action, 
an  extra  session  of  the  General  Convention  was  held  in  Kew 
York  city,  in  IN'ovemberjlSIo,  when  preparations  were  made  for 
obtaining  enabling  acts  from  the  legislatures  of  Massachusetts 
and  Pennsylvania,  whereby  a new  organization  could  be  formed 
which  should  hold  the  property  belonging  to  the  General  Con- 
vention, and,  at  the  same  time,  make  such  modifications  of  its 
aims  and  constitution  as  were  better  suited  to  the  new  attitude 
and  convictions  of  the  Baptists  of  the  North.  At  this  special 
meeting  Mr.  Judson  was  present  and  made  a short  address. 
He  had  been  in  his  native  land  but  a few  weeks,  for  the  first 
time  after  an  absence  of  thirty-three  years ; and  he  did  not  con- 


198 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


sidor  it  as  his  duty  to  take  any  ])ait  in  tlie  eoiitroversies  of  the 
hour.  He  was  equally  uoii-eoiiiiuittal  when  he  visited  Itiehiiioiid 
and  attended  that  lueetiug’  of  the  Southern  Jhi[)tist  Couviudion, 
at  which  Dr.  Jeter  made  to  him  his  eloquent  welcoming 
address. 

The  new  organization  commenced  business  in  iMay,  bSlb,  under 
the  name  of  the  ‘‘American  Baptist  ^Missionary  Union.”  The 
Itev.  Mr.  Shuck,  of  the  mission  in  China,  entered  the  service  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention.  A separate  sketch  will  be 
given  of  him  and  his  mission  in  another  part  of  this  volume. 
All  the  other  missionaries  that  had  labored  under  the  patronage 
of  the  Convention  chose  to  continue  their  labors  under  the 
aus])ices  of  the  Missionary  Union, 


Hindus  Bringing  Offerings  to  a Mendicant  Priest, 


OF  T!*^E 


.! 


AFRICAN  FOLIAGE. 


A VILLAGE  ON  THE  NIGER, 


CHAPTER  XX. 


LOTT  CABEY  AND  THE  AFEICAN  MISSION. 


Lott  Carey’s  Early  Life. — Self-Education  while  Foreman  in  a Tobacco 
Warehouse. — Beads  Adam  Smith’s  Wealth  of  Nations. — Becomes  a 
Business  Man  of  the  first  class. — Deacon 
Crane’s  Account  of  his  Call  to  Africa. — 

His  great  Farewell  Sermon. — Description 
of  his  Person  and  Manners.  Embarka- 
tion and  Arrival. — Colonization  Society 
not  yet  prepared  to  receive  him. — Is 
appointed  Health  Officer  and  Govern- 
ment Inspector. — Leads  the  Settlers  to 
Battle  and  Victory. — Educates  Himself 
as  a Physician. — The  Ferment  of  Free- 
dom.— Favors  Kevolution  and  Keform. 

Yet  Patriotic  and  Obedient  to  Author- 
ity.— Gov.  Ashmun’s  Testimony. — Estab-. 
lishes  a Mission  at  Grand  Cape  Mount. — 

— Becomes  Acting  Governor  of  Liberia. 

His  Death. — His  Character. 


l^OTT  CAREY",  the  pioneer  mis- 
i sionary  to  Africa,  was  born  in 
Charles  City  County,  Yirginia.  As 
he  was  born  a slave,  no  record  was 
kept  of  the  time  of  his  birth,  although 
it  appears  to  have  beeu  about  the 
year  1780.  His  father,  like  most  of 
the  pious  negroes  of  Yirginia,  was  a 
member  of  a Baptist  church.  Being 
an  only  child,  and  his  mother  not  be- 
ing a professor  of  religion,  Lott  grew 
up  in  the  company  of  his  class,  and  like  too  many  other  slaves 
he  became  intemperate  and  profane.  In  1804,  he  worked  as  a 


Whither? 


200 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


slave  in  a tobacco  warehouse  in  Richmond.  Here  he  grew 
morally  worse  until  about  the  year  1807,  when  he  was  con- 
verted, and  united  with  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Richmond. 
At  that  time  there  was  no  separate  church  for  colored  people, 
but  the  spacious  galleries  of  the  largo  meeting-house  of  the 
First  church  were  reserved  for  the  slaves  that  were  connected 
with  the  church  and  congregation.  Here  he  one  Sunday  heard 
a sermon  on  the  third  chapter  of  the  Gospel  of  St.  John.  The 
conversation  between  our  Lord  and  Nicodemus  made  such  a 
deep  impression  on  his  mind  that  he  resolved  to  learn  to  read, 
so  that  he  might  be  enabled  to  know  and  rei)eat  the  very  words 
of  the  narrative.  A Testament  was  his  first  reading-book,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  a young  man  in  the  warehouse  he  soon 
learned  both  to  read  and  to  write. 

In  no  long  time  he  was  licensed  to  preach.  For  more  than 
ten  years  he  held  meetings  in  and  around  Richmond,  and 
became  popular  with  people  of  his  own  color.  He  improved 
every  spare  minute  in  reading,  and  by  seizing  every  moment 
not  required  for  work  in  the  warehouse,  he  picked  up  much 
miscellaneous  knowledge.  Some  of  the  books  he  found  time 
thus  to  read  were  of  no  immediate  use  to  him;  but,  in  the 
course  of  providential  events,  as  we  now  trace  it,  they  must 
have  proved  of  very  considerable  service.  Thus,  being  one 
day  called  away  from  his  book  to  perform  some  task  in  the 
warehouse,  as  he  laid  it  down,  a gentleman  had  the  curiosity  to 
take  up  the  volume  and  look  into  it.  He  was  amused  to  find 
that  it  was  Adam  Smitlfis  “ Wealth  of  Nations.’’  Perhaps  some 
customer  of  his  namesake,  William  Carey,  was  equally  amused 
when  he  saw  him  occasionally  dipping  into  the  “Voyages  of 
Captain  Cook”— a narrative  of  little  seeming  benefit  to  a young 
licentiate  whose  time  was  of  necessity  so  much  given  to  his 
work  as  a shoemaker. 


LOTT  CAREY  GOES  TO  AFRICA. 


201 


As  Lott  Carey  not  only  improved  Ms  mind,  but  was  very 
industrious,  be  at  length  grew  to  be  a first-rate  man  of  busi- 
ness. He  was  likewise  economical ; and  by  saving  the  money 
he  obtained  from  the  sale  of  parcels  of  waste  tobacco  which 
were  given  him,  and  by  the  generosity  of  some  of  the  merchants 
he  had  served,  he  was  enabled  to  purchase  his  freedom  and 
that  of  his  children,  his  wife  having  been  made  free  by  death. 
Being  now  extensively  known  as  a capable  and  trusty  man  of 
business,  he  found  constant  employment  and  earned  a large 
salary. 

His  first  announcement  of  his  intention  to  go  out  to  Africa 
was  made  at  a night-school  superintended  by  William  Crane, 
Esq.,  afterwards  known  in  Baltimore  as  Deacon  Crane.  Mr. 
Crane  had  spent  part  of  the  evening  in  giving  the  negroes  a 
summary  of  Messrs.  Burgess  and  Mills’  report  of  an  exploring 
tour  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  After  he  had  done  speaking,  Lott 
Carey  said : “ I have  been  determined  for  a long  time  to  go  to 
Africa,  and  at  least  to  see  the  country  for  myself.”  He  had 
many  inducements  to  stay  at  home.  His  employers  offered  to 
raise  his  salary  $200;  he  owned  a good  farm  and  a pleasant 
dwelling,  which  cost  him  $1500.  In  spite  of  these  attractions, 
he  accepted  the  appointment  of  the  Triennial  Convention  to  go 
out  to  Africa  as  a missionary.  He  was  accompanied  by  Colin 
Teague,  another  colored  man,  who  had  been  accustomed  to 
speak  in  public. 

His  farewell  sermon,  preached  in  the  meeting-house  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  made  a powerful  and  lasting  impression. 
Mr.  Crane  had  known  him  long  and  intimately,  but  had  never 
heard  him  preach.  But  Teague  had  repeatedly  said  to  him,  ‘‘  I 
can  tell  you.  Sir,  I don’t  hear  any  of  your  white  ministers  that 
can  preach  like  Lott  Carey.”  This  testimony  made  Mr.  Crane 
curious  to  hear  him.  His  text  was  Eomans  viii.  32.  ‘‘I  have,” 
says  Mr.  Crane,  “ a most  vivid  recollection  of  the  manner  in 


202 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


which,  toward  the  close,  he  dwelt  upon  the  word,  ‘ freely.’ 
With  thrilling  emphasis  he  exclaimed,  over  and  over,  ‘He  gave 
them  freely!^  He  rang  a succession  of  perhai)S  a dozen 
changes  ui)on  the  word,  in  a manner  that  would  not  have 
dishonored  Whitefield.”  The  Kcv.  Mr.  Bryce,  assistant  i)astor,* 
afterwards  said  that  he  never  had  been  so  deei)ly  interested  in 
a sermon  before.  A Presbyterian  minister  of  distinction  once 
remarked,  “A  sermon  which  I heard  from  Mr.  Carey  just 
before  he  sailed  for  Africa  was  the  best  extemporaneous  dis- 
course I ever  heard;  it  contained  more  original  and  impressive 
thoughts,  some  of  which  are  distinct  in  my  memory  and  can 
never  be  forgotten.” 

In  person,  he  was  African  all  over;  about  six  feet  in  height, 
broad  shouldered,  of  erect  frame  and  great  strength.  No  one 
could  handle  a hogshead  of  tobacco  with  more  dexterity  and 
vigor  than  he.  His  face  was  square,  his  eyes  keen,  and  his 
countenance  grave  and  sedate.  He  was  naturally  reserved, 
and  appeared  cautious  to  excess.  His  pace,  his  gestures,  his 
words,  were  deliberately  measured.  He  moved  about  with  the 
native  dignity  of  an  elephant. 

Carey  sailed  for  Africa  January  23d,  1821,  and  reached  Sierra 
Leone  after  a passage  of  forty-four  days.  The  agents  of  the 
Colonization  Society  had  not  yet  purchased  any  land,  and 
therefore  could  not  receive  him  and  his  friend  Teague  as  culti- 
vators of  the  soil.  Hence  they  were  obliged  for  some  months 
to  work  as  mechanics.  Meanwhile,  Carey  lost  his  second  wife, 
and  was  left  with  a family  of  young  children.  In  1822  he  re- 
moved to  Cape  Montserado,  the  first  settlement  in  Liberia, 
where  he  Avas  api)ointed  Health  Officer  and  Government 
Inspector.  Very  soon  it  was  found  that  the  little  colony  was 
threatened  Avith  iiiA^jisions  by  the  savage  tribes  that  surrounded 
them.  Weai’y  of  continual  fear  of  extermination,  the  greater 
part  i)roi>osed  to  return  to  Sierra  Leone.  But  Carey  resolved 


LOTT  CAREY  IN  LIBERIA. 


203 


to  stay,  and  he  persuaded  others  to  remain  and  face  the  enemy. 
During  a war  with  the  native  tribes,  which  raged  for  two 
months,  he  co-operated  most  wisely  and  bravely  with  the 
Governor,  Mr.  Ashmun,  in  defense  of  the  Colony.  At  a mo- 
ment when  fifteen  hundred  wild  and  exasperated  natives  were 
rushing  on  to  annihilate  the  settlers,  he  rallied  the  broken 
forces  of  the  Colony  and  led  them  out  to  confront  the  enemy 
and  to  drive  them  out  of  the  territory. 

Having  suffered  from  the  diseases  of  the  coast,  he  made 
them  a study,  and  adopting  such  remedies  as  had  proved 
efficacious,  or  had  been  suggested  by  physicians,  he  became  a 
skillful  medical  adviser.  He  devoted  much  of  his  time  to  the 
sick,  and  contributed  generously  of  his  own  limited  means  to 
the  relief  of  the  poor. 

About  the  year  1823,  Mr.  Carey  and  his  fellow-colonists  lost 
confidence-  in  the  administration  of  the  Colonization  Society. 
They  had  found  its  government  oppressive,  and  demanded 
reform.  Some  few  of  the  malcontents,  taking  advantage  of  the 
general  insubordination,  seized  a portion  of  the  public  stores. 
We  have  only  Governor  Ashmun^s  account  of  these  transac- 
tions. Not  a word  have  we  from  Lott  Carey,  except  that  he 
ever  spoke  of  the  transaction  as  one  in  which  he  had  been 
actuated  by  principle..  In  any  controversy  between  mules  and 
mule-drivers,  the  latter  have  several  advantages,  among  which 
one  of  the  most  important  is  that  they  have  the  exclusive  use 
of  vocal  attack  and  defence.  Carey  was  too  prudent  a man  to 
publish  an  apology  for  constructive  sedition ; and  as  he  has 
not  left  us  his  own  explanation  of  any  of  the  facts  in  the  case, 
we  have  not  all  the  materials  on  which  to  base  an  impartial 
judgment.  In  reporting  the  disturbances  to  the  Board,  Mr. 
Ashmun  says:  “The  services  rendered  by  Lott  Carey  in  the 
Colony,  who  has  with  very  few  (and  those  recent)  exceptions 
done  honor  to  the  selection  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society, 


204 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


under  whose  auspices  he  was  sent  out  to  Africa,  entitles  his 
agency  in  this  affair  to  the  most  indulgent  construction  it  will 
bear.  The  hand  which  records  the  lawless  transaction  would 
long  since  have  been  cold  in  the  grave,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
unwearied  and  painful  attentions  of  this  individual,  rendered 
at  all  hours,  of  every  description,  and  continued  for  several 
months.’^  Ilis  biographer,  Mr.  Taylor,  subjoins  : “The  mutinous 
proceedings  to  which  allusion  is  here  made  were  the  result  of 
peculiarly  critical  circumstances.  He  was  compelled,  to  some 
extent,  to  act  the  part  of  a mediator  between  the  rebellious 
colonists,  who  considered  themselves  injured,  and  Mr.  Ashmun, 
the  Governor.  While  for  the  moment  he  might  seem  to  act 
injudiciously,  he  possessed  too  much  noble  and  generous  feeb 
ing  to  be  guilty  of  a dishonorable  act.’^  As  soon,  therefore,  as 
Mr.  Ashmun  issued  a circular,  addressed  to  the  colonists,  Lott 
Carey  came  forward  and  gave  his  pledge  to  aid  in  sustaining 
the  authority  of  the  Agent  and  the  majesty  of  the  laws.  Agi- 
tation at  length  accomplished  its  object,  and  in  1824  a new 
form  of  government  was  established,  which  Avas  approved  by 
Carey  and  his  fellow-citizens.  Carey  ever  had  at  heart  the 
real  welfare  of  the  colony.  “He  gave  ample  proof,”  as  Gov- 
ernor Ashmun  testifies,  “that  he  cherished  the  most  ardent 
devotion  to  the  Colony,  and  would  sooner  have  sacrificed  life 
itself  than  jeopardize  ils  interests.” 

Meanwhile  he  did  not  neglect  his  duties  as  a missionary. 
He  was  very  active  and  efficient  as  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Monrovia,  and  in  preaching  occasionally  at  other  places.  He 
Avas  likewise  very  useful  in  establishing  schools.  He  attempted 
to  open  a school  at  Grand  Cape  Mount,  about  eighty  miles 
north  of  MonroAua.  It  is  in  the  country  of  the  Veys,  a tribe 
that  had  already  made  some  progress  in  civilization,  having  a 
written  language  but  no  books.  The  region  is  considered 
more  unhealtliy  than  tlie  coast.  At  first  his  exertions  to  open 


LOTT  CAREY  IN  LIBERIA. 


205 


a school  among  this  people  were  unsuccessful.  But  in  1827, 
through  the  influence  of  a native  convert,  John  by  name,  the 
way  was  prepared  for  a flourishing  school.  It  was  sustained 
by  Carey  as  long  as  he  lived,  at  no  small  sacrifice  of  time  and 
money.  It  was  regarded  with  great  interest  by  the  neighboring 
chiefs.  After  the  death  of  Carey,  the  school  languished  until 
it  was  revived  by  a missionary  from  Switzerland. 

Our  space  will  not  permit  us  to  give  further  particulars 
of  his  many  missionary  operations.  He  had  made  himself 
indispensable,  not  only  as  a minister  of  the  Gospel,  but  as  a 
physician  and  a public-spirited  citizen.  Thus,  he  had  prepared, 
in  1826,  to  make  a short  visit  to  the  United  States,  in  answer 
to  an  invitation  from  the  Colonization  Society.  But  he  was 
prevented  from  going  by  the  prevalence  of  sickness  among  the 
colonists.  In  1826  he  was  unanimously  elected  Vice- Agent  of  the 
Colony;  and  in  1828,  when  Mr.  Ashmun  returned  to  the  United 
States,  the  whole  executive  business  passed  into  the  hands 
of  Carey.  On  his  death-bed,  Mr.  Ashmun  urged  that  he  should 
be  permanently  appointed  to  conduct  the  affairs  of  the  Colony, 
expressing  perfect  confidence  in  his  integrity  and  in  his  ability 
to  discharge  the  duties  of  the  office. 

What  these  duties  are,  he  who  does  not  consider  the  semi- 
barbarous  condition  of  the  Western  Coast  of  Africa  at  that 
time  cannot  form  an  adequate  notion.  He  was  Eobinson 
Crusoe  before  the  discovery  of  his  man  Friday.  Seven  years 
afterwards,  when  Dr.  Ezekiel  Skinner  was  acting  Governor, 
the  office,  we  are  told,  combined  the  duties  of  every  branch 
of  the  administration,  including  the  Judicial,  Legislative  and 
Executive.  Indeed,  we  find  Carey  on  one  occasion  making 
cartridges,  and  so  performing  the  duties  of  the  common  soldier. 

Very  naturally  the  faithful  discharge  of  all  these  various 
duties  left  Governor  Carey  little  time  for  missionary  work. 
He  did  not  neglect  any  of  the  civil  interests  of  Liberia; 


20(5 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


and  it  was  while  preparing  to  assert  the  rights  and  to  defend 
the  property  of  Liberia,  that  he  accidentally  ended  Ids  mortal 
career.  The  factory  at  Digby,  a few  miles  north  of  Monrovia, 
had  been  robbed  by  the  natives,  and  satisfaction  being  de- 
manded, was  refused.  A slave-trader  was  allowed  to  store 
his  goods  in  the  very  house  thus  made  vacant.  A letter  of 
remonstrance  and  warning  directed  to  tlie  slave-dealer  by  Mr. 
Carey  Avas  intercepted  and  destroyed  by  the  natives.  In  this 
state  of  affairs,  he  considered  himself  bound  to  call  out  the 
military.  One  evening,  while  engaged  with  several  others  in 
making  cartridges,  in  the  old  GoA^ernment  House,  the  acci- 
dental oversetting  of  a candle  communicated  fire  to  some 
loose  poAvder  on  the  floor,  and  then  almost  instantly  to  the 
entire  ammunition.  The  explosion  resulted  in  the  death  of 
eight  men.  Six  of  the  unfortunates  survived  until  the  next 
day.  Mr.  Carey  lingered  until  the  day  following,  the  10th  of 
November,  1828,  leaving  many,  as  well  in  Africa  as  in  America, 
to  mourn  their  loss. 

For  many  years  after  his  death,  there  remained  no  other 
memorial  of  the  great  African  than  a little  village  in  Liberia 
called  by  the  name,  “Carey.’’  But  in  1850  the  late  Kev.  Eli 
Ball,  of  Virginia,  while  visiting  all  the  Liberian  Baptist  mission- 
ary stations  as  agent  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention, 
searched  for  the  spot  where  he  was  buried,  and  after  consider- 
able difficulty  he  found  it.  The  next  year  a marble  monument 
was  sent  out  and  placed  over  the  grave. 

Carey  Avas  born  a leader  of  men.  When  only  a slave  in  the 
old  Shochoe  tobacco  warehouse,  among  a score  or  two  of 
laborers,  he  Avas  always  foremost,  inspiring  all  the  rest  by  his 
example.  And  accordingly  he  stood  (and  probably  will  stand 
for  a good  while  to  come)  foremost  as  a Liberian  colonist. 
Ijike  Boger  Williams,  the  founder  of  Rhode  Island,  he  had 
received,  though  in  humbler  measure,  a combination  of  i)roph- 


LOTT  CAREY  IN  LIBERIA. 


207 


etic  and  kingly  gifts.  This  two-fold  endowment  is  more  than 
once  seen  in  the  Hebrew  monarchs  ; and  some  of  the  ethnic 
heroes  of  Homer  united  in  the  same  person  the  priest  and  the 
chieftain.  But  for  the  adverse  circumstances  in  which  he  was 
placed,  he  might  have  won  a world-wide  reputation  as  preach- 
er, as  explorer,  as  physician,  as  general  or  as  chief  magistrate. 
As  it  was,  he  met  and  mastered  the  demoniac  hordes  that  were 
too  much  for  David  Livingstone  when  placed  in  a similar  situa- 
tion. Our  colleges  have  turned  out  few  such  men  as  this  one 
who  graduated  at  the  old  tobacco  warehouse  in  Eichmoiid. 
And  we  may  well  believe  that  barbarous  Africa  began  to 
receive  some  compensation  for  her  wrongs,  when,  from  among 
her  captive  sons,  Lott  Carey  was  selected  to  return'  home, 
bringing  with  him  Christian  piety,  freedom  as  well  civil  as 
religious,  and  the  humane  and  serviceable  arts  of  civilized  life. 

In  connection  with  African  missions.  Baptists  cherish  the 
memory  of  other  brave  men,  whose  adventures  we  relate 
hereafter. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


THE  CLIJIATE,  SCENERY  AND  RRODUCTIONS  OP  INDIA. 

The  Climate  of  India. — The  Heat  at  Serampore  and  Calcutta. — Means  of 
Kelief. — The  Wind  and  Rain. — Cyclones  and  Water  Spouts. — Tlie  Delta 
of  the  Hoogly  or  Ganges. — Deluge  at  Serampore. — The  Monotony  of 
of  the  Scenery. — Means  of  obtaining  Variety  of  Views. — The  Elephant 
the  Highest  Elevation  at  Barrackpore. — The  Average  Longevity  in  India. 
— Simla  the  Summer  Capital  of  India. — The  Adjutant. — Tliis  Stork  a 
Cannibal  Swallowing  a Baby. — The  Jackals  of  India. — Fashionable 
Agonies  of  these  Animals. — Their  Fondness  for  Human  Flesh.— Devourers 
of  Corpses. — The  Lions,  Tigers  and  Leopards  of  India. — Tigers  carrying 
off  Children. — A Tiger  Hunt. — The  Dangers  Attending  the  Sport. — The 
Indigo  of  Bengal. — Its  Manufacture  Described. — Old  and  New  Methods. 
— The  Decline  in  Production. — The  Oldest  of  Dyes  Still  in  Use. — 
Its  Former  Name. — Substituted  for  Tyrian  Purple. — Its  Cultivation  in 
Egypt. 

HE  climaie  of  Serampore  is  one  of  great  extremes.  Sit- 
uated onl/  twenty  degrees  north  of  the  equator,  and 
amidst  a vast  marshy  delta,  in  May  the  heat  often  rises  to 
110°  in  the  shade.  The  hottest  months  are  March,  April,  May 
and  June,  although  July  is  often  intolerably  warm.  Shut  your- 
self up  in  your  house,  and  you  are  in  darkness,  and  stifled  with 
a stagnant  atmosphere.  Throw  open  your  doors  and  windows 
for  the  sake  of  a draught,  and  the  current  of  air,  if  you  receive 
any,  is  a burning  gas  or  a scalding  steam  ; so  that  you  are  fre- 
quently at  a loss  to  determine  whether  you  have  gained  any 
relief  either  by  opening  or  closing  the  furnace.  When  the 
rainy  season  sets  in,  (from  June  to  October),  the  heated  damp- 
ness is  much  dreaded  by  Europeans.  “ Everything  you  touch,” 
says  Montaliiie,  “ is  a damp,  moist,  unpleasant  body,  including 


THE  HEAT  AND  THE  STORMS  OF  INDIA. 


209 


yourself.’^  “It  is  just  what  the  Doctor  told  us/\  says  the 
Hon.  Emily  Eden,  “ which  is  not  nice,  but  true,  that  it  feels 
like  living  in  a hot  poultice.’’  Such  is  the  heat  at  times,  that  it 
causes  pieces  of  furniture  to  crack  open  with  a loud  noise  like 
the  report  of  a pistol. 

To  keep  the  air  in  circulation,  the  Europeans  suspend  from 
the  ceiling  large  fans,  called  punkahs,  from  eight  to  fifteen  feet 
long  and  about  four  feet  wide.  These  are  kept  in  motion  by  a 
cord  over  a pulley,  worked  by  a native.  Others  hang  curtains 
of  bamboo  before  doors  and  windows,  and,  by  keeping  these 
continually  wet,  cool  the  air  which  passes  through  them. 

The  rain  frequently  falls  in  sheets,  with  a tendency  to  small 
water-spouts,  which  walk  bodily  into  the  doors  or  windows  of 
the  house,  or  at  best  sink  to  rest  on  the  verandah.  The  rain 
sometimes  falls  for  many  days  without  intermission,  rendering 
the  roads  totally  impassable  except  by  elephants,  and  causing 
the  rivers  to  rise  and  spread  over  all  the  adjacent  plains. 
Occasionally  the  scene  is  diversified  by  a thunder-storm,  such 
as  is  only  known  to  visit  tropical  regions.  Its  approach  is 
heralded  by  the  trembling  of  beasts,  which  grow  frantic  as  it 
arrives.  The  thunder  and  lightning  know  no  pause  except 
when  some  bolt  of  death-dealing  power  falls  upon  its  victim, 
and  a deluge  comes  down  to  bury  him. 

In  this  part  of  the  world  the  winds  rise  suddenly,  and  some- 
times blow  with  desolating  violence.  One  day  in  March,  1836, 
while  a company — including  Macaulay — were  assembling  for 
dinner  at  the  Government  House,  there  came  a north-wester 
which  blew  everything  off  the  table  in  an  instant.  Nor  are 
cyclones  and  hurricanes  strangers  in  these  lands  and  upon  the 
neighboring  bays,  covering  the  shores  with  wrecks  and  filling 
the  rivers  with  bodies  of  men  and  beasts. 

The  land  for  many  miles  around  Calcutta  is  almost  an 
unbroken  level,  rising  but  little  above  the  high  water  mark. 


210 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  IMISSIONS. 


Tlie  Gauges,  like  the  Nile,  forms  a delta,  the  principal  outlet 
of  which  is  the  Hoogly.  This  flat  country  is  gaily  character- 
ized by  an  English  lady  as  “ a large,  green,  swampy  table-cloth.’^ 
In  the  rainy  season  it  is  very  liable  to  be  almost  totally  covered 
with  water.  A deluge  is  described  by  Dr.  Carey,  such  as  is 
not  of  rare  occurrence  in  this  part  of  Bengal “ Such  a quan- 
tity of  rain  came  down  from  the  western  hills  as  laid  the  whole 
country,  for  about  a hundred  miles  in  length  and  the  same  in 
breadth,  under  water.  The  Ganges  was  filled  by  the  flood  so 
as  to  spread  far  on  everj"  side.  Seram  pore  was  under  water. 
We  had  three  feet  of  water  in  our  garden  for  seven  or  eight 
days.  Almost  all  the  houses  of  the  natives,  in  all  that  vast 
extent  of  country,  fell.  Their  cattle  were  swept  away,  and  as 
for  the  people,  men,  women  and  children,  some  gained  elevated 
spots,  where  the  wa.ter  still  rose  so  high  as  to  threaten  them 
with  death;  others  climbed  trees,  and  some  floated  on  the  roofs 
of  their  ruined  houses.”  At  a later  day  Serampore  was  visited 
with  an  inundation,  which  swept  away  much  property  in  the  city. 
The  banks  of  the  Hoogly  next  to  the  Mission  Printing  House 
were  so  undermined  that,  along  with  the  residence  of  Dr.  Carey, 
it  tumbled  into  the  stream.  The  missionaries  had  to  take 
refuge  in  the  College,  which  was  situated  on  higher  ground. 
So  nearl}^  level  are  the  plains  throughout  this  part  of  India, 
that  such  Europeans  and  Americans  as  have  passed  their  early 
days  among  hills  and  mountains  find  the  uniformity  of  the 
scenery  intolerable,  and  some  seek  relief  from  it  at  some 
seasons  in  turning  away  from  it  and  gazing  on  the  forms  and 
colors  of  the  changeful  clouds.  A sister  of  the  Governor 
General,  writing. from  the  vice-regal  villa  at  Barrackpore,  on 
the  Hoogly  opposite  Serampore,  says,  “ Yesterday  evening  I 
scrambled  like  a cat  up  the  ladder,  which  is  necessary,  though 
the  elephant  kneels  down,  and  took  a ride  with  Lord  Auckland 
round  the  Park,  being,  I guess,  at  least  twenty  feet  above  the 
level  of  tlie  sea,  a thing  that  seldom  happens  in  Bengal.” 


SWALLOWING  A BABY 


21L 


The  average  life  of  the  English  and  American  people  who  go 
out  to  middle  and  southern  India  is  about  five  years.  In  the 
course  of  three  or  four  weeks  after  one’s  arrival,  the  face  grows 
pale  and  the  strength  and  activity  begin  to  diminish.  When 
the  weather  becomes  intolerable,  such  Europeans  as  can  afford 
it  make  sea  voyages  to  the  Sandheads,  or  go  to  the  lofty  moun- 
tains of  the  interior.  Few  of  the  English  and  American 
residents  of  Calcutta  consider  it  safe  to  stay  in  the  city  during 
the  hot  season.  The  Governor  General  and  the  chief  func- 
tionaries retire  to  Simla,  a village  in  a valley  of  the  western 
Himalayas,  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  north  of  Delhi.  This 
mountain  village  is  therefore,  during  six  months  of  almost  every 
year,  virtually  the  capital  of  British  India. 

A kind  of  stork  called  the  ^‘Adjutant,’’  is  so  often  mentioned 
in  the  letters  of  our  missionaries,  that  he  ought  to  be  noticed  in 
this  place.  He  is  four  feet  high,  and  measures  about  twelve 
• feet  from  tip  to  tip  of  his  outstretched  wings.  “His  feet,”  says 
Miss  Brittan,  “ are  placed  so  far  back  that  while  standing  it  is 
almost  as  upright  as  a man ; and  when  stalking  along  with 
a slow,  measured  tread,  it  very  much  resembles  a little  old 
man  with  a swallow-tail  coat,  with  his  hands  under  his  coat- 
tails.” They  make  their  appearance  during  the  rainy  season. 
Hon.  Frances  Eden,  in  one  of  her  letters  from  India,  describes 
this  fowl  as  very  voracious  : “ Dr.  Drummond  says  that  a few 
days  ago  his  friend  Dr.—  found  an  adjutant  which  was  so 
heavy  it  could  not  fly.  In  their  horrid  surgical  way  they  killed 
it,  and  on  opening  it  they  found  it  had  swallowed  a baby.  In 
the  most  dawdling  way,  these  birds  manage  to  suck  down  live 
cats,  rats  and  crows,  without  any  apparent  effort ; but  to  swallow 
a baby  is  rather  strange.  In  some  countries  this  bird  would 
have  been  tried  for  murder;  here  nobody  but  a doctor  would 
dare  to  kill  one.”  They  are  so  serviceable  as  scavengers  that 
the  law  protects  them  from  all  harm.  In  another  letter  in  the 


212  THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 

same  collection,  the  lion.  Emilj^  Eden,  a sister  of  the  Governor 
General,  Lord  Anckland,  idayfully  writes,— ‘Gt  chai'ins  me  when 
I see  one  great  adjutant  kick  another  off  the  roof  of  tlie  Govern- 
ment House.  They  are  nearly  six  feet  high,  and  sometimes 
there  are  one  hundred  and  lifty  of  them  on  the  roof,  where  they 
each  have  their  own  places,  and  if  one  takes  the  place  of  another 


Hindu  Burning- Place. 

the  rightful  owner  simply  kicks  him  down.”  A sadder  sight  is 
the  Cremation  Gate  at  Calcutta,  where  adjutants  are  busy  among 
tlie  ashes  of  funeral  piles,  picking  human  hones,  or  perched  on 
11)(‘  high  brick  wall  which  separates  this  burning-place  from  the 
living  city.^ 


1.  “ From  ITong-Koiig,'’  etc.,  hy  G.  Clark,  p.  138. 


THE  WILD  BEASTS  OF  INDIA. 


213 


The  jackals  of  the  East  are  a great  aDUoyance  at  night.  Tlio 
tirst  night  the  missionary  lodges  in  India  he  is  not  permitted  to 
sleep j because  of  the  yelling  of  these  animals^  which  resembles 
that  of  human  beings,  or  rather  demons.  They  wander  about 
in  packs  of  from  twenty  to  fifty.  Sometimes  they  yell  in 
concert,  like  the  cats  of  the  city.  One  begins  with  a low  squall  • 
he  is  joined  by  another  and  another,  in  higher  and  yet  higher 
key,  till  they  fall  in- 
to a full  chorus  of 
^fashionable  agonies.’^ 

They  never  run  mad; 
naturalists  say  it  is 
because  they  do  not 
live  solitary,  like  pet 
dogs,  which  of  all 
others  are  most  liable 
to  hydroiihol)ia.  They 
never  attack  men,  al- 
though it  is  said  they 
will  devour  little  chil- 
dren if  they  find  them 
unprotected . Mrs. 

Thomas,  the  wife  of 
Dr.  Carey’s  compan- 
ion, had  a favorite  lit- 
tle dog  carried  off  at  Adjutant, 

the  oi^en  door  of  the  missionary  liouse  one  evening,  while 
the  family  were  at  prayer.  They  burrow  by  day,  and 
sally  forth  at  night  in  quest  of  small  animals,  and  especially 
carrion  of  all  sorts.  As  they  are  known  to  have  a great  liking 
for  cori)ses,  and  to  dig  up  the  human  remains,  Europeans  in 
some  parts  of  India  protect  the  graves  of  their  friends,  who 
have  died  in  the  East,  by  piling  upon  them  a large  number  of 

heavv  stones,  laid  together  like  a Cyclopean  wall. 

^16 


214 


TIIK  STOliV  OF  HAl’N'IST  AITSSIO^S. 


Tlie  wild  beasts  ol‘  India,  su(4i  as  tlie  lion,  the  ti^er,  tlie 
leopard  and  the  wolf,  are  not  so  nuinerous  now  as  they  were 
formerly,  more  ])artieidarly  in  the  vicinity  of  cities  and  larf»e 
villages.  In  the  days  of  Dr.  Carey  the  tigers  seldom  attacked 
men,  except  the  tigers  of  the  Snndeilmnds,  a low  tract  of  jungle 
land  lying  between  Calcutta  and  the  island  of  Sangor;  as  tlnae 
are  no  cattle  here,  the  tigers,  driven  by  hunger,  seized  and  de- 
voured the  lords  of  creation,  lint  at  Mudnabatty  and  other  such 
places,  tigers,  as  he  tells  ns,  committed  terrible  devastation 
among  cattle.  Abont  forty  years  later,  the  lion.  Frances  Edim, 
writing  from  Simla,  says,  — Mr.  Flank  has  just  returned  from 
tiger-shooting,  looking  all  the  better  for  being  run  over  and 
having  killed  thirty-six  tigers.  When  I wrote  before,  1 wonder 
if  I told  you  about  a ^man-eating’  tiger  they  were  after,  and 
which  had  killed  twenty-six  peo])le  in  six  Aveeks.  It  had  been 
reported  to  the  gwernment  from  that  part  of  the  countiy,  but 
the  jungle  Avas  so  difficult  to  enter,  nobody  would  folloAV  liim. 
Mr.  Blank  and  the  gentleman  Avitli  him  tried  for  four  days  in 
A^aiu,  and  gaA^e  it  u])-,  but  the  other  day  a deputation  of  Au'llagers 
AA’ent  after  them  and  said  it  had  carried  off  a boy  that  morning. 
* * They  soon  found  the  half-eaten  body  of  the  bo}^;  and  in 

time  they  came  upon  a tigress  and  two  cubs.  They  wounded 
her  and  she  wounded  each  of  their  elephants,  and  disappeared  j 
l)ut  the}^  shot  a cub,  and  she  charged  again  and  Avas  killed. 
They  found  in  her  lair  the  remains  of  fourteen  bodies  and  a 
limiting  spear.  The  most  horrible  part  of  the  story  Avas  that  the 
screams  of  the  poor  bo}",  ayIio  Avas  fourteen  years  old,  had  been 
heard  by  the  Aullagers  for  a AA'hole  liour  after  he  Avas  seized. 
The  tigress  had  evidently  giAxm  him  to  the  cubs  to  phiy  Avith. 
Such  a death  to  die!  The  deaths  in  this  country  from  Avild 
beasts  are  Axu  y numerous.  George  AAms  saying  just  uoay  that  the 
reiiorts  from  Agra  district,  of  children  (‘arried  off  by  avoIa'CS,  are 
uj)wards  ol‘  three  hundred  in  one  year.” 


INDIGO  CULTURE. 


L>ir) 

The  missionaries  now  settled  in  tlie  remoter  parts  of*  India 
occasionally  report  similar  cases  of  these  man-eating  tigers. 
Simla,  noAV  the  vice-regal  residence  during  the  hot  season,  sends 
out  parties  hunting  leopards,  the  hunting  of  tigers  having  been 
found  to  be  very  dangerous  sport,  especially  in  times  of  drought, 
when  they  wander  about  in  large  packs  and  are  exceptionally 
fierce.  Then  they  will  attack  elephants  and  try  to  claw  the 
hunters  out  of  the  howdah.  Occasionally,  too,  a bank  gives  way 
under  the  feet  of  an  elephant,  and  he  rolls  down  into  a ravine 
among  the  tigers,  which,  if  they  are  not  too  badly  wounded,  are 
apt  to  demand  “indemnity  for  the  past  and  security  for  the 
future.” 

The  manufacture  of  indigo,  in  the  days  of  Messrs.  Carey  and 
Thomas,  was  attended  with  more  labor  and  care  than  are  now 
found  necessary.  Then  the  leaves  were  carefully  dried  in  the 
sun,  and  even  the  heat  of  lire  was  sometimes  used  before  they 
were  ready  for  the  steeping-vat,  an  uncovered  reservoir  about 
twenty-six  inches  deep  and  thirty  feet  square,  constructed  of 
brick  and  lined  with  stucco.  Now,  not  only  green  leaves  but 
stems  are  at  once  subjected  to  the  vat,  and  cross-bars  fixed 
over  them  to  keep  them  under  water.  Then  the  dry  leaves  were 
stirred  about  in  the  vat  so  that  the  floating  leaves  might  be 
submerged.  When  the  water  had  became  green,  it  was  allowed 
to  run  oft'  the  leaves  through  strainers  into  the  beating-vat, 
which  was  built  on  a lower  level  than  the  other.  Here  it  was 
kept  in  agitation  by  ten  or  twelve  natives  who  entered  the  vat 
and  lashed  the  water  for  about  two  hours,  for  the  purpose  of 
constantly  exf)osing  new  surfaces  to  the  action  of  the  atmosphere. 
In  this  way  the  green  water  gradually  darkened  into  a blackish 
blue.  Then  lime  water  was  thrown  into  the  vat  and  thoroughly 
mixed  with  the  whole  mass  of  tluid.  The  liquid  was  then  left  for 
three  hours  to  settle,  and  as  the  particles  of  indigo  sank,  the 


TITK  STORY  OF  RAP'I’IST  MISSIONS. 


2Ui 


liquid  was  drawn  off  by  a series  of  oriliec^s  at  dilfeieiit  liighfs. 
Tbe  indigo  was  tlieii  removed  to  the  coveri'd  part  of  tli(‘.  maiiii- 
factoiy,  where  it  was  put  iii  a straining  (dotli  and  left  to  drain 
during  the  night.  Xext  morning  it  was  pnt  into  a eopper  boiler, 
where,  mixed  with  water,  it  was  heated  to  tin*  boiling  point  in 
order  to  prevent  any  further  fermentation.  In  was  allowed  to 
eool,  and  then  taken  baek  to  the  straining-eloths,  where  tin* 
indigo  was  divided  into  small  portions,  eaeh  of  whieh  was  widl 
worked  by  the  hands  of  the  natives  in  order  to  free  it  from  air- 
bubbles.  It  was  next  earried  to  pressing-boxes.  means  of  a 
l)owerful  screw,  the  water  Avas  separated  from  the  indigo,  and 
the  cakes  Avere  laid  out  to  dry  in  the  shade.  After  a feAV  days 
they  AA^ere  packed  for  exportation. 

Since  the  time  of  our  ])ioneer  missionaries  in  India,  the  iiro- 
duetion  of  indigo  has  declined.  The  English  IniA^e  abandoned 
many  of  the  old  indigo  jdantations,  AvhicJi  are  still  dotted  Avith 
the  ruins  of  abandoned  factories.  In  ]\Ialda  this  industry  is  yet 
carried  on,  but  is  is  only  in  Xorth  Eehar  tliat  it  is  seen  in  its  old- 
time  i)rosperity.  In  all  the  markets  of*the  Avorld,  Bengal  indigo 
commands  a higher  price  than  any  other. 

The  history  of  this  article,  still  the  foremost  staple  of  India, 
produced  by  European  capital,  is  not  Avithout  interest.  From 
the  classic  times  of  Greece  and  Borne,  it  has  been  imported  from 
the  East.  As  a dye  it  is  the  oldest  in  use.  The  Greeks  called  it 
Indilwn,  the  Bomans  Lidiciim;  and  the  English  formerly  called 
it  Indico.  It  Avas  not  much  used  in  Europe,  hoAA^eAau',  until  after 
the  discovery  of  a sea  road  to  India,  around  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope. 

Certain  kinds  of  indigo  produce  purple  colors,  and  AAxre,  Ave 
knoAv  not  hoAv  early,  employed  in  the  place  of  the  costly  Tyrian 
dy(‘,  obtained  from  certain  si)ecies  of  shell-lish.  The  ATist  quan- 
tities of  ])nrple  cloth  wddch  must  have  been  made  to  meet  the 


INDIGO  CULTURE. 


217 


demands  of  the  kings,  priests  and  nobles  of  ancient  Egypt, 
Canaan,  Assyria,  Greece  and  Home,  could  not  have  been  manu- 
factured by  tlie  costly  Tyrian  process  which  the  oldest  writers 
describe.  The  Egyi)tiaiis  cultivated  the  plant  with  success. 
The  soil  of  the  valley  of  the  Kile  must  ever  have  been  friendly 
to  its  production.  The  Arabian  name  for  it  is  Nile^  and,  all 
things  considered,  it  seems  probable  that  it  was  cultivated  in 
Egypt  long  before  it  was  known  in  the  valley  of  the  Ganges. 


Hindu  Fannily.  (From  an  original  drawing  by  Bishop  Heber.) 


CHAPTER  XXTI. 


THE  ADVEXTUKES  OF  REV.  .TOIIX  CHAMRERLAIX. 

The  First  of  the  Serainpore  Itinerants. — Place  of  His  Birth. — Had  Pious 
Parents. — Indebtedness  to  His  Mother. — Conversion  and  Baptism. — Goes 
to  India  by  way  of  the  United  States. — The  Kelation  of  American  to 
British  Baptists  in  Early  Missionary  Work. — Arrival  in  India. — Studies 
the  Poetry  of  the  Natives. — Preaches  and  Distributes  Tracts. — Establishes 
Himself  at  Cutwa. — Travels  through  India. — Sent  more  than  Nine  Hun- 
dred Miles  from  Calcutta. — Encounters  Eoman  Catholic  Priests. — The 
Crime  of  Baptizing  a Soldier  at  Agra. — Goes  to  Reside  in  the  Family  of 
Princess  Sumroo. — Some  Account  of  the  Begum. — Mr.  Chamberlain 
Visits  Delhi. — Goes  to  the  great  Fair  of  Ilurdwar. — His  Daily  Preaching 
ITider  the  Protection  of  the  Princess  Sumroo. — Persecution  on  account 
of  His  Preaching  at  the  Fair. — The  Begum  and  Lord  Moira- — Sickness 
and  Death  of  Mr.  Chamberlain. — Buried  at  Sea. 

(d^OIIN  chamberlain  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the 
heroes  of  Baptist  missionary  adventure.  To  him  Belongs 
the  high  distinction  of  having  Been  the  first  of  the  little  Band 
of  Serainpore  Bretliren  to  inahe  it  his  chief  Business  to  itinerate 
through  Bengal  and  llindustaip  orally  preaching  the  Gospel  to 
tlie  natives.  Indeed  he  was  to  the  British  missions  in  India 
what  Kincaid  afterward  Became  to  the  American  missions  in 
Burmah. 

He  was  Born  at  AVelton,  England,  in  1777,  and  was  conse- 
(luentl}"  a native  of  Northamptonshire,  the  Birth-place  of  his  great 
co-laBorer,  AVilliam  Carey.  In  his  infancy  he  was  uncommonl}^ 
f(‘(‘Bl(‘,  and  wlien  a Boy  of  three  years,  he  suffered  from  a fever 
wliich  left  liim  permanently  deaf  in  one  ear.  His  early  years  were 
m;nk(Ml  with  diligence  in  study  and  By  deep  religious  feelings. 
Long  afterwards  lie  recalled  those  years  with  gratitude:  I thank 
my  God,”  said  h(‘-  ^Hor  ])arents  who,  though  ])oor,  taught  me  to 


ADVENTURES  OE  JOHN  CHAMBERLAIN. 


219 


read  the  Bible  and  took  me  to  hear  the  word  of  God  preached. 
All!  how  much  I owe  to  the  care  of  my  dear  mother?” 

At  the  age  of  twelve,  he  was  sent  from  home  to  enter  the 
service  of  a farmer;  as  he  was  of  slender  form,  it  was  thought 
he  would  be  streiigtheued  by  working  in  the  open  air,  more  than 
by  mechanical  labor,  for  which  his  parents  had  at  one  time 
thought  him  better  qualitied.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  we  find 
him  in  the  einj^loy  of  a farmer,  who  made  him  jironiise  to  avoid 
dissenting  worship.  The  iiarish  clergyman  not  being  evangelical 
in  his  preaching,  young  Cdiamberlain,  once  in  two  weeks,  wan- 
dered into  a neighboring  iiarish,  to  hear  the  earnest  and  faithful 
Dr.  Bridges.  On  one  occasion  he  obtained  permission  to  go  to  a 
dissenting  meeting.”  The  sermon  went  to  his  heart,  and  in  179G 
he  was  baptized.  The  same  year,  his  attention  was  called  to  the 
subject  of  missions  by  reports  of  the  labors  of  Carey  and  Thomas, 
and  by  sermons,  preached  in  behalf  of  the  Baptist  mission 
in  India.  In  1798  he  was  accepted  by  the  Baptist  Missionary 
Society,  “as  a iwobationer  for  missionary  undertakings,”  and 
commenced  his  studies  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Sutcliff,  at  Olney. 
Thence,  in  due  time,  he  removed  to  Bristol,where  he  finished  his 
ministerial  education.  Having  married,  he  embarked  with  his 
wife  for  Calcutta  by  way  of  America,  and  arrived  at  New  York 
in  July,  1802. 

Carey  and  Thomas,  it  will  be  remembered,  were  not  permitted 
to  go  out  to  India  in  any  ship  belonging  to  the  East  India 
Company.  The  India  House  still  continued  to  oppose  the 
missionary  enterprise,  and  placed  so  many  barriers  in  the  way 
that  it  was  thought  advisable  to  send  missionaries  to  India  by 
way  of  the  United  States.  It  is  a fact  now  almost  forgotten,  that 
the  Baptists  of  Boston,  New  York  and  Philadelphia  opened  their 
houses  most  hospitably  to  these  British  missionaries,  while 
detained  in  this  country  waiting  for  a passage  to  India.  And  it 


THE  STOUY  OF  JJAF'I'IST  IMISSIOXS. 


2l>() 

is  probable  that  tlie  lirst  Aiiieric.au  inoiay  tliat  was  coiiti  ibubMl 
to  missions  in  India  was  <>iven  l)y  tlici  IJajdist  ininist(‘rs  and 
laymen  who  liad  so  generously  entertained  tliese  messengers  of 
the  Cross. 

After  landing  at  Xew  York,  Mr.  CIiaml)erlain  i)roee(‘d(‘d  to 
Ilurlington,  New  Jersey,  wliere  he  si)ent  a few  days  in  tlui  family 
of  the  llev.  Dr.  Staughton,  afterwards  the  most  famous  preacher 
in  Philadelphia.  He  embarked  in  August  at  New  Castle,  Dela- 
ware, and  arrived  in  Calcutta  in  the  January  following.  The 
young  missionary  collide  lost  a child  given  them  while  at  sea, 
and  they  were,  compelled  to  commit  the  little  stranger  to  the 
tender  mercies  of  mid-ocean. 

On  his  arrival  at  Serampore,  Mr.  Chamberlain  commenced  the 
study  of  Bengali;  and  such  Avas  his  iiroticiency  that  in  a year  he 
Avas  qualified  to  preach  to  the  iiatiAx^s.  He  also  studied  the  i)oetiy 
of  the  natiAA\s,  Avhereby  he  Avas  enabled  to  bring  himself  into 
more  ready  sympathy  Avith  his  hearers.  His  first  missionary  tour 
Avas  made  to  Saugor  Island,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ganges.  The 
place  is  believed  to  be  sacred  by  the  Hindus,  and  on  the  occasion 
of  an  annual  festival  Mr.  Chamberlain  distributed  books  and 
tracts  to  multitudes,  Avhile  he  preached  to  them  the  good  news 
of  saHation.  As  this  Avas  his  first  })reaching  among  them,  and 
they  were  hearing  the  Gospel  fiu*  the  first  time,  he  experienced 
emotions  to  which  preachers  ayIio  address  Christian  congregations 
are  almost  strangers. 

As  the  mission  at  Serampore  had  resoh^ed  to  send  the  Gospel 
into  the  interior,  and  as  Mr.  Chamberlain  had  proA^ed  his  fitness 
for  such  adventures,  he  AA^ent  to  Ciitwa,  a city  on  the  bank 
of  the  Hoogly,  about  seA^enty-fiA^e  miles  north  of  Calcutta.  The 
toAvn  lay  in  fh(‘.  track  of  the  thousands  of  iiilgrims  who  AA^ere 
continually  on  fheir  Avay  to  Amrious  Hindu  shrines.  Here  and 
clseAvhere  in  the  region  of  Avhich  the  city  AA'as  the  centre,  he 


JESUIT  JEALOUSY  AND  OFUIOIAL  INSOLENCE, 


2L>I 


performed  a large  amount  of  labor.  He  Avould  iu*ea(*.h  at  a 
market  three  or  four  hours  together.  One  y(‘ar,  between 
January  9th  and  rebruary  21st^  he  rode  nearly  four  hundred 
miles,  preached  every  day  and  often  several  times  a day,  and 
distributed  about  ten  thousand  tracts,  one  hundred  coxues  of 
Luke,  and  fifteen  of  the  Kew  Testament. 


The  Taj  Mahal,  a Royal  Mausoleum  near  Agra, 


As  he  had  proved  his  fitness  for  pioneer  service,  his  brethren 
at  Serampore  sent  him  to  Agra,  in  the  upper  provinces,  nine 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant  from  Calcutta.  While  preaching 
and  teaching  in  these  remote  regions,  he  provoked  the  jealousy 
of  some  Eoman  Catholic  priests,  who  contrived  to  embroil  him 
with  some  of  the  local  officers  of  the  East  India  Conqiany, 
Several  soldiers  stationed  at  Agra  were  converted  under  his 


222  THE  STOllY  OE  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 

iiiiiiistry,  and  one  was  l)ai)tized.  One  day  lie  r(*(a*ived  an  ordcw 
from  the  Government  House  at  Calentta,  to  i-etnrn  to  l>enf;al 
immediately.  No  reason  was  assigned  for  the  ord(‘r.  Witliout 
loss  of  time  he  repaired  to  Calentta,  amrreiiorted  liimselt  to  tlie 
authorities  as  the  order  re(jiiir(‘d5  and  the  only  answer  he 
received  was,  You  are  at  liberty.” 

He  now  resolved  to  make  a tour  through  the  villag(*s  where 
he  had  formerly  preached  the  Gospel.  AVhile  preaching  and 
distributing  books,  he  received  an  invitation  from  8irdhana,  a 
town  near  Delhi,  over  eight  hundred  miles  distant  from  Calcutta. 
The  place  was  the  eaiiital  of  a small  i)rincii)ality,  some  twenty 
miles  by  twelve,  of  which  the  Begum  ISumroo  was  sovereign. 
She  was  the  beautiful  daughter  of  a Mogul  nobleman,  and  was 
now  the  widow  of  Walter  Beyuaud.  Her  late  husband  was  a 
Itoman  Catholic,  and  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  engaged  to  serve  in 
the  palace  in  the  capacity  of  tutor.  On  his  way,  he  was 
surprised  to  meet  at  Futtyghur  an  escort  of  cavalry  and 
elephants  sent  to  escort  him  to  the  ca[)ital.  The  British 
officials,  who  had  been  active  in  having  him  expelled  from 
that  i)art  of  India,  wxu’e  greatly  mortified  to  see  the  dissenting 
missionary  treated  with  such  princely  consideration.  In 
February,  1814,  the  Begum  Sumroo  went  to  pay  a visit  to 
the  royal  family  at  Delhi,  and  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  invited  to 
accomiiany  her.  It  was  two  hundred  years  since  a Protestant 
minister  had  visited  Delhi,  and  IMr.  Chamberlain  had  the.  honor 
to  present  to  the  heir  apparent  a Bible  in  Arabic.  In  the  month 
of  Ai)ril,  the  Begum  resolved  to  visit  the  great  fair  at  Hurd  war, 
the  most  renowned  of  all  the  holy  jdaces  in  the  north  of  India. 
Never  l)efore  had  there  l)een  such  a gathering  from  all  parts  of 
Hindustan.  Mr.  Chamberlain  preached  the  Gospel  to  some  of 
tli(‘se  liundred  thousands  of  ])ilgrims.  He  daily  Avent  and 
sj)ok(i  in  tlie  open  air  at  tlie  ghauts,  and  to  the  croAvds  who 


chamberlain’s  preaching  at  hurdwar, 


223 


siirrouiKted  liis  elephant  or  pressed  into  Ids  tent  to  receive 
hooks  and  tracts.  They  listened  to  sermons  which  denied  the 
efficacy  of  the  waters  of  the  Ganges  to  wash  away  sin.  An 
eye-witness  thus  describes  the  scene:  ‘‘During  a greater  part 
of  the  fair,  a Protest- 
ant missionary  in  the 
service  of  her  Ilighness 
daily  read  a consider- 
able iwrtion  of  the  Hin- 
du translation  of  the 
Scriptures,  on  every 
part  of  which  he  com- 
mented 5 he  then  recited 
a short  jirayer,  and  con- 
cluded by  invoking  a 
blessing  on  all  assem- 
bled. His  knowledge 
of  the  language  Avas 
that  of  an  acomplished 
native,  his  deliA^ery  im- 
pressHe,  and  his  whole 
manner  partook  of  much 
mildness  and  dignity. 

Xo  abuse,  no  language 
which  could  in  any 
way  injure  the  sacred  Gateway  of  the  laj. 

seiwice  he  Avas  engaged  in,  escaped  his  lips.  Por  the  first  lour 
or  five  days  he  was  surrounded  by  more  than  as  many  hun- 
dred Hindus  j in  ten  days  his  congregation  had  reached 
as  many  thousands.  They  sat  around  and  listened  with  an 
attention  which  would  liaA^e  reflected  credit  on  a Christian 
audience.”  After  the  breaking  up  of  the  lair,  ]Mr.  Chamberlain 


22i 


THE  STORY  OF  FAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


vetunied  witli  tlie  to  Sirdluma.  Tin's  ])iiii(*.(\ss,  a 

iMalioinetaii  )>y  descent  and  edinadion,  })eiinitted  and  eneoni’- 
aged  these  proceedings  of  j\Ir.  Cliainherlainj  i)artly,  it  would 
seem,  for  lier  own  ainnseinent,  and  i)artly  to  demonstrate  to 
tlie  I>ralimins,  and  esi)eeially  to  the  liritisli  officials,  that  she 
granted  a larger  religious  toleration  at  her  (;ourt  than  they  liad 
the  clemency  to  allow.  As  she  hnew  the  treatment  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain had  undergone  from  the  funetionaries  of  the  East  India 
Company,  this  scene  at  Ilurdwar  must  have  afforded  her  no 
little  satisfaction  and  delight.  llis  preaching  at  Ilurdwar 
having  been  re])orted  to  Lord  IVIoira,  the  latter  sent  to  the 
princess,  requiring  her  to  dismiss  j\Ir.  Chamberlain  from  her 
service  and  at  the  same  time  eommanding  him  to  return  to  the 
Presidency.  The  P>egum  begged  the  Covernor  (leneral  to 
recall  his  order.  But  he  refused  5 whereupon  she  declared 
that  she  had  never  experienced  such  harsh  treatment  even 
from  the  ]\rahrattas.  In  due  time  jMr.  Chand)erlain  ai)peared 
before  Lord  Moira,  with  abundant  evidence  from  Lady  Hood 
and  the  Surveyor  General  of  India,  Col.  Mackerlyn,  who  Avere 
present  at  the  seiwices,  that  he  had  in  no  AAise  disturbed  the 
l)eace.  But  Lord  Moira  forbade  him  to  return.  We  next  tiiid 
our  missionary  ihoneer  at  Monghyr,  a i)opulous  town  in  Bengal, 
nearly  three  hundred  miles  from  Calcutta.  While  here,  he 
took  a scAxre  cold,  from  the  effects  of  which  he  never  full}- 
recoAmredj  but  he  Avas  unwilling  to  abandon  Ids  labors. 
Though  troubled  AAith  symptoms  of  consumption,  he  still  labored 
at  his  translations,  besides  preaching  four  times  a week  to 
Euro})eans  and  scAxm  or  eight  times  to  the  natiAXs. 

His  life  had  been  one  of  great  toil  and  hardshij),  Avhile  he 
fr(*(piently  had  to  mourn  the  death  of  dear  ones  in  a strange 
land.  His  first  Avife  had  died  at  Cutwa  in  I8OI5  at  Agra,  two 
daughters  in  rapid  succession  Avere  taken  aAvay  to  the  shining 


CHAMBEKLAlI^’t^  DEATH  AT  SEA. 


sliore;  tlie  year  folloAviiig  liis  ouly  remaining  child  Avas  also 
taken  hence.  His  second  AAdfe  died  in  less  than  a year.  After  tAvo 
voyages  to  the  Sandheads  for  his  health,  and  finding  he  aatts 
groAAdng  Avorse,  he  resolved  to  try  the  effect  of  a A^oyage  to 
England.  The  vessel  sailed  the  second  AA^eek  in  November.  He 
Avms  confined  to  the  cabin,  AAiiere,  after  langnishing  three  Aveeks, 
he  Avas  found  on  the  morning  of  December  Gth,  1821,  lifeless  ui)on 
his  bed.  He  Avas  alone  Avhen  the  Lord  came  and  received  him  to 
himself.  The  ship  Acas  in  sight  of  the  cinnamon  giwes  of  Ceylon, 
Avhen  the  mariners  commited  his  remains  to  the  rolling  sea. 


Minaret  at  Delhi. 


CH  APT  Ell  XX  T I \ . 


THE  REV.  DR.  MARSHMAN  OF  SERAMPORE. 

Birth-place  of  Marshinan. — His  Parentage — A Great  Reader. — How  he 
Obtained  and  Devoured  Books. — Becomes  a Weaver. — d'eaches  a I’aro- 
chial  School  at  Bristol. — Goes  out  to  India  with  Mr.  Ward. — How  he 
became  Acclimated. — Opposition  of  the  East  India  Company  compels 
Inm  togoto  Serampore.-  Helps  Establish  a Printing  House. — Mr.and  Mrs. 
Marshman  open  a V'oung  Ladies’  School. — Mrs.  Marshinan,  her  Succe.ss 
as  an  Educator. — Her  long  and  useful  Life. — Mr.  Marshman  Conceives 
the  Idea  of  Translating  the  Bible  into  Chinese. — A Daily  Task  for 
Eighteen  A'ears. — How  he  Raised  Money  for  Printing  the  Chinese  Bible. 
— Translates  the  Works  of  Confucius. — Mobbed  at  Jessore. — Personal 
Appearance. — His  Legs  substituted  for  the  Spindle-shanks  of  Lord  Ellen- 
borougho — Playful  Remarks  of  Andrew  Fuller  about  Respectability. — 
Mr.  Guttridge  of  London. — How  Business  was  done  at  Kettering. — 
Deliberating  on  Horseback. — Controversy  about  the  Serampore  Property. 
—The  Facts  of  the  Case. — The  Original  Plan. — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marshman’s 
Liberal  Gifts  to  the  Mission. —William  Pearce  and  Dr.  Johns.— Dr.  D3"er*s 
Agency"  in  the  Contention. — Mrs.  Marshman  Gives  up  certain  Trouble-, 
some  Documents. — Robert  Hall  Misled. — Dr.  Marshman's  brief  Memoir. 
John  Foster's  Attitude. — Dr.  Marshman  vain  of  his  Children. — Carej^'s 
Defence. — The  Language  of  Humility  Misinterpreted. — The  Djing 
Infidel  abuses  the  Priest. — The  Rev.  Buchanan. — The  New  Scheme,  in 
which  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  is  to  have  a Place. — Rammohun 
Roy  answered  bj"  Dr.  Marshman. — His  Part  in  Founding  the  College  at 
Serampore. — Other  Denominations  Follow  the  Exam^Dle  Set  at  Seram- 
pore.— Miss  Marshman  Marries  Henry  Havelock. — Her  Life  endangered 
bj'  Fire.  Effect  of  the  Calamity  on  Dr.  Marshman. — His  Death  and  its 
Effect  on  the  Serampore  Mission. — Mention  of  his  Literary  Labors. — 
The  Credit  Due  to  the  Serampore  Scholars. — Change  in  Opinion  Concern- 
ing the  Serampore  Brethren. 

I^-OSIIUA  ]\IAHSnMx\N  was  born  at  Wcvstlniiy  Leigh,  in 
AViltsliire,  April  2()th,  17()8.  llis  father  was  a deacon  of 
the  Haptist  clinrclij  liis  occupation  was  that  of  a weaver  of 
broadcloth.  Ills  mother  was  a descendant  of  the  Huguenots. 


AN  EAGER  RUESUIT  OF  KNOWLEDGE.  227 

lu  youth,  Joshua  was  a voracious  reader,  devouring  all  the 
volumes  he  could  borrow.  Sometimes  he  would  walk  twelve 
miles  to  obtain  the  loan  of  a book.  At  the  age  of  twelve  years 
he  had  read  more  than  one  hundred  volumes.  Once,  calling  on 
the  vicar  of  the  i)arish  to  borrow  a book,  he  was  asked  who  was, 
in  his  opinion,  the  better  preacher,  the  vicar  or  the  Baptist 
minister.  Young  Marshman,  who  preferred  his  own  i)astor, 
and  yet  was  at  the  same  time  anxious  not  lose  the  book,  said 
the  best  reply  he  could  give  was  to  refer  him  to  the  remark 
made  by  the  Scottish  embassador  when  Queen  Elizabeth 
enquired  whom  he  thought  the  more  beautiful,  herself  or  the 
Queen  of  Scots.  Such  was  his  passion  for  books,  that  his 
father  permitted  him  to  go  to  London  and  serve  as  a book- 
seller’s errand-boy  and  porter,  in  the  hope  that  he  would  find 
amidst  a large  quantity  of  books  a good  opportunity  to  satisfy 
his  thirst  for  knowledge.  But  his  chief  leisure  for  reading  was 
found  while  he  was  out  of  the  store.  As  he  was  daily  sent 
with  books  to  the  residences  of  customers,  he  often  dipi^ed 
into  them  as  he  walked  the  streets;  and  frequently  the  book 
Avas  tossed  into  his  face  by  some  rude  passenger.  Sometimes 
he  had  to  carry  a number  of  thick  quartos  to  a great  distance, 
and  so  Avould  overtask  his  strength.  However,  the  general 
effect  of  his  daily  exertions  in  the  streets  Avas  to  harden  his 
bones  and  muscles  rather  than  to  improA^e  his  mind,  and  hence 
he  concluded  that  he  AA^ould  return  home  and  folloAA"  the  calling 
of  his  father.  At  the  loom  there  Avas  a better  prospect  of  some 
day  learning  to  read  Homer’s  verses  respecting  the  aaxI)  of 
Penelope;  and  he  plied  the  shuttle  Avith  the  Greek  grammar 
before  him,  Avith  no  tipsy  student  perhaps  to  toss  it  in  his  fiice. 

In  1794  he  became  master  of  a i)arochial  school  at  Bristol, 
sustained  by  the  Broadmead  Baptist  church.  Meanwhile  he 
continued  his  studies  in  Latin  and  Greek,  and  added  to  them 


228 


'I'llK  STORY  OF  li  A FT  I ST  MISSIONS. 


lessons  in  Hebrew  and  AVlien  lie  first  sought  admis- 

sion to  tbe  eliurcli  in  Westbniy,  lie  mtis  jint  on  a iirobation 
Mdiieh  lasted  seven  years.  His  attention  vms  first  drawn  to  tlie, 
subject  of'  foreign  missions  by  the  ixuaisal  of  a sermon  ])reaclied 
by  the  celebrated  Samuel  Pearee,  of  Pirmingliam.  Three  others, 
including  ^Ir.  Ward,  resolved  to  go  out  to  India  as  missionaries. 

Within  three  weeks  after  IMr.  IMarshman  determined  to  give 
his  life  to  this  service,  we  find  him  sailing  down  the  English 
Channel.  At  the  time  of  his  embarkation,  his  health  was  very 
poor.  One  day,  meeting  the  blunt  but  popular  Methodist 
preacher,  ^‘Sinner  Saved”  Huntington,  and  remarking  to  him 
that  he  was  about  to  go  to  Calcutta — ‘AMu  go  out  to  India!” 
exclaimed  Huntington j ^‘you  look  as  pale  as  if  you  had  been 
kept  by  the  parish.”  But  the  well-disciplined  mind  enabled 
him  to  adopt  the  best  method  of  taking  care  of  his  feeble 
bod3\  He  inured  himself  to  the  climate  of  India  by  exi^osing 
himself  to  the  extreme  heat  of  summer  and  to  the  falling  waters 
of  the  rainy  season.  To  this  jiractice  he  added  the  habit  of 
repelling  all  gloomy  ideas  about  his  ails,  by  keeping  his  mind 
preoccupied  with  his  daily  engagements.  Hence  he  could  in 
his  old  age  boast  that,  after  a residence  of  thirty-six  years  in 
India,  his  medicine  had  not  cost  him  a single  sovereign. 

When  ]Mr.  Marshman  arrived  at  Calcutta,  in  October,  1798, 
he  found  that  he  could  not  remain  under  British  i)rotection  as 
a missionary,  but  must  either  be  enrolled  as  having  some  secular 
occui:)ation  or  leave  the  territory  of  the  East  India  Company. 
On  the  day  following,  therefore,  he  and  his  three  fellow-laborers 
])roceeded  to  Serampore,  and  there  commenced  the  mission 
which  occui)i(‘s  so  large  a space  in  the  history  of  British 
Foreign  Missions.  In  no  long  time  was  it  discovered  that  the 
sums  of  money  they  'were  likely  to  receive  from  their  English 
brethren  at  home  would  be  inadequate  to  their  supimrt,  and 


TRANSLATING  THE  BIBLE  INTO  CHINESE.  220 

accordingly  they  devised  the  scheme  of  establishing  a printing- 
ofQcej  in  which  they  could  not  only  throw  off  Bibles  and  tracts, 
blit  educational  and  other  useful  volumes.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marsh - 
man  likewise  opened  a young  ladies’  boarding  sehool,  which  at 
length  beeame  the  largest  of  the  kind  in  India.  Before  the 
close  of  their  career,  they  established  two  other  schools,  all  of 
which  were  very  successful.  The  profits  accruing  from  these 
schools  were  chiefly  given  to  the  Seramj)ore  Mission  and  its 
nine  dependents. 


Government  Buildings  and  Monuments,  Calcutta. 


The  prosperity  of  these  schools  deiiended  very  much  on  the 
talents  and  Christian  graces  of  Mrs.  Marshman.  The  grand- 
daughter of  a Baptist  pastor  in  Wiltshire,  she  possessed  a 
strong  mind,  a sound  judgment,  and  a peculiar  amiability  of 
temper.  The  climate  of  Serampore  appears  to  have  been  very 
friendly  to  her  health,  and  she  died  there  as  late  as  1847,  at 
the  age  of  eighty. 


17 


230 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Soon  after  liis  arrival  in  India^  .Afi’.  Marsliinan  (M)n(M;iv(i(l  tin' 
idea  of  translating  tlie  Itiblc  into  Cldin'se.  AVitli  tin*.  Ind])  of  a 
competent  ti'.aclier,  he  mastered  the  very  diflicnlt  language,  and 
then  addressed  himself  with  great  industry  to  his  appointed 
task.  He  found  it  a long  labor.  During  eightecm  years  he 
devoted  to  this  great  work  every  moment  he  (tould  redeem 
from  the  avocations  of  the  mission  and  of  his  schools,  and 
from  the  hours  of  rest.  As  yet  the  Ohinese  had  no  version 
of  the  Sacred  Scriiitures;  and  it  seemed  to  Mr.  Marshmiin  to 
be  of  the  hrst  imiiortance  that  the  teeming  millions  of  that 
vast  empire  should  be  enabled  to  read  the  AVord  of  (Jod. 

When  he  began  to  i)rint  portions  of  this  version,  JMr.  Alarsh- 
man  applied  to  the  (fovernor  General,  Lord  Minto,  for  pecuniary 
aid.  But  as  it  had  become  the  settled  jiolicy  of  the  East  India 
Company  to  avoid  every  appearence  of  making  proselytes  of 
the  Hindus  or  any  other  iiagaii  iieople,  Air.  Afarshman’s  request 
was  refused.  Nothing  discouraged,  he  hit  on  the  expedient  of 
translating  into  English  the  works  of  Confucius,  printing  them 
at  Serampore,  and  devoting  the  profits  of  tins  enterprise  to  the 
circulation  of  the  Chinese  Scriptures.  After  soliciting  subscrip- 
tions for  Confucius  a few  days,  he  easily  obtained  the  names  of 
the  leading  officials  and  merchants,  and  the  sum  of  £2000. 
This  amount,  added  to  £300  which  was  at  the  same  time  contri- 
buted by  such  as  dared  make  direct  donations,  enabled  him  to 
begin  to  enlighten  the  disciples  of  Confucius. 

In  preaching  to  the  natives,  Mr.  Marshman  was  not  ahvays 
allowed  to  proceed  Avith  his  services  Avithout  molestation.  On 
one  occasion,  Avhile  iireaching  Avith  a loud  Amice  in  the  street 
at  Jessore,  standing  on  the  t(qA  of  his  palankeen, holding  a New 
Testament  in  his  hand,  he  Avas  mobbed  and  put  under  arrest. 

Mr.  Alarshman  Avas  a man  of  graceful  and  dignified  presence, 
about  live  feet  nine  inches  in  height,  of  symmetrical  build,  Avith 


A DEFICIENCY  IN  ^^UESPECTABILITY.’’  231 

a coimteuance  expressive  of  liigli  intellect  and  stern  decision. 
As  lie  lived  in  the  days  of  knee-hiickleSj  which  were  very 
trying’  to  all  deformities  about  the  shanks,  his  foot  and  ancle 
appeared  to  handsome  advantage.  AVhen  Lord  Ellenborough, 
the  Governor  General,  was  about  to  have  a full-length  i)ortrait 
of  himself  taken,  the  artist  desired  of  Mr.  Marshman  the  favor 
of  a sitting,  in  order  that  he  might  copy  his  leg  and  foot  into 
the  iiicture.  Ah  ! ’’  said  Mr.  Marshman,  when  Ave  f rst  came 
to  this 'country,  they  thought  us  a poor,  mean  set,  and  drove 
us  from  place  to  place  trying  to  get  us  out  of  it ; now  they  are 
very  glad  to  make  use  of  a poor  missionary's  understanding.’’^ 

It  was  in  the  same  vein  of  playfulness  that,  in  the  year  18io, 
Andrew  Fuller  wrote  to  the  Serampore  brethren; — ^ AVhen,” 
says  he,  we  began,  in  1793,  there  was  little  or  no  ^respectability’ 
among  us — not  so  much  as  a ’ Squire  to  sit  in  the  chair  at  our 
meetings,  nor  an  orator  to  address  him  Axith  siieeches.  When 
your  translations  began  to  make  a stir,  though  we  had  no 
‘respectability’  among  us,  yet  it  seemed  as  if  something  of  the 
kind  could  be  bred  among  us.  * * * But  as  we  had  made 

shift  to  do  without  ‘respectability’  at  the  beginning,  both  you 
and  I were  for  going  on  in  the  same  track.  Last  year,  or  the 
year  before,  a respectable  gentleman  of  our  denomination 
thought  ht  to  send  for  brother  Carey’s  likeness ; he  got  it  and 
had  it  engraved,  and  the  mission  is  to  ha\^e  the  luolits.  All 
very  good,  and  we  are  \^ery  glad  of  it,  and  a iiretty  feather  it 
is  for  him;  but  he  does  not  seem  easy  without  bringing  the 
management  of  our  Society  to  Loudon,  or  something  ai)proaching 
it,  after  my  death  and  that  of  Kyland  and  Sutcliff.  So  there  is 
now  a solicitude  about  the  mission,  that  it  might  be  managed  by 
‘resiiectable’  men,  without  disgracing  or  committing  themselves.” 

The  “respectable”  gentleman,  above  mentioned,  was  Mr. 
Guttridge,  a self-made  man  of  Loudon,  Avhose  laudable  desire  it 
was  for  many  years  to  make  the  society  more  respectable  by 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


23L> 


removing  the  central  rooms  to  London  and  adding  to  the  Com- 
mittee a number  of  the  rich  r>ai)tists  of  the  metropolis.  For 
twenty  years  Kettering  opened  its  liospitable  doors  to  tlie  annual 
meetings  of  the  Society.  The  consultations  of  the  Committee — 
Messrs.  Fuller,  Eylaiid  and  Sutclilf — had  often  been  informal 
and  movable,  except  when  very  important  business  demanded 
attention.  Mr.  Sutclilf,  the  Kestor  of  the  little  circle,  was 
oi)posed  to  being  summoned  over  to  Kettering  to  decide  self- 
evident  questions.  Once,  when  Mr.  Fuller  proposed  to*  him  a 
meeting  of  the  Committee,  he  remarked : f you  call  a meeting, 

a])poiut  some  place  on  the  turnpike-road  at  such  a mile-stone;  hx 
the  hour  and  the  minute.  Let  us  meet  and  set  our  horses’  heads 
together,  pass  a vote,  and  separate  again,  in  two  minutes.” 

In  1810,  the  head -quarters  of  the  society  were  removed  to 
London,  and  Mr.  Guttridge  became  the  man  of  “light  and 
leading,”  and  Lev.  John  Dyer,  the  Corresponding  Secretary,  his 
very  obedient  servant.  As  neither  of  these  men  had  intimately 
known  Messrs.  Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward,  and  were  too  little 
acquainted  with  the  relations  of  the  Serampore  Mission  and 
property  to  the  Society,  they  commenced  a series  of  arrogant 
and  vexatious  proceedings,  the  ultimate  aim  of  which  was  to 
obtain  entire  control  of  the  property  of  the  Serampore  establish- 
ment. When  the  Seramxiore  brethren  went  out  to  India,  they 
were  told  to  become  independent  of  the  support  of  the  Society 
as  soon  as  iiossible;  and  they  soon  found  that  if  the  mission 
was  to  live  and  flourish  it  would  have  to  be  maintained  from 
their  own  earnings.  Hence  the  combined  incomes  of  Messrs, 
(huey,  IVIarshman  and  Ward,  were  consecrated  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  Missions  in  India.  Thus,  in  1812,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Marshman  contibuted  £2000  to  the  mission,  of  which 
they  reserved  only  about  £100  for  the  contingent  exjienses 
of  the  family.  So  Dr.  Carey’s  salary  as  professor  in  the 
(%)llege  of  Fort  William,  and  Mr.  AVard’s  earnings  as  printer, 
were  devobal  to  the  same  ol)ject-.  In  the  course  of  the  contro- 


PECUNIARY  GIFTS  OF  THE  SERAMPORE  BRETHREN.  2.S3 

versy^  it  transpired  that  the  trio  had,  by  their  united  energies, 
given  in  all  about  £80,000.  Having  in  their  letters  and  otlier 
documents  acknowledged  that  they  considered  the  Serampore 
property  as  belonging  to  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  and 
themselves  merely  trustees  of  it  during  their  life-time,  their 
adversaries  in  England  took  advantage  of  these  generous 


Rev.  Joshua  Marshman,  D.  D. 


concessions  and  demanded  a share  in  the  management  of  the 
mission;  and  even  went  so  far  as  to  send  out  Mr.  William 
Pearce,  son  of  Samuel  Pearce  of  Birmingham,  as  a coadjutor 
of  Mr.  Ward,  without  any  correspondence  with  the  latter  on 
the  subject.  Indeed,  several  young  men  were  thus  obtruded 
on  the  mission;  one  of  whom.  Dr.  Johns,  by  his  bad* behavior, 
incurred  the  displeasure  as  well  of  the  Serampore  fraternity  as 
of  the  East  India  Company,  and  was  consequently,  in  1812, 


234 


THE  STOKY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIOINS. 


transportod  to  Eii^>l;nid.  Yoinip:  PearcOj  thoii^di  aii  oxcellont 
printer,  was  at  that  time  a man  of  doul)tfnl  ])i(dy  and  of  disre- 
spectful manners.  Tliese  yoiin^  men  at  haigth  went  to  (hdcntfa 
and  set  up  a separate  mission  there.  Jieiii^  in  full  sympathy 
with  iMessrs.  Guttrid;[^e  and  Dyer,  and  sharing  their  ignorance 
of  the  tenure  l)y  which  the  Serampore  i)roperty  Avas  held,  they 
AATote  home  to  their  friends  letters  well  calculated  to  mislead  the 
patrons  of  missions. 

]\lr.  Marshman  liaving,  in  a letter  to  the  Committee,  in  1817, 
asserted  that  ‘‘control  follows  contribution  as  the  shadow  the 
substance,”  IMessrs.  Guttridge,  Dyer  and  others  made  these 
and  other  words  the  occasion  of  a popular  agitation  among 
British  Baptists.  In  their  communications  they  carefully  con- 
cealed the  fact  that  the  Serampore  jiroperty  had  been  chiefly 
created  by  the  Serampore  brethren,  and  likewise  the  fact  that, 
though  they  had  admitted  that  they  had  given  it  to  the  Society, 
it  was  on  the  condition  that  Messrs.  Carey,  Marshman  and 
Ward  should  hold  it  as  trustees.  As,  hoAvever,  Dr.  Carey  AA\as 
A’ery  popular  in  England,  it  was  soon  ascertained  that  the 
ascendency  of  the  Serampore  mission  could  not  be  broken 
unless  Dr.  Carey  could  in  some  way  be  induced  to  part  com- 
pany with  Messrs.  Marshman  and  Ward.  The  Kev.  John  Dyer 
has  the  honor  of  having  Aminly  attempted  to  alienate  Dr.  Carey 
from  the  other  two.  To  him  also  belongs  the  credit  of  having 
understood  the  whole  art  and  mystery  of.supressing  troublesome 
facts.  On  Mrs.  Marshman’s  return  to  England  for  the  benefit  of 
her  health,  IMessrs.  Carey  and  Marshman  (]Mr.  Ward  being 
already  in  England ) sent  by  her  hand,  for  publication,  a vindi- 
cation of  themseh^es  against  the  endless  aspersions  Avliich  had 
for  y(‘ars  been  ])rinted  and  circulated  all  over  Great  Britain. 
Mrs.  JMarshman  Avas  met  as  soon  as  she  arrived,  and  AA\as  per- 
suaded to  give  to  ]M(;ssrs.  Dyer  and  Guttridge  this  document, 
and  so  tli(‘-  Bai)list  ])ublic.  Avere  still  misguided  by  one-sided 
r(*pres(tntations. 


SOME  AWFUL  CHARGES. 


235 


Elsewhere  in  this  volume  we  show  that  Robert  Hall’s  himous 
letter  in  denimeiation  of  Dr.  Marshmau  and  his  brethren  was 
written  under  a total  misapprehension  of  the  facts  of  the  case. 
Dr.  Marshman’s  Brief  Memoir  relative  to  the  Operations  of  the 
Serampore  Missionaries^  with  Appendix/’  [8vo.  pp.  89],  is  a 
model  of  clear  and  dispassionate  statement.  Indeed,  its 
simplicity,  coolness,  mildness  and  meekness  were  noticed  by  his 
adversaries,  as  being  almost  beyond  belief,  but  still  as  fresh 
evidence  of  his  insincerity  and  of  the  badness  of  his  cause. 
John  Foster,  in  whose  residence  he  composed  it,  was  dissatisfied 
with  the  moderation  of  its  tone.  But  the  Serampore  brethren 
would  have  descended  from  their  proper  dignity  had  they  made  a 
bold  defence  against  the  puerile  attacks  of  pamphleteers  and 
committeemen.  ^^What  a world  this  is!”  exclamed  John 
Foster,  ^^in  which  such  noble  self-devotedness  and  such  prodig- 
ious exertions  as  the  Serampore  fraternity  have  disclosed, 
slionld  have  occasion  to  make  any  such  kind  of  appeal  in 
self-defence.” 

It  creates  a smile  to  read  some  of  the  awful  charges  that  were 
brought  against  the  character  of  the  great  Dr.  Marshman. 
One  was  that  he  had  a desire  to  display  his  children  to  advan- 
tage. To  this  Dr.  Carey  replied,  in  apology  for  his  life-long 
friend  and  co-laborer,  that  Dr.  Marshman  was  certainly  charge- 
able with  this  foible  j but  it  was  one  which  most  fond  jiarents 
would  be  disposed  to  extenuate  j all  the  other  accusations  were, 
in  his  opinion,  groundless.  And  yet  the  young  missionaries, 
who  set  up  a separate  station  in  Calcutta,  visited  them  with  the 
severest  anathemas,  and  one  of  them,  a mere  stripling,  solemnly 
advised  them  to  appoint  a day  of  humiliation  because  of  their 
transgressions  and  their  iniquities. 

Another  method  of  setting  the  Serampore  missionaries  in  a 
bad  light  was  by  comparing  the  language  of  feeling  with  mere 
matters  of  fact  and,  in  particular,  by  forging  weai^ons  to  wield 
against  them  out  of  their  words  of  excessive  self- depreciation. 


230 


THE  HTOliY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS, 


Tliis  is  an  old  artifice,  and  as  illnstratioiis  of  it  tlnae  ;ire.  /nany 
anecdotes:  the  liest  of  wlii(*.h,  x)erha])S,  is  one  that  orij^inaK'd  in 
raris,  l)nt  is  told  in  tlie  dialect  of  London.  A man  on  his  sicl<-l)(‘d 
was  lamenting  to  his  confessor  the  gr(*at  mischief  he  had  dom^ 
to  his  own  age  and  to  future  generations  hy  an  infidel  book  he 

had  written.  Jbit  the 
father  confessor  n*- 
])lied,  ^^Take  cornfoi  t,  I 
entreat  3'on,  for  exccjit 
a trnnk-maker  or  two, 
and  a few  jiastry  (*ooks, 
no  man,  to  my  own 
certain  knoAvledge,  has 


ever  bought  n copy  of 
yonr  book.”  Hereupon 
the  dying  man  leaped 
out  of  bed,  and  being 
a member  of  the  ^4'an- 
cy,”  lie  floored  the 
father  confessor  for  his 
insidting  consolations. 

Anotlier  attempt  to 
extingnisli  the  fire  of 
Serampore  freedom  or- 
iginated with  the  am- 
bitions churchman,  the 

Rammohun  Roy.  HCY.  ClaudiuS  Bncliail- 

an.  He  proposed  two  or  three  schemes  for  the  consolidation 
of  the  Baptists  and  Episcopalians  in  translating  and  printing 
the  Scriptures  in  India.  One  Avas  to  establish  a British 
Propaganda/^  after  the  model  of  the  Propaganda  at  Borne, 
or  a College  of  Translations.  This  was  to  supersede  the 
whole  S(‘rampor(‘.  mission,  (‘,xce])t  the  ])rinting-honse.  There 
Aveie  to  be  dev'cn  ])rofcssorshij)s^  among  these,  Henry  Martin, 


A CHURCHMAN’S  AMBITIOUS  SCHEMES. 


237 


the  Episcopal  missionary,  was  to  be  appointed  Professor  of 
Arabic,  and  Joshua  Marshman,  Professor  of  Sanskrit.  It  was 
to  be  placed  under  the  iierxietual  superintendence  of  a clergyman 
of  the  Church  of  England.  Another  scheme  was  a British 
Institute,”  embracing  some  of  the  features  of  the  first,  to  be 
l)laced  under  the  iiatronage  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 
The  British  Bible  Society  was  to  be  asked  to  grant  the  Institute 
£10,000  a year  for  five  years.  With  such  an  amalgamation  of 
Baptists,  Churchmen  and  others  the  whole  Eastern  world  was 
to  be  illuminated.”  But  the  Serampore  fraternity  did  not 
hesitate  to  decline  all  these  overtures.  To  accept  such  propos- 
itions would,  in  their  judgment,  be  dishonorable  and  wrong. 
In  the  correspondence  which  attended  these  proposals  and  their 
rejection.  Dr.  Marshman  was  compelled  to  take  the  leading  part. 

He  was  likewise  imt  forward,  as  the  champion  of  the 
Christian  faith,  to  encounter  the  notorious  iiammohun  Boy. 
He  was  a young  man  of  Brahminical  lineage,  of  noble  presence 
and  rare  attainments.  In  his  writings  he  had  already  distin- 
guished himself  for  his  attacks  on  Hindu  idolatry  and  for 
admiration  of  the  iirecepts  of  the  Messiah.  But  he  denied 
the  reality  of  the  miracles  of  Jesus,  and  of  his  divinity ; he  also 
questioned  the  necessity  of  the  atonement.  Dr.  Marshman’s 
replies  to  the  learned  Hindu  first  appeared  in  the  Friend  of 
India f but  were  afterwards  collected  in  a volume. 

From  the  outset.  Dr.  Marshman  had  taken  a very  active 
interest  in  education.  He  established,  first,  a boarding-school 
for  the  boys  of  English  residents.  This  proving  a great  success, 
he  set  on  foot  another  for  girls  of  the  same  class,  and  finally  a 
boarding  school  for  native  boys  and  girls.  But  his  greatest 
educational  project  was  the  founding  of  a College  at  Serampore 
for  the  education  of  native  preachers  and  teachers.  The  ardor 
with  which  the  Serampore  brethren  pursued  this  object  was 
among  the  things  that  embarrassed  their  funds  and  compelled 


238 


TTIK  STORY  OF  R ARTIST  MISSIONS. 


tliolii  to  ask  assistance  from  tLeir  fricnals  in  fki^laiid  and 
America.  Tli(\y  liad^  liowever^  promis(‘d  to  Imild  tin*.  (*dific.es 
from  tlieir  own  earnings  and  from  (*oll(n*tions  mad(‘.  in  S(*ram|)ore 
and  in  Calcutta.  The  College  grounds^  containing  t(‘n  acr(*s, 
were  sitnated  on  the  l)anks  of  the  Hoogly  at  S(‘ram])ore, 
opposite  the  Governor  General’s  iiark  at  liarrakpore.  The 
edifices  were  of  the  Tonic  order  of  architectim*.,  as  securing  the 
best  ventilation.  They  were  erected  at  the  cost  of  i^lOjOOO. 


Barrakpore. 

After  the  College  had  been  in  operation  ten  years,  it  was 
estimated  that  out  of  the  £24,824  received,  only  £9,224  had  come 
Irom  the  public  j all  the  rest  had  been  contributed  b}^  the 
Serampore  brethren.  At  first  the  enterprise  was  condemned 
at  the  mission  rooms  in  Fen  Court,  but  the  exiieriment  having 
])rov(*d  siicitessfnl,  the  k^piscopalians.  Independents  and  Fresby- 
t(‘rians  took  the  hint  from  them  and  established  similar  colleges 
of  th(*ir  own  ; and  when,  in  1854,  it  was  offered  to  the  Baptist 
.Missionary  Soci(*ty  as  lh(*ir  missionary  training-school,  they 


DERANGEMENT  AND  DEATH  OF  MARSHMAN. 


239 


gladly  accepted  the  gift,  although,  sixteen  years  before,  the 
croakers  of  Fen  Court  had  declared  that  they  would  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it. 

An  important  event,  in  Dr.  Marshman’s  home,  was  the 
marriage  of  his  third  daughter,  Ilannah,  and  Henry  Havelock, 
then  only  an  Adjutant  in  the  British  East  India  service.  Seven 
years  later,  1836,  Mrs.  Havelock,  while  residing  at  Landonr, 
narrowly  escaped  death  by  the  burning  of  a bungalow.  On  the 
first  alarm,  she  rushed  out  with  her  infant  in  her  arms,  and 
while  passing  over  the  floor  of  the  verandah,  the  roof  of  which 
had  fallen  in,  stumbled  down  and  would  have  been  burned  to 
death  but  for  the  exertions  of  a servant,  who  immediately  lifted 
her  np,  wrapped  her  in  a blanket  and  conveyed  her  to  a 
neighboring  hnt,  where  she  lay  in  a state  of  insensibility.  But 
her  infant  perished  in  the  flames.  Two  servants  lost  their  lives. 
Dr.  Marshman  received  a dispatch  which  gave  no  particulars, 
and  was  left  three  days  in  most  painful  suspense  as  to  the  life  of 
his  daughter.  He  wandered  about  the  house  almost  bereft  of 
reason,  ever  and  anon  looking  out  for  the  approach  of  a 
messenger.  But  when,  at  last,  assurance  arrived  that  his 
daughter  was  convalescent,  his  expressions  of  gratitude  were 
almost  ecstatic.  The  shock,  however,  was  too  great  for  the 
venerable  man;  his  mind  lost  its  balance  and  it  never  fully 
recovered  from  the  derangement. 

The  death  of  Marshman  ended  the  first  dispensation  of  mis- 
sions to  India.  For  thirty-eight  years  had  he  toiled  with  great 
industry  and  wisdom,  and  in  the  face  of  much  and  various 
opposition.  During  his  last  sickness,  negotiations  were  going 
forward  in  London  tlie  eftect  of  which  was  to  transfer  the 
Serampore  establishment  to  the  entire  control  of  the  Baptist 
Missionary  Society,  and  on  the  day  his  friends  returned  from  his 
burial,  the  mail  arrived  from  England  informing  them  of  the 
transfer. 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


2H) 

Goiipral  readers  (cannot  1)(‘.  exi)eet(Ml  1o  Idriu  a just  estiinato  of 
Dr.  Marsliinan’s  seliolarsliip  and  iiitelleetual  attainineiits ; l)ut 
tliey  can  form  some  notion  of  liis  industry  when  they  are  told 
that  his  Key  to  tlie  Cliinese  lan^;na^’(‘,  was  sevim  y(‘ars  in  course 
of  composition  5 and  Ids  ]>il)le  in  Chinese  ei^liteim  years.  The 
last  was  a translation  of  the  entire  Dible,  and  not  of  i)arts  of  it, 
as  a bigoted  Pedobaptist  Cyclopedia  would  have  it.  A vindica- 
tion of  Dr.  Marshman’s  Chinese  I>il)le  work  will  be  found  in  the 
chapter  on  the  Keligions  of  China. 

To  Marshman  and  his  co-laborers  belongs  the  honor  of  having 
been  pioneers  along  certain  very  important  lines.  They  were  the 
first  to  translate  the  Bible  into  the  Sanskrit,  the  Bengalee  and 
the  Chinese;  the  first  to  undertake  the  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures into  thirty  langnages  and  considerable  dialects  of  India. 
They  were  the  first  to  establish  native  schools  for  heathen 
children  in  the  north  of  India,  and  originated  the  first  college 
for  the  education  of  native  preacliers  and  teachers.  They  were 
the  first,  and  so  far  the  last  Englishmen  to  set  about  a translation 
of  the  greatest  of  the  Hindu  epics,  the  Ramayana.  They  printed 
the  first  books  in  the  language  of  Bengal ; they  Avere  the  first  to 
render  it  the  vehicle  of  national  instruction.  They  published 
the  first  native  newspaper  in  India,  and  the  first  religious 
periodicals.  In  all  departments  of  missionary  labor  and 
intellectual  instruction,  they  were  the  brave  and  untiring  path- 
finders. 

And  yet,  Avith  what  contemptuous  words  were  they  compli- 
mented about  the  time  of  the  Vellore  massacre.  Sidney  Smith, 
in  his  second  article  in  the  Edinburgh  Review^  published  in  April, 
1809,  speaks  of  ^A*ooting  out  a nest  of  consecrated  cobblers.” 
“ They  complain,”  he  says,  of  intolerance.  A weasel  might  as 
Avell  complain  of  intolerance  when  he  is  throttled  for  sucking 
eggs.”  But  Lord  Wellesley  and  Lord  Teignmouth,  as  Avell  as 
many  otlier  statesmen,  considered  the  Serauiiiore  mission  as 


A TRIBUTE  FROM  WILBERFORCE. 


241 


necessary  to  the  stability  of  the  British  dominion  in  India. 
And  the  great  philanthropist,  Wilberforce,  speaking  in  thti 
House  of  Commons,  declared  that  a sublimur  thought  could 
not  be  conceived  than  when  a i)oor  cobbler  formed  the  reso- 
lution to  give  to  the  multitudes  of  the  Hindus  the  Bible  in 
their  own  languages. 


Brahmin  Worship  on  the  Ganges. 


CHAl^TER  XXIV. 


SIR  HENRY  HAVELOCK,  THE  CHRISTIAN  SOLDIER. 


He  preaches  in  a Teini)le  near  the  Great  Pagoda. — The  scene  described  — 
Havelock’s  yonthfid  love  of  Military  Affairs. — A .^(tndent  at  the  Charter 
House  school. — Connnences  the  study  of  Law. — Enters  the  Military 
service.— Converted  on  his  voyage  to  India.— Takes  part  in  the  Barman 
war. — Meets  IVIr.  and  Mrs.  Judson. — Marries  Miss  Hannah  Marshman. — 
Becomes  a Bai)tist. — Builds  Chapels  for  the  Soldiers  wherever  quartered. 
— His  high  regard  for  Dr.  Marshman. — Dr.  Bengel’s  observation. — Pro- 
motions not  often  dependent  on  Merit. — Engages  in  the  Temperance 
reform.— His  counsels  respecting  Bala  Hissar. — The  words  of  Jeiemiah 
come  to  him  in  the  Mulberiy  Grove. — Leaves  Cabool. — The  reverses 
in  Affghanistan. — Havelock  joins  General  Sale. — Retreat  to  Jellalabad. — 
The  town  fortified. — The  destruction  of  the  British  Army  in  Affghan- 
istan.— Earthquake  at  Jellalabad. — Havelock's  prudence  and  firmness 
save  the  Garrison. — His  devotional  habits. — The  end  of  a five  months’ 
Siege. — The  Valley  of  Slaughter  described. — Defeat  of  Akbar  Khan. — 
Army  re-enter  Cabool. — The  British  prisoners  removed. — Gen.  Sale’s 
Wife  and  Daughter  among  the  Captives. — The  Triumphal  Procession. 
The  Battle  and  the  Poisoned  Well. — Carries  a Bethel  tent  with  him. — 
Baptizes  some  of  the  Soldiers. — Description  of  his  Person  and  Dress.— 
Returns  to  England. — His  Reception  at  Home. — Goes  to  Germany  and 
leaves  his  family  at  Bonn. — Returns  to  India  and  takes  part  in  the  Cam- 
paign against  Persia. — Shipwrecked. — The  Mutiny  and  Nana  Sahib. — 
The  Fall  of  Cawnpore. — The  Siege  of  Lucknow. — Gen.  Outram  gives  to 
Gen.  PI.  the  honor  of  relieving  Lucknow.— The  Night  March  for  the 
Rescue  of  the  Residency. — The  Fearful  Loss  of  Life. — The  Sickness  and 
Death  of  Havelock. — His  Character  and  Infiuence. 


llANGOON’  is  a wonder  of  a pagoda,  the  great  Shway 
Dagong.  It  OAves  its  celebrity  to  the  fact  that  it  is  sup- 
posed to  enshrine  several  real  hairs  of  Gautama.  At  the  annual 
festivals  it  attracts  multitudes  of  worshippers  from  all  fiarts  of  the 
country,  while  it  is  daily  Au’sited  hy  travellers  and  iieAV-comers 
from  th(*.  most  distant  regions  of  the  Avorld.  One  day  an  English 
oflicer,  as  he  Avas  Avandering  round  about  the  grounds  of  the 


GREAT  PAGODA  OF  SHWAY  DAGONG,  RANGOON. 


A BAPTIST  MEETma  IN  A BUDDHIST  TEIVIPLE. 


243 


pagoda,  heard  a strange  sound.  He  stopped  and  listened.  He 
found  that  it  was  eertaiidy  psalm-singing.  lie  determined  to 
trace  the  sound  to  its  source.  Ue  soon  hegaii  to  suspect  that  it 
proceeded  from  a building  not  far  away,  and  finally  followed 
the  solemn  music  to  the  door  of  one  of  the  temples  which  are 
attached  to  the  magnificent  pagoda.  Entering,  what  should  meet 
his  eyes  but  a congregation  of  soldiers,  with  au  English  lieu- 
tenant standing  liefore  them 
})reaching  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

There  lay  a Bible  and  hymn- 
book  before  him,  — while  all 
around  the  walls  of  the  temple 
sat  small  images  of  Gautama, 
with  their  legs  gathered  uj) 
and  crossed,  with  their  hands 
resting  tranquilly  on  the  lai). 

The  chamber  was  retired  from 
the  light  of  day;  but  the  sol- 
diers had  contrived  to  illumi- 
nate the  idace  excellently  well. 

They  had  brought  lamps,  and, 
having  lighted  them,  placed 
them  one  by  one  in  the  lap  of 
an  idol.  At  last  these  smiling 
images  of  ^^The  Light  of  Asia”  had  reached  their  highest  des- 
tiny. No  Anglican  ritualist  could  reasonably  object  to  their 
present  use  as  symbolical  lamp-bearers  in  divine  service.  They 
were  now  giving  more  light  to  Asia  than  ever  before. 

And  who  is  this  earnest  and  eloquent  lieutenant?  An  English 
officer  of  thirty  years,  who  had  landed  with  his  regiment  in  India 
in  1823,  determined  to  devote  part  of  his  time  to  the  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  his  men,  and  to  assemble  them,  whenever  opportunity  was 
given,  for  exposition  of  the  Scrix)tures  and  for  jirayer  and  i>raise. 

18 


244 


THE  STOUY  OE  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


TTonry  TTjivolock  was  l)oni  at  Ford  Tlallj  liislio])  - AVoarTBonili, 
Eii^iaiidj  A2)i  il  i)tli^  1795.  I hi  was  oiui  of  four  luollicrs,  all  of 
Avliom  oiitc'red  tlio  army,  wliilo  oiui  of  liis  sistvrs  marriod  an 
olliccr  ill  flic  navy.  As  Ji  l)oy  lie  was  fond  of  roadin;:^  military 
news,  and  watclitMl,  Avitli  soldierly  interest,  all  tlie  nioveinents  of 
Nai^oleon.  lie  Avas  lor  S(‘Aen  yi^ars  a student  in  tlici  (diarter- 
liouse,  Avliere  lie  took  a.  lii!i;li  stand  ainon*^  Ids  classmates,  a 
nuniher  of  Avlioin  afterAvards  beeaine  imm  of  distinction. 

Ap’eealdy  to  tlie  Avislies  of  Ids  inotlier,  lui  commenced  the 
study  of  laAv.  Talfonrd,  aftmavards  so  celebrated,  Avas  one  of  liis 
associates  in  the  Middle  Temide.  Ibit  tlirou^li  tlie  iiitliieuce  of 
his  brother  William,  Avho  had  already  entered  the  army,  hii 
exchanged  the  pen  for  the  sword,  obtaining  a second  lieutenant’s 
commission  in  a ritle  brigade.  He  s^ient  some  time  in  acquiring 
a due  knoAA ledge  of  his  profession 5 and  he  fitted  himself  for  the 
East  India  service  by  the  study  of  Ilindnstani  and  Persian. 
While  on  his  Amyage,  he  made  the  ac(]naintaiice  of  a felloAv- 
lientenant  Avho  Avas  earnestly  engaged  in  obtaining  gems  for 
the  diadem  of  the  Pedeemer.  Through  his  instrumentality  he 
obtained  a good  lioiie,  and  at  once  Aveiit  to  Avork  Aviiiiiing  souls. 
On  landing  in  Ilangoon,  he  Avas  yet  a novice,  but  had  the 
courage  to  go  and  obtain  xiossession  of  that  chamber  in  the  great 
pagoda  Avhere  the  reader  first  found  him  couducting  Christian 
Avorshii). 

As  adjutant  in  the  general  staff’  of  Sir  Archibald  Campbell,  he 
took  jiart  in  the  Bnrmaii  Avaiq  and  AAdien  it  closed  he  Avas  among 
those  British  officers  Avho  dined  with  General  CamjAbell  on  the 
memorable  oitcasion  Avhen,  at  the  end  of  their  caiffiAuty,  Mr.  and 
]\Irs.  Jndson  Avere  the  highly  honored  guests.  The  reader  will 
find  some  account  of  that  festiAity  in  the  sketch  of  the  life  and 
missionary  services  of  Mr.  Jndson.  Tlie  best  narratiA^e  of  the 
Bnrman  Avar  Avas  Avrittmi  by  llaA^loch  himsidf.  The  volume, 
ciitiflcMl  ^‘Camjiaigns  in  Ava,”  is  noAV  exceedingly  rare,  but  Mr. 


HAVELOCK  ^^A  FANATIC  AND  AN  ENTHUSIAST.” 


215 


Headley  was  fortunate  enougli  to  x)roeure  a eopy,  tlirougli  the 
kindness  of  a British  officer  in  India,  when  he  wrote  his  ex(;el- 
lent  biography  of  onr  hero.  Tlie  ^Klolden  Foot”  bestowed  on 
liim  the  ^^gold  leaf”  insignia  of  Burmese  nobility. 

On  the  9tli  of  February,  1829,  he  was  united  in  marriage  witli 
llannah,  the  third  dangliter  of  the  Bev.  Dr.  IMarshman,  at 
8erampore.  On  the  4th  of  April,  in  tlie  year  following,  he  was 
baptized  at  Serampore  l)y  the  Bev.  elohii  Mack.  In  18,35  he  v as 
appointed  Adjutant.  Ilis  friends  found  no  little  dihienlty  in  the 
way  to  his  iiromotion;  they  aiiplied  to  Sir  William  Bentinck  in 
his  behalf,  but  learned  that  competitors  were  very  active  trying 
to  jirevent  him  from  taking  the  vacant  place.  They  had  nothing 
to  say  against  him  as  a soldier,  ^^bnt,”  said  they,  ‘Mie  is  a fanatic 
and  an  enthusiast.”  The  whole  controversy  was  carefully  con- 
sidered by  the  Governor  General,  and  he  gave  the  place  to 
Havelock  j at  the  same  time  declaring  that  he  was  the  littest 
man  for  it.  Sir  William  tested  the  merits  of  the  diherent 
aspirants  in  this  way:  He  ordered  returns  of  offences  eommitted 
by  the  men  in  the  different  companies  j it  was  thus  ascertained 
that  the  soldiers  in  Havelock’s  company,  and  those  avIio 
Joined  them  in  their  religions  exennses,  were  the  most  sober 
and  best  behaved  in  the  regiment.  The  Governor  General, 
remarking  ni)on  the  result,  said,  ^^The  complaint  is  that  they  are 
Baptists.  I only  Avish  that  the  whole  regiment  were  Baptist.” 
In  tAA  o or  three  instances  these  soldiers  built  chapels  at  places 
AAdiere  they  aaawc  stationed:  thus,  they  built  one  at  Knrnal;  they 
built  another  at  Agra  in  1832.  When  Havelock  revisited  Agra 
AA  ith  Sir  Hugh  Gough  in  1843,  they  found  Avorshipping  in  this 
chapel  a pastor  and  a considerable  congregation.  It  was  AAdule 
stationed  at  Knrnal,  in  183G,  that  he  heard  of  the  calamity 
Avhich  befell  his  family  at  Landonr,  the  iKirtienlars  of  Avhieh  Avill 
be  found  in  onr  sketch  of  the  Bcax  Dr.  JMarshman.  When  the 
aeconnt  reached  him,  his  distress  was  overpoAveringj  at  the 


240 


THE  STORY  or  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


carlest  111  0111  out  lie  li  a stoned  to  sympatliizc  witli  liis  wife,  imdor 
tlio  loss  of  lior  dailiiif:^  cliild.  TTo  found  lior  droadfully  biiriit, 
liiit  after  six  \Yoeks  slic  recovered  so  fiir  as  to  ris(i  from  li(‘r 
coiicli  and  walk  about.  The  attaclimeut  of  Ids  regiineiit  is 
evinced  by  the  following  touching  incident:  Tin*,  soldiiws  cairui 
in  a body  to  him  begging  him  to  allow  eacli  man  to  d(‘,vote  one 
month’s  pay  to  help  him  sustain  the  loss  of  his  property.  This, 
of  course,  he  declined. 

The  year  following  he  heard  of  the  hajijiy  death  of  the  Itev. 
Dr.  Marshiiian,  at  Beramiiore.  lie  held  his  wife’s  father  in  high 
regard  and  named  his  eldest  son  alter  him.  Most  military  oflicers 
count  men  of  genius  and  sound  learning  as  worthy  of  small 
consideration,  and  when  they  become  governors,  x>i’esidents  or 
governor  generals,  they  make  their  appointments  from  every 
other  class  of  men  in  jireference  to  them,  and  are  ready  to 
sacrifice  them  to  make  room  for  some  new  favorite.  “Military 
men,”  says  the  scholarly  Bengel,  “are  apt  to  entertain  a low 
estimate  of  a learned  life.  It  is  rather  from  i)olicy  or  courtesy  that 
they  pretend  to  consider  honor  as  attainable  in  that  way.  They 
go  oft*  smiling  at  those  who  think  them  in  earnest.  When,  there- 
fore, we  are  in  the  iiresence  of  such  men,  we  should  keep  our 
learning  to  ourselves  until  it  is  called  for.”  I^^ot  so  Henry 
Havelock  5 his  standard  of  excellence  was  of  a difierent  descrip- 
tion. He  loved  his  ])rofession,  and  was  not  without  a desire  to 
rise  to  eminence  in  the  East  India  'military  service:  but  still, 
having  mastered  several  languages  himself  and  having  acquired 
very  remarkable  skill  as  a military  writer,  he  was  capable  of 
a])iireciating  the  talents  and  indefatigable  toil  of  the  scholar 
who  could  spend  fifteen  years  in  translating  the  Bible  into  the 
Chinese. 

In  the  days  of  Havelock  it  was  still  the  weakness  and  the 
reproadj  of  the  B>ritish  militaTy  system  that  ])romotions  had 
small  d(‘j)(md(mce  011  merit,  lii  his  journal  for  the  year  of  1838, 


HAVELOCK  IN  AFFGHANISTAN. 


247 


we  read  this  entry:  Promoted  to  a captaincy,  after  serving 
twenty-three  years  as  a subaltern  officer.”  When  the  army  was 
formed  to  invade  Affghanistan,  he  was  appointed  aide  de  camp 
to  Sir  Willoughby  Cotton.  He  took  part  in  the  storming  of 
Ghiiznee.  He  attributed  the  good  behaviour  of  the  soldiers, 
after  the  capture  of  the  citadel  and  the  fortress,  to  the  fact 
that  they  were  not  allowed  any  arrack  or  other  spirituous 
liquors.  He  had  been  very  actively  engaged,  throughout  the 
cami)aign,  in  forming  temiierance  societies. 

In  the  Affghan  invasion  Havelock  added  to  that  military 
renown  which  he  had  already  acquired.  In  closing  his  first 
campaign  in  Affghauistan  he  recorded  his  views  of  the  necessity 
of  holding  Oabool,  and  declared  that  the  key  of  Cabool  was  the 
citadel  Bala  Hissar.  The  troops  who  held  it  ought  not  to  suffer 
themselves  to  be  dislodged  except  by  a seige.  But  the  counsel 
of  Havelock  was  not  followed.  Having  left  Cabool  for  a time, 
during  his  absence  military  discipline  was  neglected,  rum  was 
clandestinely  sold,  and  the  army  spent  much  time  in  drinking 
and  revelry.  On  his  return  he  found  ^^The  Key  of  Cabool” 
abandoned  and  the  barracks  given  up  to  a hundred  and  sixty  of 
the  harem  of  the  Affghan  king.  We  cannot  here  describe  his 
ex^doits  in  fighting  for  eight  miles  through  that  horrible  defile, 
the  Khoord- Cabool  Pass.  After  clearing  this  pass  he  was  sent 
to  Cabool  with  dispatches.  The  absence  of  a sufficient  and  well 
disciplined  garrison  caused  him  to  fear  for  the  safety  of  the  town. 
Eetiring  to  his  tent  in  a mulberry  grove,  he  began  to  question 
Avhat  his  duty  was.  Uncertain  what  course  to  adopt,  he  took  up 
his  Bible  that  lay  on  the  talile,  opened  it  casually  at  the  39th 
chapter  of  Jeremiah,  10th  and  IStli  verses,  and  read  with  pro- 
found emotion  what  seemed  to  him  at  that  time  the  language  of 
God  directed  to  him.  By  the  time  he  had  made  an  end  of 
reading  these  verses,  his  decision  was  reached — he  resolved  to 
leave  the  doomed  city,  and,  obtaining  permission  to  join  General 


248 


THE  STOllY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Salo^  liasteiied  at  oikjo  to  liis  cam])  and  marc.lM'd  witli 
liim  to  Guiidamak.  AAdiile  cii(tam])ed  luaci  li(‘.  IcariKMl  lliat 
tlie  storm  liad  burst  and  Cal)ool  Avas  ablaze*,  Avitli  iiisuiTec- 
tion.  The  i)ro])lietic  words  lie  liad  read  Avitli  su(‘li  strange 
emotion  among  tlie  mnlberry  tr(*es  Avere  in  course*,  e)!'  tnbil- 
nient.  Tliat  insurrection  of  J842,  anel  the  re*treat  Avliie4i 
resnlted,  are  ainenig  tlie  niemeirable  events  of  tliis  e5e*Mtnry 
— eA’ents  Avliicli  AAere,  in  1879,  called  to  jnind  by  a.  singular 
reiietitieni  eif  tliein  in  tlie  last  Britisli  invasion  eif  Atlglian- 
istan. 


Cabool. 


Sale  anel  Havelock  reseih^eel  to  retreat  to  Jellalabad.  But 
setarce*ly  bad  they  reaedieel  tin*  toAvn  anel  tbeir  regiments  geine  into 
ejiiarters  liefore  an  infnriafeel  midtitiiele  siirronneleel  tlie  city, 
tlire*,atening  destrnction  te)  tlie  British  soleliers,  if  they  eliel  imt 
imnieMliate*ly  le^aAm  the  ])lace.  Sale  snnimemeel  his  e4iie*f  eilUe'ews  to 
a e:onjie;il  eif  Avar.  The  ejiiestion  Avas  Avhether  an  attempt  shonlel 


THE  DEFENSE  OF  JELLALABAD. 


249 


be  made  to  fortify  the  whole  place  or  only  the  citadel.  The  walls 
extended  nearly  a mile  and  a half  in  circumference  j in  some  places 
they  had  tumbled  into  the  ditch,  filling  it  np  comx)letely5  in  one 
place  they  were  levelled  for  a quarter  of  a mile.  Havelock  was 
decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  they  ought  to  rebuild  and  fortify 
the  entire  town  j the  moral  efiect  of  cooping  themselves  iq)  in 
the  citadel  Avould  be  bad.  The  ruined  buildings  outside  the 
Avails  Avere  strongly  garrisoned  by  the  enemy.  Yet  in  the  face 
of  these  dangers  the  garrison  built  a rampart  six  feet  high  on 
top  of  the  city  Avails.  The  defensive  works  at  Jellalabad  Avere 
constructed  under  the  greatest  difficulties.  Officers  and  men 
labored  with  tools  in  one  hand  and  sword  in  the  other,  night 
and  day,  with  hardly  any  intermission  for  six  long  weeks.  On 
the  conqiletion  of  the  defences  IlaA^elock  suggested  to  General 
Sale  to  assemble  the  Avhole  garrison  for  thanksgiving.  The 
brave-hearted  and  hard-handed  men  were  called  together  accord- 
'ingly;  and  as  Havelock  said,  ^^Let  us  pray,”  they  all  fell  upon 
their  knees  and  he  led  them  in  thanking  Almighty  God  for  his 
mercy  in  enabling  them  to  comjilete  the  fortifications  necessary 
for  their  protection. 

While  Havelock’s  men  were  emj)loyed  in  fortifying  the  walls 
of  Jellalabad,  they  were  left  in  ignorance  of  the  fate  of  Elphin- 
stone  and  his  army  in  Cabool.  Sale,  Avhose  Avife  and  daughter 
AA^ere  sharing  the  fate  of  the  army,  would  again  and  again  mount 
the  ramparts  and  gaze  long  and  anxiously  in  the  direction  of  the 
doomed  city.  At  length  a sentry  saw  a solitary  horseman 
coming  along  the  Cabool  road.  The  announcement  passed  like 
lightning  through  the  garrison,  and  soon  the  rami)arts  were  lined 
Avith  officers,  looking  Avith  throbbing  hearts  through  unsteady 
telescopes.  They  saw  that  the  traveller  had  a white  face 5 he 
rode  a pony  that  was  exhausted  and  ready  to  stumble  and  fall; 
the  rider,  equally  exhausted  or  wounded,  lay  clinging  to  his  neck. 
Slowly  the  horseman  came  reeling  and  tottering  on.  Fearing 


250 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


the  mail  and  his  liorse  would  ^»'ive  out  before  they  r(^a(;li(*d  the 
fort,  {Sale  ordered  a body  of  ca\^aliy  to  rid(‘.  qiiiekly  to  his 
rescue.  Scarcely  had  the  bugle  souiidcMl  before  th(‘.  excitiMl  horse- 
men sprang  through  the  gateway,  and,  striking  their  spurs  home, 
Avent  at  headlong  gallop  along  the  road.  The  oflicers  clustered 
around  the  entrance  as  the  troopers  brought  in  the  exhausted 
and  Avounded  man.  As  soon  as  he  could  speak,  he  said  in  feeble 
tones  “I  am  Dr.  Brydon,  and  I belicA^e  I am  the  sole  survivor  of 
an  army  of  sixteen  thousand  men.”  The  oflicers  looked  at  each 
other  in  stern  silence,  AAdiile  OA^er  many  faces  crept  the  hue  of 
death ; for  wIax^s  and  daughters,  brothers,  fathers  or  friends  were 
in  that  army.  As  the  intelligence  Avent  from  soldier  to  soldier  it 
caused  astonishment  and  sorroAv.  Sale  learned  that  his  Avife  and 
daughter  Avere  aliA^e  but  in  the  hands  of  the  barbarians.  When 
Dr.  Brydon  had  sufficiently  recovered  to  say  more,  he  narrated 
the  disasters  of  the  retreat,  AAffiich  in  some  respects  surpassed  in 
horror  Napoleon’s  retreat  from  Moscow  amidst  the  snow-storms 
of  a Bussian  Avinter.  For  full  and  graphic  descrixitions  of  this 
OA’erwhelming  disaster  aa^c  refer  the  reader  to  the  works  of  Hon. 
J.  T.  Headley  and  J.  C.  Marshman. 

Mysteriously  enough,  the  fortifications  of  Jellalabad,  the  labor 
of  three  long  months,  Aveie  shaken  down  by  an  earthcpiake.  In 
the  course  of  a month  about  a hundred  shocks  broke  in  x>ieees 
the  parapets,  injured  the  bastions,  made  a break  in  the  ramjAarts, 
brought  to  the  ground  a third  part  of  the  town  and  reduced  the 
Cabool  gate  to  a shapeless  mass  of  ruins.  The  uncoA^ered 
garrison  exxiected  CA^ery  hour  to  see  the  AfCghaus  storming  OA^er 
them.  But  the  men  fell  to  Avork  Avith  a Avill;  and  so  rapidly 
did  the  Avails  assume  their  former  apxiearance,  that  the  Affghans 
<leclared  that  English  Avitchcraft  had  been  used  to  preseiwe 
dellalabad,  Avhil(‘,  all  the  surrounding  jdaces  had  fallen  into  their 
hands. 

B(*p(‘a1(‘dly  had  tli(‘  garrison  lieen  tenqited  to  eAmciiate  the 


HAVELOCK’S  RELIGIOUS  AND  MILITARY  ARDOR. 


251 


town.  But  the  wisdom  and  firmness  of  Havelock  availed  to 
prevent  the  adoption  of  so  ruiuons  a course.  Had  he  not 
withstood,  day  after  day,  the  opposition  of  two  councils  of  war, 
the  garrison  would  have  attempted  a retreat  to  India,  and 
probably,  like  the  command  of  Elphinstone,  have  been  slaugh- 
tered by  the  treacherous  and  merciless  Afighans.  The  secret  of 
his  wisdom,  patience  and  independence  of  character  is  now 
revealed.  During  all  his  stay  at  Oabool  and  at  Jellalabad,  it 
was  his  custom  to  devote  two  hours  every  morning  to  reading 
the  Scriptures,  prayer  and  religious  meditation.  If  anything 
interfered  with  this  arrangemeut  of  his  time,  he  rose  two  hours 
earlier  than  usual,  in  order  that  he  might  still  enjoy  the  benefit 
of  his  accustomed  season  of  communion  with  the  Lord  of  Hosts. 
Hence  it  was  that  while  all  around  him  were  either  bewildered, 
halting  between  two  opinions  or  struck  with  terror,  the  peace  of 
God  kept  his  heart  and  mind.  He  was  never  so  cheerful  as 
when  he  came  under  a heavy  fire.  The  whistling  of  bullets  and 
thunder  of  cannon  had  the  efiect  of  martial  music  upon  him. 

The  next  day  after  Havelock  had  so  far  prevailed  with  the 
council  of  war  as  to  gain  time  for  further  deliberation,  a mes- 
senger arrived  in  camp  bringing  the  intelligence  that  an  army 
was  marching  to  their  relief.  Not  content  with  holding  the  fort, 
Havelock  now  prevailed  upon  his  fellow  officers  to  attack  the 
enemy  tliat  were  encamped,  six  thousand  strong,  before  the  city. 
Only  one  thousand  men  could  be  spared  from  the  beleaguered 
garrison.  But  by  keeping  these  compact,  and  by  dealing  a 
sudden  and  heavy  blow  upon  the  enemy,  Havelock  and  his  men 
inflicted  a terrible  chastisement  on  the  murderers  of  their  com- 
panions in  arms. 

While  rejoicing  at  this  victory,  they  saw  the  column  of  relief 
approaching.  The  band  of  Havelock  was  sent  out  to  meet  the 
force,  and  as  they  came  in  sight,  struck  nj)  a joyful  welcome. 
They  played  the  well-known  tune  ^^Oh,  but  ye ’ve  been  lang  o’ 


252 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


coining.”  Yes,  it  had  hecn  long.  During  live  mortal  months 
had  they  heen  living  amidst  swarms  of  harharians.  At  one 
time  they  had  heen  so  reduced  in  iirovisions  that  tli(‘y  liad  heen 
put  on  half  rations.  Had  they  not,  hy  a successful  sortie,  cap- 
tured some  sheep  and  goats,  they  might  have  died  of  starvation. 

General  l^olloek,  Avho  had  come  to  the  relief'  of  tliis  hrave 
little  garrison,  resolved  to  march  hack  to  Cahool,  awcmge  the 
slaughter  of  the  British  ainiy,  and,  if  jiossihle,  liberate  the 
prisoners  from  their  captivity.  Havelock,  Avhose  servie.(‘s  Avere 
declared  indisjiensahle,  accom])ani(‘d  this  exjK'dition  as  dejiuty 
assistant  adjutant  general.  At  the  J ugdulluck  ])ass  the  Alfghans 
made  a stand  and  croAvned  all  the  heights.  It  Avas  the  scene  of 
that  last  terrihle  slaughhw  of  Elphinstone’s  armj^  The  hones 
of  British  soldiers  lay  in  heajis  on  every  side.  The  AAuld  Avarri- 
ors  now  skulked  hehind  liarriers  made  of  hushes  and  stones;  yes, 
eyou  the  skulls  and  liones  of  men  piled  together.  The  English 
soldiers,  maddened  hy  the  sight  of  these  relics  of  a massacre, 
charged  on  the  Affghans  Avith  shouts  of  vengeance,  and  drove 
them  from  one  refuge  to  another,  until  they  all  disapiieared 
along  mountain  paths. 

At  Tezeen  the  great  Affghan  chieftain,  Akhar  Khan,  gathered 
his  forces  for  a last  struggle  and  Avas  ignominiously  Avhipped. 
The  British  army  pushed  on  through  the  Khoord  Cahool  Pass 
and  re-entered  Cahool,  encamping  on  the  race-course  of  the  city. 
But  the  prisoners  aaIioiu  they  expected  to  find  there  had  heen 
hurried  UAvay  to  the  mountains  of  Hindu  Koosh.  Pollock  dis- 
])atched  Sir  Ph^hmond  Shakespear,  Avith  six  hundred  horse,  on 
th(i  loute  th(\y  had  taken,  and  soon  after  sent  Sale  Avith  his 
hrigaih*.  as  a suj)i)ort.  Hav^dock  accompanied. 

Blit  after  tlie  jirisoners  had  heen  marched  for  nine  days  over 
the  jiigg(Ml  ])aths  of  the  Indian  Caucasus,  one  of  the  prisoners, 
siisj>ecting  that  the  Affghan  commander  Avas  not  proof  against 
British  gold,  sounded  him  on  the  price  he  demanded  to  take  the 


A TRIUMPHAL  PROCESSION. 


253 


prisoners  back  to  Cabool.  The  iirisoners  made  a compact, 
whicli  was  signed  and  sealed,  and  had  retraced  tlieir  steps  one 
day’s  journey,  when,  after  resting  for  the  night,  they  were 
cheered  in  the  morning  by  a messenger  with  the  good  news  that 
Shakespear  was  approaching  witli  a large  body  of  cavalry. 
They  journeyed  on  until  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  they 
were  met  by  a column  of  cavalry  sweeping  down  the  mountain- 
side in  a cloud  of  dust.  The  joy  of  that  band  of  i)risoners  no 
tongue  can  tell ! That  night  they  slept  securely,  encompassed  by 
six  hundred  horsemen.  They  travelled  on  the  next  day  and  the 
day  after.  Just  as  the  sun  was  going  down  behind  the  moun- 
tains, they  saw  a cloud  of  dust  rising  over  the  hills.  In  a little 
while  the  head  of  General  Sale’s  column  galloped  into  view.  As 
soon  as  this  l)rave  commander  caught  sight  of  the  returning 
cavalry,  he  dashed  away  ahead  of  his  men,  and  in  a few  minutes 
his  wife  and  daughter  were  weeping  on  his  neck. 

After  the  battle  of  Istaliff,  in  which  ITavelock  by  Ids  general- 
ship saved  the  expedition  from  defeat,  he  set  out  for  Ferozei)ore, 
where  the  Governor  General,  Lord  Ellenborough,  awaited  the 
illustrious  garrison  with  the  army  of  reserve  encamped  on  a vast 
plain,  where  a triumphal  procession  went  forward  in  honor  of 
the  returning  heroes.  Among  those  who  rode  under  triumxihal 
arehes,  and  were  honored  with  salutes  of  cannon  that  day,  was 
General  Sale,  with  Havelock  by  his  side.  Two  hundred  and 
fifty  eleiihants,  gorgeously  painted  and  tricked  out  in  the  gayest 
caparisons  of  the  East,  were  drawn  uii  in  two  lines,  to  form  an 
avenue  through  which  the  garrison  of  Jellalabad  could  iiass. 
Each  regiment  of  the  army  of  reserve  waved  its  standard  as 
the  illustrious  column  passed  on.  But  to  whom,  under  God, 
were  Sale,  Broadfoot  and  Ellenborough  indebted  for  the  pomp 
and  glory  of  that  triuinxih*?  To  Ca|itain  Havelock.  He  was 
now  i)romoted  to  the  rank  of  Major  for  his  services,  and  received 
the  cross  of  Comx)aniou  of  the  Bath. 


254 


TIIK  STOIIY  OF  IJAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


AAnien  the  Siklis  invaded  India  in  1845,  he  met  tlnnn  in  several 
tierce  battles.  At  the  battle  of  JMoedkliee  In*,  liad  Iavo  liorses 
shot  under  Idni.  It  was  on  this  held  that  he  Avas  ])oison(‘d.  lie 
had  been  inarching  all  day  from  dawn  until  noon,  Avlien  he 
encountered  the  Siklis.  The  engagement  Avas  arduous  and  for  a 
time  doubtful.  When  the  troo])s  AvaA^ered,  Havelock  rallied 
them  and  led  them  on  again  against  the  foe.  At  the  close  of  the 
day  he  came  to  a AA^ell,  and  being  very  thirsty,  he  did  not  Avait 
to  taste  the  AA'ater,  but  drank  it  eagerly,  llis  horse  recoih'd  and 
refused  to  taste  the  AAaiter.  The  horse  Avas  right;  the  Avell  had 
been  poisoned  by  the  Sikhs.  From  the  effects  of  that  hasty 
draught  he  never  fully  recovered. 

AVe  must  pass  AAith  mere  mention  the  brave  part  IlaA^elock 
bore  ill  the  terrible  battle  of  Ferozepore,  in  A\diich  the  Ibitish 
lost  2,500  men.  AVe  must  likeAvise  pass  the  battle  of  Sobraon,  in 
Aidiich  the  English  army  lost  2,400  men.  AVhen  Havelock  Avas 
throAA  n to  the  ground  by  the  fall  of  the  horse  Avhich  was  shot 
under  him,  it  Avas  feared  he  Avas  killed.  But  he  calmly  rose  and 
mounted  another,  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  On  this  day,  by 
the  defeat  of  thirty  thousand  Sikhs,  the  campaign  was  brought 
to  an  end.  HaA^elock  Avas  noAV  appointed  deputy  adjutant- 
general. 

Daring  the  three  years  in  Avhich  lie  accompanied  Sir  Hugh 
Oough  in  his  campaigns,  he  carried  a Bethel  tent  Avith  him  in 
AAdiich  to  hold  service  on  the  Christian  Sabbath.  This  was  so 
generally  knoAvn  to  be  his  custom  that  little  notice  Aims  taken  of 
it.  But  at  length,  his  assumption  of  the  clerical  office  having 
otfended  some  of  the  oflicers,  they  Avent  to  the  Commander-iu- 
Chief  Avith  the  serious  complaint  that  Ibweloi^k  had  been 
baptizing  some  of  the  soldiers.  ^AAAll,”  replied  the  A^eteran, 
‘^giA"e  my  comjilinients  to  Colonel  Havelock,  and  t(‘ll  him  1 Avish 
h(*.  AV()idd  ba])tiz(‘  tin'  whoh‘.  army.” 

In  personal  api)(‘aranc(‘ and  in  temhn  iu'ss  of  sensibility,  IhiA^e- 


A HERO  HONORED  AT  HOME. 


i)iy 


lock  seemed  more  at  home  in  i)reaching'  than  in  fighting.  He 
was  a spare  man  only  five  feet  and  half  in  height.  His  counten- 
ance was  grave  and  stern.  Though  he  had  an  eagle  eye  and  an 
aquiline  nose,  his  look  Avas  not  fierce,  hut  mild  and  benevolent. 
There  was  in  his  eyes  the  expression  of  a prophet  or  sibyl,  looking 
above  and  beyond  tlie  scenes  of  to-day.  Extremely  idain  in 
dress,  and  rather  ungraceful  as  a horseman,  he  appeared  to 
better  advantage  in  the  council  ot  war  and  in  the  actual  fight 
than  amidst  the  glittering  shows  of  the  parade  or  the  revieAv. 
Fortunate  Avere  those  oflicers  who  had  learned  to  appreceiate  his 
courage  and  his  generalship.  Elx)hinstone  owed  his  ruin  to  his 
contempt  of  llavelock’s  warnings,  A\diile  a deference  to  his 
superior  abilities  immortalized  Sale  and  Outrani. 

Ill  health  required  him,  in  ISfO,  to  embark  for  England.  He 
resided  temporarily  at  Plymouth;  but  found  time  for  a series  of 
visits  to  several  of  his  old  friends  and  school  - fellows.  The 
month  of  March  1850,  A\^as  much  occupied  with  military  festivi- 
ties. On  the  Cth,  he  was  presented  at  a levee  at  St.  James’, 
by  the  Duke  of  Wellington.  On  the  7th,  he  dined  at  Lord 
Hardinge’s.  On  the  20th,  he  Avas  present  at  a dinner  given  by 
the  United  Service  Club  to  Lord  Oough.  On  the  23d,  Avhen 
the  East  India  Company  feted  his  lordshq),  he  Avas  among  the 
guests,  recognizing  old  comrades,  and  thoroughly  enjoying  this 
relaxation  from  military  toil. 

In’  1850,  he  went  to  Germany  for  medical  treatment.  By 
means  of  hydropathy  and  the  grape-cure,  he  was  restored  to 
comparative  health.  We  kuoAV  not  the  quality  of  the  grai)es  he 
took  as  a medicine,  but  the  quantity  prescribed  seems  enormous, 
eight  lAounds  a day!  Missionaries  with  families  well  understand 
hoAV  painful  it  was  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Havelock  to  decide  that 
their  daughters  and  little  boy  should  be  separated  from  their 
father.  They  resolved,  lioweA^er,  that  the  children  should  not 
receive  their  instruction,  or  their  introduction  to  active  life,  in 


lUO  STOUY  OF  JiAFTlST  MJSSIOJN'S, 


2r)(> 

liidia.  It  w;is  liually  jnTaii<;(‘(l  tliat  ilx'y,  avHIi  ilicir  iiiollicr, 
ylioiild  1)(‘  estal)lislied  at  liomi  on  tlu^  IMdia*. 

lvoturidii<»’  to  Iiidia^  lie  ^really  distiii^idsli(*d  ld)ns(‘ir  Idr 
iinlitary  skill  and  (*()iira<;c  during  tli(i  short  (*xi)(‘ditioii  aj;aiiist 
Ik'rsia^  iiotadly  at  the  caj)ture  of  Fort  IMohaiiiiiieiah,  on  tln^ 
banks  of  the  Fn])hrat(‘S.  This  (^ain])ai^u  b(*in^  l)r(m<j^ht  to  ii 
spec'dy  close,  HavelocF’s  division  v^as  order(Ml  l)aek  to  Indiji. 
On  his  way  he  AV^as  shi|)wr(H*,ked  on  the  nortlKMii  end  of  Ceylon. 
All  haviiii;’  escaped  safe  to  land,  JFavelock  addr(‘ssed  them  on  tin*, 
subject  ot  their  providential  res(ai(‘,  and  ask(Ml  tlnan  to  join  him 
in  acknowled.i'injn'  the  merely  of  Cod  in  their  deliv(‘ran(‘e. 


House  of  Massacre,  Cawnpoie. 


Ibit  the  King  of  Njitiojis  had  reasons  for  sj)aring  him  Avhicli 
lie  Hkmi  knew  not.  On  that  very  morning,  June  Gtli,  lcS57, 
wlicn  h(‘.  stood  on  the  beacJi  at  C(‘ylon  ottering  thanksgiving, 
that  j)rinc.(‘,  of  assassins,  ^^a.mi  Saliib,  maixilied  into  Oiiwnpore 
and  opcMHMl  liri*.  on  tli(‘- garrison.  1 lis  thre(‘  thousand  mntinem’s 
wcrii  continually  iiantbnuMl,  until  h(‘-  had  tw(‘lve  thousand. 


THE  MASSACRE  AT  CAWNPORE.  257 

Against  these,  Sir  Rngli  Wheeler  had  only  about  sixty  artillery- 
men and  the  officers  of  some  native  regiments.  The  Eiiro[)ean 
residents  of  the  town,  and  the  families  of  om^  of  the  British 
regiments,  were  crowded  together  under  his  prob'ction.  At 
last  General  Wheeler’s  little  garrison,  reduced  by  sickness 
and  death,  hearkened  to  terms  of  eapitnlation.  The  garrison 
were  to  be  alloAved  to  depart  in  boats.  AVhile  x)reparing  to 
embark,  they  discovered  all  of  a sndden  that  Nana  Sahib  had 
treacherously  betrayed  them.  They  were  given  np  to  slanghter. 
The  women  and  children  were  spared,  shut  np  in  miserable 
apartments  and  left  almost  to  starvation,  and  to  anticipate  their 
own  subsequent  murder.  Only  four  men  escaped  to  tell  the  story 
of  the  massacre. 

Hastening  to  Allahabad,  to  take  command  of  the  relieving 
army,  he  was  there  met  with  a doubtful  rumor  that  the  force 
at  Cawiq)ore  had  been  entirely  destroyed  by  treachery.  On 
the  4th  of  July  he  sent  foAvard  a steamer,  with  100  fusileers 
and  two  guns,  to  go  np  the  Ganges  to  the  ill-fated  town.  On 
the  7th  his  OAvn  column,  in  a drenching  rain,  followed  after, 
through  a hostile  country.  His  force  marched  all  day  and  all 
night,  and  at  eight  o’clock  in  the  morning  found  themselves 
Avithin  four  miles  of  ruttelqAore.  As  it  was  Sunday,  the  army 
Avere  prei)aring  for  a day’s  rest.  But  as  the  enemy  adAvanced 
out  of  the  town  and  opened  fire  upon  them,  they  Avere  compelled 
to  fight.  The  mutineers  after  a short  conflict  fell  back  in 
disorder.  Among  the  spoils  that  fell  into  the  soldiers’  hands 
Avere  dresses  of  ladies,  and  men’s  overcoats,  reminding  them  of 
the  sack  of  Cawnpore.  Then  folloAved  the  battle  of  Aong  and 
the  battle  of  Pandoo  Nuddie,  in  both  of  AAddch  the  British  AA^ere 
signally  victorious.  It  is  supposed  that  intelligence  of  the 
defeat  of  his  forces  at  Pandoo  Nuddie  must  have  reached  Nana 
Sahib  in  the  night  between  15th  and  10th  of  eTuly  5 for  then 
occurred  a repetition  of  the  slaughter  of  women  and  children. 


I' 


258  THE  HTOUY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 

Already^  oil  tlio  a luiiidrod  wad  tliiity-six  ]^'iiro])OMn 
tivcs^  (‘Ideily  females  and  eliildreii,  were  persuadcMl  to  loud  iieoi* 
Cawiipore,  and  liavin^^  been  token  to  Koiio  Solid),  ky  liis  ordejs 
they  were  treocherously  put  to  dooth.  A.i^oiii,  on  Innirin^Aliot 
the  l)ridge  on  the  Pondoo  Xnddee  hod  hecni  for(U‘d,  h(‘.  orihncMl 
the  immediote  niossoere  of  tlui  wives  oiid  ehildrmi  of  tin'  lirdish 
soldiers  in  his  possession.  The  order  wos  eorii(‘d  out  hy  his 
followers  with  every  circiimstoiiee  of  harharons  niolij>nity. 


Shrine  at  Cawr.pore,  covering  the  Well  in  which  Nana  Sahib’s  victims  were  thrown. 


Space  would  fail  me  to  describe  the  siege  of  Lucknow,  con- 
tinuing nearly  five  month s,  and  attended  with  privations  and 
snlf(*riiigs  AAdiich  liaA^e  scarcely  any  parallel  in  military  history 
siiKHi  tlie  IVdl  of  Jernsalenij  the  first  attempt  of  IlaA^elock  to 
i (*li(‘ve  the  garrison  • his  retreat  and  second  march  on  LncknoAV, 
Avitli  r(‘iiiror(;enients;  the  bottle  of  Alnmbagh  or  ^Ahe  garden  of 
beoiilyj’’  lli<‘  chivoli-ons  (iondind/  of  (leiuu'ol  Ontroni  in  refusing 
to  (loiiy  io  IloN’eluelv  I luAioiior  ot  r(di(*viug  Lucknow,  declaring 
liis  gioliliide.  011(1  odmirolioii  Ibr  tlie  brilliant  de(‘ds  achieved 


THE  RELIEF  OF  LUCKNOW. 


250 


by  General  Havelock,  and  tendering-  liis military  services  to  him 
as  a volunteer;  the  ten  hours  figliting  at  Kaiser  Bagh  or  ‘G.he 
king’s  palace;”  the  discussion  of  Havelock  and  Outram  under  the 
walls  of  the  Furred  Buksh,  where  Havelock,  whose  cry  had  ever 
been  Forward!”  was  for  pushing  on  that  night  and  relieving 
Lucknow.  ^^The  garrison,”  said  he,  ^^may  at  this  moment  be 
exposed  to  the  final  assault ; the  enemy  may  collect  during  the 
night  in  overwhelming  masses;  it  is  of  much  importance  to  let 
the  beleaguered  garrison  know  that  succor  is  at  hand.”  At  last 
General  Outram  gave  his  consent  and  resolved  to  accompany 
Havelock. 

It  was  agreed  to  leave  behind  the  wounded,  a portion  of  the 
army  and  the  heavy  guns,  and  Avith  only  two  regiments,  the  78th 
Highlanders  and  the  Sikhs,  attempt  to  reach  the  iiesidency  at 
Lucknow. 

‘‘Every  thing  being  ready,”  says  Mr.  Headley,  “these  two 
gallant  commanders  put  themselves  at  the  head  of  the  slender 
column  and  moved  out  of  the  place  of  shelter.  As  soon  as  they 
entered  the  street,  the  houses  on  either  side  gaped  and  shot  forth 
flame;  Avhile  to  prevent  the  rapid  advance  of  the  troops,  the 
enemy  had  cut  deep  trenches  across  the  street  and  piled  up 
barricades.  Passing  under  an  archway  that  streamed  with  fire, 
the  gallant  General  Keill  fell  from  his  horse  dead ! His  enraged 
followers  halted  for  a moment  to  avenge  his  death,  but  the  stern 
order  of  Havelock,  “Forward!”  arrested  their  useless  attempt, 
and  they  moved  on.  Each  street  as  they  entered  it  became  an 
avenue  of  tlame,  through  which  it  seemed  impossible  for  any 
living  thing  to  pass.  Every  door  and  AvindoAv  was  ablaze,  while 
an  incessant  sheet  of  fire  ran  along  the  margin  of  the  fiat  roofs, 
which  were  black  with  men.  At  each  angle  batteries  were  i)laced, 
and  as  soon  as  the  head  of  a column  appeared  in  vieAv,  the  iron 
storm  came  drifting  down  the  street,  piling  it  with  the  dead. 
The  clattering  of  musket  balls  and  graiie-shot  against  the  walls 
19 


200 


THE  «TOHY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


and  pavomonts  tths  like  flic  hnttorin<?  of  linil  on  tlio  roof  of  a 
house.  From  out  these  deep  avemnss  smok(‘  arose  as  from  tln^ 
mouth  of  a volcano^  wliile  shouts  and  yells,  reudiu^^  the  aii*  on 
every  side,  made  still  more  ai)palliug  the  jiight  which  had  jiow 

S(‘t  in.  J>etwe(‘u  tli(‘se 
wall s of  fi re,  through  th i s 
hliudiiig  rain  of  d(*ath, 
Havelock  ATalk(‘d  liis 
hors(‘,  as  comj)ose(lly  as 
if  on  j)arad(‘,  his  calm, 
l)eculiar  voice  now  ami 
then  rising  over  tli(‘. 
clangor  ofhnttle.  That 
he  es(^a])ed  unhurt  seems 
almost  a miracle;  for  in 
the  last  (deven  hours  h(‘. 
had  lost  nearly  one-third 
of  his  entire  force,  while 
of  the  two  other  generals, 
one  was  dead,  the  other 
wounded.  At  length  the 
Eesidency  was  reached. 
A little  time  was  spent 
in  removing  the  barri- 
cades, during  which  the 
bleeding  column  rested, 
while  the  moon  looked 
coldly  down  on  the 
ruins  l)y  which  they  were  surrounded.  When  the  passage 
was  (‘leared,  the  soldiers,  tVwgetting  their  weariness,  gave 
thr(^e  (dieers  and  rushed  Ibrward.  Cheers  without  and  cheers 
within,  c.heers  on  every  side,  betokened  the  joy  and  excite- 


ment tliat  i)rcvailcd,  while  over  all  rose  the  shrill  pii)es  of  the 


THE  RELIEF  OF  LUCKNOW. 


201 


Hig’lilanclers.  The  eoliiiiiu  of  relief  and  the  garrison  rushed 
into  each  other’s  arins^  and  then  the  officers  ])assed  from  house 
to  house  to  greet  the  women  and  children.  The  Highlanders 
snatched  up  the  children,  and  kissed  them  with  tears  streaming 
down  their  faces,  thanking  God  they  were  in  time  to  save  them. 
Havelock  and  Outrain  were  welcomed  Avith  the  shouts  of  th(‘ 
soldiers  and  with  tears  and  l)lessings  from  the  Avomen.”  As 
for  IlaA^elock,  his  gratitude  found  expression  in  the  AAmrds  ol‘ 
the  Hebrew  AAmrrior:  ^^Aot  nnto  us,  O Lord,  not  unto  us,  hut 
unto  thy  name  giA^e  glory.” 

The  garrison  at  LncknoAA^  oaatmI  their  lives  to  the  determination 
of  Havelock  to  push  on  in  the  face  of  storms  of  halls  and  Avithont 
loss  of  time.  It  was  indeed  at  tremendous  cost  that  the  garrison 
Avere  saved  from  massacre.  One-third  of  the  gallant  troops  lay 
Avounded,.  dying  or  dead  along  the  streets  of  LucknoAv,  and 
among  them  his  oaaui  hraA^e  hoy.  Nor  Avas.  this. all:  the  fatigues 
and  hardships  attendant  on  the  lighting  of  ten  memorahle 
battles  in  quick  succession  proAanl  too  great  for  his  vitality  and 
strength.  He  gradually  saidc  under  the  disease  of  the  climate, 
and  Avas  removed  to  Sir  Colin  Campbell’s  camp  for  change  of  air. 
He  Avas  uoav  told  of  the  hrst  of  the  scries  of  honors  Avhich  Avere 
to  he  conferred  on  him  by  the  Queen.  Sir  Colin  uoav  addressed 
him  as  Sir  Henry.  He  could  not  he  insensible  to  the  estimate 
the  British  empire  formed  of  his  courage  and  martial  skill.  It 
had  been  his  desire  from  boyhood  to  liA^e  to  command  in  a general 
action.  ‘‘That  desire  had  been  abundantly  gratitied.  But  the 
rewards  of  human  achicA'cments  and  honors  most  commonly 
come  too  late;  they  quickly  melt  beneath  the  light  of  Heaven’s 
daAvn.  Dearer  to  him  aatu'c  thoughts  of  beloved  ones  far  aAvay 
on  the  Ehiue;  dearer  still  the  bright  exx)ectation  of  soon 
meeting  face  to  face  the  Son  of  God,  Avhom  he  had  seen  breaking 
the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth  AAith  a rod  of  iron  and  dashing 
them  in  ])ieces  like  a potter’s  A^essel,” 


202 


THE  STOllY  OF  EAI’TIST  MISSIONS. 


“ I'^)r  more  than  lorty  y(‘ai's,”  said  In^  to  Sir  dames  Outram,  I 
liave  so  rnled  my  life  tliat  Avhen  d(‘ath  eaim*.  I mijL^ht  face*,  it  with- 
out fear.”  To  Ids  oldest  son,  Idmself  a wounded  man,  lie  said 
“Come,  come,  my  son,  and  see  liow  a (diristian  can  di(5.”  He. 
died  on  the  25th  of  NovemlHU’,  1857,  and  Avas  Imried  in  the. 
Aliimbag'h,  “The  Palace  of  Peanty,”— once  the  residene.e  of 
one  of  the  jn  inees  of  Onde,  including'  a mosejue,  a ])riAmte  temiile 
and  ornamented  jiarks. 

PeAV  AA  arriors  IniA^e  been  laid  to  rest  who  had  aeiiuired  a fame* 
so  (juiekly  and  so  nearly  AAairld-Avide.  When  the  intelligence  of 
his  death  reached  ^7eAv  York,  the  dags  of  th(‘.  shijiping  in  the. 
harbor  were  hung  at  half-mast— “a  mark  of  resjiect  ncA^er  before 
slioAAii  at  the  death  of  any  chieftain  or  ])otentate  of  the  Old 
World.”  The  ucaa  s of  the  relief  of  CaAAm[)ore  and  LiicknoAv  sent 
a thrill  of  joy  throughout  Euro])e,  Ameri(;a  and  the  distant 
islands  of  the  sea.  Of  his  liaAdng  been  made  Major  General  he 
did  not  Vive  to  hear.  On  the  day  after  his  death,  but  before 
tidings  of  this  sad  cA^ent  had  reached  England,  he  AA^as  created  a 
baronet,  and  Parliament  afterwards  A'oted  liim  a pension  of 
£1, ()()()  a year.  The  baronetc}"  Avas  bestoAved  upon  his  son,  Henry 
.Alarshman,  aa  Idle  to  his  AvidoAr,  by  royal  order,  Avas  giA^en  the 
rank  to  which  she  aa  ould  liaA^e  been  entitled  had  her  husband 
suiAiAanl.  To  both  Avidow  and  son  pensions  of  £1,000  each  AA^ere 
aAvarded  by  Parliament. 

Tims  liA’ed  and  died  the  soldier  missionary  and  the  Avarm  and 
braA^e  friend  of  eA^ery  true  missionary  he  met  in  India.  Truly 
and  liajipily  did  Sir  Henry  Ilardinge  characterize  him  as  “eAXwy 
inch  a soldier  and  eA^ery  inch  a Christian,” 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


BOARDMAN,  THE  FOUNDER  OP  THE  KAREN  MISSION. 

A young  Missionary  seeking  a place  for  a Mission  House  among  the  Temples 
and  Pagodas  of  Tavoy . — His  own  Tomb  and  its  Inscription. — The  personal 
appearance  of  Boardman. — His  Mental  and  Moral  Qualities. — His  Birth 
and  Education. — His  Conversion  and  Call  to  Missionary  Service. — Marri- 
age and  Embarkation  for  India. — Is  invited  to  take  Pastoral  Charge  of  a 
Church  in  Calcutta. — His  first  work  at  Amherst. — Goes  to  Maulmain. — 
Settles  in  Tavoy. — Fir.st  Acquaintance  with  the  Karens, — Ko-thah-byu. 
A pioneer  among  the  Karen  Mountains. — The  Prose  and  Poetry  of  Fanny 
Forester. — The  idolized  Book. — The  Terrors  of  the  Bevolt  in  Tavoy. — 
The  failure  of  Mr.  Boardman’s  health. — Baptism,  at  Tavoy  and  in  a 
Mountain  Stream. — The  memorable  scene. — Death  of  Boardman — Its 
Moral  Sublimity. — Falls  in  the  arms  of  Victory. 


^*T  IS  now  more  than  fifty  jears  since  a young  missionary 
'Jk:  entered  the  city  of  Tavoy  in  searcli  of  a site  for  a mission- 
house.  He  found  it  a town  siirronnded  l)y  a brick  wall^  tind  its 
streets  intersecting  one  another  at  right  angles.  It  was  so 
thickly  set  witli  the  mango,  the  l)read-fruit  tree  and  the  sacred 
banjmn  as  to  resemble  a vast  grove  rather  tlian  a city.  But 
these  trees  embowered  the  temples,  shrines  and  images  of  Gau- 
tama. Around  him  stood  fifty  monasteries,  inhabited  by  two 
hundred  priests,  who  guarded  the  emblems  of  idolatry,  and 
taught  the  young  the  lessons  of  superstition.  Around  him  shone 
a hundred  temples,  l)edizened  with  oriental  decorations  and  tilled 
with  linages  of  the  “Light  of  Asia,”  many  of  which  were 
wrought  from  alabaster,  some,  of  one  piece,  larger  than  life,  others 
of  colossal  size.  Around  him  were  a thousand  pagodas,  sur- 
mounted by  their  umbrellas  of  coppered  iron,  to  which  were 
attached  rows  of  small  bells.  When  there  was  a slight  breeze 
these  jingles  kept  a continual  chiming.  Some  of  the  pagodas 


THE  STOHY  OF  liAFTIST  MIISSONS. 


2(;i 


Aver(‘ (*;ill(Mi  ^oldcMi,  tli(‘y  were  oveiliiid  with  strips  of 

e()i)per  whieli  ^ave  tlieiii  the  ai)i)earaiie(‘,  of  ^old.  'i’lie.  tall(‘st  of 
these  ])ai;‘odas  was  more  than  a ]mndr(*d  ieet  ld;;li.  It  was 
snrroiind(‘d  by  a.  sa(‘red  grov(‘,  in  wliieh  In*  saw  sa(*r(*d  tr(*es  ov 
thrones,  and  saered  b(‘lls  to  be  rung  by  woi‘sliij)pers.  On 

(certain  saered  days, 
inanyof  tin*  endhcnns 
and  instinments  of 
idolatiy  wer(^  loaded 
witli  festoons  of 
tlowers.  A lon;^' 
wldle  di<l  the  yonn^ 
inissionaiy  wand(‘r 
about  tli(‘  city  in 
seare.li  of  a site*,  for 
Ids  inission-lionse; 
for  he  found  almost 
all  the  land  pr(‘-oe- 
eux)ied  by  tin*.  t(*m- 
ples  and  ])a^<)das  of 
Gautama  and  tlndr 
liigli  wall(Ml  enclos- 
ures, ’wldeli  uo  Avhite 
foreigner  Avas  (‘Atu' 
Xmrmitt(‘d  to  enter, 
and  the  deAa)utest 
nath^e  could  only 
approach  with  un- 
coAu>red  feet. 

'J'hr(‘e  y(‘ars  later,  this  young  pioneer  of  missions  found  a tinal 
I'cst  ing-plaee,  at  the  age  of  thirty,  Avithiii  the  AA^alls  of  TaA'oy.  I n 
the.  midst  of  what  Avas  once  a groAm-  sacred  to  Gautama,  umhu’ 
1‘ragrant  llower(*d  (hinia(h*va  tre(*s,  and  bmn'ath  th(‘-  shadow  ol  a 
i inikmI  ])agoda,  is  I he  lomb  ol’  G(‘orge  Dana'  Iloardman,  the 


GEORGE  DANA  ROAR DM AN. 


2i)r) 

never-to-be-forgotten  founder  of  the  Karen  Mission.  This  tonib 
is  covered  with  a marble  slab,  placed  there  as  a.  tribute  of  repect 
by  three  British  ofticers  in  the  India  service.  It  is  inscribed 
with  these  eloquent  words  : ^^Ask  in  the  Christian  villages  of 
yonder  mountains,  Who  taught  yon  to  abandon  the  worship  of 
demons?  Who  raised  yon  from  vice  to  morality  ? Who  brought 
you  your  Bibles,  your  Sabbaths  and  your  words  of  prayer?  Let 

THE  REPLY  BE  IIIS  EULOGAL” 

As  for  his  person,  he  was  tall  and  thin;  of  light  complexion 
and  large  light  bine  eyes.  In  conversation  he  showed  a prudent 
but  not  unsociable  reserve.  lie  is  said  to  have  inherited  the 
sweet  placidity  of  temper  which  characterized  his  mother.  His 
piety  was  calm  and  intelligent,  but  his  zeal  was  never  allowed  to 
set  his  intellect  on  fire.  Yon  could  not  carry  his  convictions  by 
storm.  Y^on  had  hist  to  convince  him  that  a proceeding  was 
right,  and  next  that  it  was  wise  and  iiracticable,  before  he  could 
t-ake  any  part  in  it.  Cnee  convinced  that  a particular  course 
was  morally  right  and  highly  expedient,  he  was  not  easily  turned 
from  it  into  any  devious  path  which  the  impulses  of  others 
might  discover.  ‘Hie  was,”  as  has  been  well  remarked,  ‘Hhe 
very  man  to  found  a mission  ; to  lay  deep  and  solid  the  basis  on 
which  future  laborers  and  succeeding  generations  might  sncces- 
fnlly  build.” 

He  was  one  of  those  rare  intellects  which  excel  both  in  math- 
ematical and  linguistic  studies.  AYhile  in  college  he  was  very 
fond  of  mathematics,  and  yet  he  acquired  the  Biirmau  language 
with  wonderful  ease,  and  spoke  it  with  matchless  accuracy. 
Kev.  Dr.  Mason  relates  that  one  night  after  retiring  to  rest  at 
Tonngoo,  he  heard  the  native  assistants,  who  slept  in  the  next 
room,  discussing  the  relative  facility  with  which  the  different 
missionaries  could  speak  Burmese.  After  several  had  given 
their  o})inion,  the  Karen  preacher,  San  Quala,  declared  that 
none  s])oke  Burmese  as  well  as  Mr.  Boardman.  ^AVhen,”  said 


THE  STOJiV  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


2CA] 


he,  “1  heard  Teaelier  lioardinaii  talking,  and  did  not  see 
liiin,  1 liave  thought  a Jinnnan  was  sjx'aking;  I was  n(*ver  so 
deceived  l)y  the  jn’oniiiKa’at  ion  ol’  any  otli(‘r  missionary.”  Tins 
is  tlie  more  Avondertnl  wlnm  we  relhxd  that  Ik*  liad  only  three 
years,  at  the  longest,  in  which  to  study  th(‘,  Tavoyan  of 

the  Burmese. 

The  hirth -place  of  this  devoted  missionary  Avas  Livermore, 
]\Iaine.  lie  Avas  a son  of  the  IleA".  SylA'aniis  Boardman,  and  aatis 
born  February  8th,  1801.  He  pursued  his  academical  studies  at 
North  Yarmonth  and  at  Farmington,  Maine,  AAdiere  he  made 
ra])id  jirogress  in  his  education.  At  the  age  of  twelve  he  l)egan 
to  ])repare  for  college,  and  graduated  at  WateiTille  in  182LJ. 
lie  Avas  coiiATuted  during  the  lirst  year  of  his  college  course,  and 
AA'as  atipointed  tutor  as  soon  as  he  graduated. 

Scarcely  had  he  obained  evidence  of  his  call  to  the  ministry, 
Avhen  he  longed  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen.  At  lirst 
he  was  inclined  to  dcAmte  his  life  to  the  Bed  Men  of  the  AYest, 
but  changed  his  mind  after  reading  an  elegy  on  young  Coliiiau, 
Avho  died  just  as  he  had  commenced  his  Avork  at  Chittagong. 
This  poem,  it  AAmuld  seem,  tirst  turned  his  thoughts  to  Burmau 
missions.  He  asked,  ‘AA^ho  Avill  go  to  till  Colman’s  place?” 
He  heard  the  call,  ‘AA'hom  shall  Ave  send  and  \Adio  Avill  go  for 
us?”  And  his  instant  response  AAms,  ‘Hlere  anil, — send  me.” 
He  afterAA^ards  became  acquainted  Avith  Aliss  Sarah  B.  Hall,  the 
author  of  this  elegy,  and  found  that  she,  too,  had  at  first  xuirposed 
to  spend  her  days  in  seeking  the  coiiA^ersion  of  the  American 
Indians,  but  the  tidings  of  Colmaifs  unexpected  death  led  her 
to  consider  the  paramount  claims  of  the  Eastern  AAmrld. 

Mr.  Boardman  pursued  his  theological  studies  at  Audover,  and 
after  his  ordination,  he  and  Aliss  Hall  Avere  married,  July  4th, 
1825.  On  the  lOtli  day  of  the  same  month  they  embarked  at 
Fhiladclj)liia  fbi'  (Calcutta.  As  soon  as  they  arriATHl,  in  Decem- 
ber-, th(‘y  l(*armMl  that  the  Avar  tlien  raging  between  the  British 


BOARDMAN  AND  THE  KARENS. 


2()7 

and  the  Burmese  had  suspended  all  missionay*labor  in  Burinah. 
They  were  consequently  detained  in  Calcutta  for  fifteen  months. 
During  this  time  Mr.  Boardmaii  was  chiefly  occupied  in  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  Circular  Boad  Chapel  church.  They  Avere 
Awy  desirous  for  him  to  settle  with  them;  they  would  give  him, 
the  first  year,  twice  the  salary  he  received  as  a missionary. 
But  his  reply  was,  must  i)reach  the  Gospel  in  the  regions 
beyond.” 

In  Ax)ril,  1827,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boardmaii  set  out  for  Amherst. 
They  found  Mr.  Judson  in  deep  affliction.  ITis  little  JMaria  had 
just  died,  and  Mr.  Boardman’s  first  Avork  in  Burmah  Avas  to 
(instruct  a cofiin  for  her  and  bury  her  by  the  side  other  mother. 
As  the  mission  was  soon  transferred  to  JMaulmain,  they  went 
thither,  and  built  a cottage.  But  unfortunately  they  had  fixed 
their  new  home  on  a spot  that  Avas  too  far  aAA^ay  from  the  British 
cantonments,  a beautiful  but  lonely  spot  on  the  bank  of  the 
river  Salwen,  directly  opposite  Martaban,  at  that  time  a nest  of 
nocturnal  robbers  and  murderers.  Hoaa^  their  house  was  one 
night  despoiled,  is  related  in  our  outline  of  the  life  Mrs.  Sarah 
Boartlman  Judson.  After  the  robbeiy,  the  GoA^ernor  for  a time 
furnished  them  Avith  a guard  of  Sepoys. 

When  the  missionaries  Avere  all  at  Amherst,  Mr.  Boardmaii 
Avas  the  first  to  propose  a new  mission  station  at  Maulmain;  and 
the  first  to  occupy  it.  Ko  sooner  had  the  other  missionaries  followed 
him  there,  than  he  was  first  to  suggest  a neAV  mission  to  the 
unknoAvn  region  in  the  South ; and  accordingly,  as  soon  as  the 
approbation  of  the  Board  in  Boston  was  obtained,  in  Ajiril,  1828, 
he  removed,  with  his  little  family,  to  TaA^oy,  a city  that  AAill,  in 
the  minds  of  thousands,  be  forever  associated  with  his  name. 

Mr.  Boardmaii  was  the  first  missionary  that  eA^er  left  the 
great  rivers  and  went  into  the  interior  of  the  country.  Among 
those  who  accompanied  him,  was  the  first  Karen  coiiA^ert,  Ko- 
thah-byu,  aaJio  before  appears  aboA^e  the  horizon  of  missionary 


TIIK  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


1>(>8 


history  as  oiieof  J)r.  rJiulsoii’s  anxious  iiniuiriM  s;  and  now,  abovo 
all  clouds  of*  doubt,  as  Ji  candidat(‘.  for  baptism.  JMr.  JJoardinan 
was  hospitably  entertained  by  the  Jirit isU  (hnninissioner,  but  it 
was  ten  days  before  lie  could  find  a i)lace  of  I’csidence.  ^I'hrei* 
months  later  lie  found  an  old  zayat,  which  he  i*(‘pair(‘d,  and  in 
which  he  si)ent  jiart  of  each  day  recommending  the  (losjicl  sal- 
vation. Soon  after  he  arriv(‘d  h(‘.  had  bai)tiz(‘d  Ko-thah-byn,  of 
Avhoni  we  give  a.  V(‘rbal  miniature  in  another  jiart  of  this  volume. 
Among’  the  iinmlKU's  who  first  came  to  the  zayat,  to  listen  to  the 
teachings  of  jMr.  Jloardman,  were  some  of  the  ])i  i(*sts  of  Gauta- 
ma. These  treated  the  young  missionary  Avith  civility,  but  they 
meditated  less  on  the  neAV  religion  than  ou  the  best  method  of 
arraying  tliemsehos  against  it.  Ultimately  they  used  their 
utmost  exertions  to  keep  the  peojile  from  going  to  hear  the 
(Miristian  teacher.  Many,  hoAACwer,  continued  to  resort  to  the 
])lace;  some  AAere  converted,  and,  in  the  course  of  the  summer, 
two  AAmre  baiitized.  It  Avas  at  this  time  he  Avas  visited  by  an 
old  juophet,  bringing  aa  ith  him  an  idolized  J>00K,  of  Avhich  Ave 
giA’e  a more  particular  account  in  our  general  a ieAV  of  the  Karens. 

aMr.  Boardmaii  had  not  been  long  in  TaAmy,  before  the  iieAVs 
AA’as  spread  through  the  mountains,  that  a AA’hite  foreigner  had 
come  from  beyond  the  Avestern  sea,  bringing  the  knoAvledge  of 
the  eternal  God.  Parties  of  Karens  came  to  tlie  zayat,  a dis- 
tance of  several  days’  journey,  to  see  and  hear  tor  themsehx^s. 
'they  invited  him  to  Ausit  their  villages.  At  length,  in  February, 
1829,  he  resol Axnl  to  make  a tour  among  them.  And  yet  he  Avas 
sorry  to  leave  home  at  that  timej  Mrs.  r>oardman  had  but  just 
r(‘coAT‘red  from  an  illness  of  four  months’ duration;  she  AA’ould 
have  the  Avhole  care  of  a boys’  school,  beside  that  of  her  tAVO  liftle 
on(\s.  Sh(‘.  Avejit  at  the  thought  of  his  departure.  But  a Karen 
woman,  the  Avite  of  Ko-thah-byu,  consoled  her  in  these  Avords : 
‘AVoop  not,  Manni;  the  teacher  has  gone  on  a-  message  of  com- 
passion to  my  ])oor,  perishing  (jountiymen.  They  liaAm  neA^er 


BOARDMAN  AMONa  THE  KARENS. 


261) 


heard  of  the  true  God  and  of  the  love  of  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ, 
yes,  Christ  who  died  upon  tlie  cross  to  save  sinners.  Tliey 
know  nothing  of  the  true  religion.  Mama  j and  when  they  die  they 
cannot  go  to  the  golden  country  of  the  blessed.  God  will  take 
care  of  the  teacher  j do  not  weep.  Mania.”  Mr.  Boardman,  there- 
fore set  out,  accompanied  by  Ko-thah-byu  and  another  Karen 
disciple,  two  of  the  largest  boys  in  the  school,  and  a Malabar 
man,  to  serve  as  cook.  His  trackless  march  through  the  Karen 
wilderness  is  best  described  in  the  prose  poetry  of  Fanny 
Forester”:  ^^Over  hills  and  across  streams,  and  ravines  almost 
impassable,  he  went;  the  fierce,  wily  tiger,  crouching  among  the 
rocks,  and  the  mischievous  fairy  Pucks,  in  the  sha^ie  of  grinning 
chattering  monkeys,  swinging  from  the  boughs  over  head;  huge 
mountains  stretching  far  into  the  clouds,  with  wild  streamlets, 
which  fed  some  mighty  river,  dashing,  bounding  and  leaping 
from  rock  to  rock,  down  their  precipitous  sides,  like  snow-wreaths 
gifted  with  the  spirit  of  life;  and,  down  in  the  deep  valley,  the 
calm  Palouk,  rolling  slowly  and  gracefully  to  its  destination, 
like  the  river  of  the  good  man’s  life,  gliding  through  its  earthly 
vale  to  the  ocean  of  a blessed  eternity.” 

8uch  a wilderness  they  could  only  cross  on  foot;  two  nights 
they  were  without  shelter  during  a violent  drenching  rain;  at 
best,  they  were  happy  to  find  a Karen  hut,  with  a mat  for  a bed 
and  a bamboo  for  a pilloAV.  They  first  directed  their  course  to 
the  village  of  the  old  prophet  who  had  brought  to  Tavoy  the 
idolized  Book,  and  who,  in  all  honesty,  had  no  sooner  found 
the  true  religion,  than  he  threw  away  his  prophetical  robe  and 
staff  and  became  a hopeful  inquirer.  The  villagers,  who  were 
expecting  them,  gave  them  a joyful  welcome  and  entertained 
them  Avith  all  possible  hospitality.  They  had  built  a zayat  for 
him,  large  enough  to  contain  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  village. 
In  the  evening  he  preached,  to  nearly  half  of  them,  the  simxdest 
and  most  important  truths  of  the  Gospel;  Ko-thah-byu  inter- 


'270  THE  STOllY  Ol-’  EAPTIST  MISSIONS. 

])reting  lor  tlie  boiielit  of  siicli  ms  did  not  iiiid(‘rstjnid  Tbirinaii. 
During  this  lirst  tour  tlirougli  llic  Kanni  wild(‘rn(‘ss  he  found 
several  i)ersons  avIio  requested  baidisnq  but  he  advised  them  to 
wait,  a wliile  and  h'arii  more  of  tin)  Cliristiau  ndigion. 

lleturning  to  Tavoy,  he  resunuMl  bis  labors  ainong  the  Jhir- 
maiisj  and  althougli  lie  imd  with  oiqiosition  from  the  pri(‘sts  of 


A Burmese  Zayat. 

Ihiddlia,  the  little  church  received  freiiuent  accessions  to  its 
number.  In  1829,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boardman  Avere  deeply 
afflicted  by  The  death  of  Sarah,  their  eldest  born,  a bright,  prom- 
ising child  of  two  and  a half  years.  Meanwhile,  Cxeorge  Dana, 
llieii*  only  sui-viving  child,  was  A^ery  ill  and  scarcely  expected  to 
r(‘e()V(‘r. 

W'lien  littl<‘,  (loorg(‘.  Dana  had  begun  to  get  better,  another 
ovoni  oecnrred,  wbich  at  om‘  1 ime  Iliri^atemMl  the  whole  family 


TAVOY  IN  REBELLION. 


271 


with  death.  On  the  ninth  of  August,  1829,  very  early  in  the 
morning,  a young  Burmese  convert,  a pupil  of  Mr.  Boardman’s, 
was  awakened  by  a party  of  men  from  the  jungle  passing  near 
the  mission-house,  which  was  just  without  the  city  walls,  near 
the  northern  gate.  Not  long  after  he  heard  a.  tierce  yell  from  a 
hundred  savage  voices,  answered  by  a few  straggling  shots,  and 
saw  a thin  cloud  of  smoke  eddying  away  over  the  town-wall. 
^^Tavoy  has  risen ! Tavoy  has  risen!”  cried  in  the  same  instant 
a voice  which  seemed  close  beside  the  lad.  Forthwith  the  frail 
house  jarred  with  the  rattling  of  doors  and  windows.  These 
noises  aroused  Mr.  Boardman  from  sleep.  He  seized  a gun 
and  rushed  to  the  door.  “No!  no!”  again  shouted  the  friendly 
voice  ; “You  understand  not!  Tavoy  has  risen — all  the  province 
is  in  arms!  Be  quiet,teacher;  you  can  do  no  good!” 

Tavoy  was  indeed  in  rebellion.  Large  parties  of  armed 
natives  had  during  the  night  gained  admittance  into  the  town 
and  had  attacked  the  i)owder- magazine,  which  was  at  first 
defended  by  a guard  of  only  six  Sepoys.  There  were  only  about 
a hundred  Sepoys  in  all,  and  Colonel  Burney,  their  commander, 
was  absent  at  Maulmain.  An  English  officer  was  in  town,  but 
was  on  his  death-bed.  The  utmost  alarm  prevailed  in  the  city. 
To  add  to  the  terror,  there  was  now  no  way  to  convey  intelligence 
of  the  revolt  to  Colonel  Burney,  or  to  any  })lace  where  there  were 
English  soldiers.  The  direction  of  affairs  at  this  crisis  devolved 
on  a very  young  physician,  with  no  adviser  but  Mrs.  Burney. 
But  in  about  an  hour  after  the  first  attack  the  brave  Sepoys  had 
driven  the  insurgents  out  of  the  city,  leaving  sixty  slain  and 
their  leader  a prisoner.  Mr.  Boardman  seized  this  moment  of 
quiet,  to  fiee  with  his  wife  and  cliild  to  the  Government  House. 
This  was  necessary,  for  as  the  fight  at  the  i)owder-magazine  was 
near  the  mission-house,  balls  sometimes  passing  through  the 
braided  bamboo  walls,  the  mission  family  had  been  in  great 
personal  danger. 


THE  STORY  OF  liAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


JMeaiiwliile  the  Sepoys  dise.overed  that  otlier  i)}nties  of  insur- 
gents had  lain  eoneealed  in  tiie  town,  and  had  loosened  the 
tetters  of  a hundred  eriminals.  It  was  resolved,  therefore,  to 
evacuate  the  city.  Tliey  retreated  to  a wooden  building  on  the 
wharf,  of  only  six  rooms,  where  between  three  and  four  hundred 
persons  were  crowded  together,  with  provisions,  baggag(‘  and  a 
large  (luantity  of  gun})Owder.  Among  them  was  the  English 
otiicer,  who  had  long  been  on  his  death  IhmI,  Mrs.  I>urm*y  with 
an  infant  son  only  three  weeks  old,  and  ]Mrs.  Eoaidman  with  her 
sick  boy,  George  Dana.  For  four  sleepless  days  and  nights  this 
crowd  was  exposed  to  the  almost  incessant  skirmishing.  Some 
of  the  Sepoys  found  shelter  within  the  building,  and  some  in  an 
old  shed  or  two  close  by.  Attempts  Avere  repeatedly  made  to 
lire  the  Avooden  building,  the  more  alarming  by  the  ])resence  of 
barrels  of  gunpoAvder.  Once,  a little  past  the  tAAclfth  hour  of 
the  night,  a small  boat  Avas  seen  to  drop  silently  doAvn  the  stream, 
but  presently  it  approached  and  floated  under  the  croAATled 
building  on  the  rising  tide  A Sepoy  on  the  Avateh  susi)ected 
that  he  saw  a spark  of  tire  through  a crevice  in  the  llooi-.  Fend- 
ing down  and  looking  steadily  through  the  lloor,  he  gained  a full 
vicAv  of  the  figure  of  the  incendiary.  He  silently  raised  himself 
and  took  aim.  As  he  hred,  there  Avas  a heaAy  splash  in  the  water, 
and  an  empty  boat  Avas  presently  seen  hoatiug  iq)  the  river. 

At  length,  on  the  morning  of  the  fifth  day  of  the  siege,  a little 
cloud  like  smoke  ai)peared  in  the  horizon  far  doAvn  the  riA^er. 
One  after  another  joined  the  eroAAal  of  gazers.  At  length  the 
cry,  ^^The  steamer!  the  steamer!”  resounded  through  the  build- 
ing, more  gladdening  than  music  or  song.  When  the  steamer 
arriA^ed,  the  astonishment  of  (h)lonel  Ihirney  at  the  strange 
n])roar,  as  lie  had  not  yet  been  informed  of  the  iTWolt,  can  neither 
be  desci  ilxMl  nor  imagined. 

AVell  noAv,  av’c  must  ask  the  reader  to  imagine  or  recall  the  rest 
of  tlic.  nairativ(‘  of  tlie  icAxilt.  Mrs.  Foardman  and  little  George 


BOAKDMAN’S  LAST  LABOllS  OF  LOVE. 


are  taken  to  Maulinaiii  on  tlie  steamer  tliat  returns  for  reinforce- 
ments j Mr.  Boardman  soon  follows j and  both  in  a tew  weeks 
return  to  Tavoy,  and  establish  themselves  again  at  their  i)Ost  ot 
missionary  duty.  From  the  time  of  the  revolt  Mr.  Boardman 
was  seized  by  an  incessant  cough.  The  damp,  suffocating  air  ot 
the  building  on  the  wharf  hastened  the  coming  ot  the  insidious 
malady  to  which  he  was  i^redisposed. 


Karen  Mission  Compound  at  Maulmain. 

In  1829  and  ’30,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boardmau  passed  several  mouths 
at  Maulmain,  in  the  hope  of  recovering  their  health.  While 
there  they  were  called  to  commit  to  the  arms  of  the  Good  Shep- 
herd their  youngest  child,  a son  eight  months  old.  This  brought 
a night  of  afOiction  to  IMrs.  Boardman,  but  a storm  was  gathering 
to  make  the  night  still  more  dreadful.  She  observed  that  Mr. 
Boardman’s  cough  was  more  hollow  and  severe,  his  voice  more 


274 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIS1'  MISSIONS. 


Inisky,  and  countenance  more  i)al(‘.  She  overheard  a ministering 
angel  saying  to  him, 

“ Come  to  the  land  of  peace! 

Come  wliere  tlie  tempest  hatli  no  longer  sway, 

The  shadow  passes  from  the  soul  away. 

The  sounds  of  weeping  cease.” 

Hence  she  attempted  to  i)ersuade  him  to  spare  his  remaining 
strength.  lUit  he  could  not  be  idle  in  the  time  of  harvest;  he 
saw  the  golden  grain  waving  beneath  the  summer  breezes;  and 
fellow  reapers,  finding  his  companionship  an  insiiiration  to  them, 
offered  to  carry  him  to  the  field  on  their  shoulders.  Ibdurning  to 
Tavoy,  he  witnessed  the  baptism  of  eighteen  converts  by  Moung 
Ing,  an  ordained  native  ])reacher  from  llangoon.  At  the  close 
of  the  day  JVlr.  Boardman  administered  the  Lord’s  Siqiper  to 
thirty-seven  members,  joining  his  thanks  to  those  of  the  little 
church  for  the  saving  grace  that  had  thus  nearly  doubled  their 
number  in  a single  day. 

Such  was  his  zeal  that  he  would  not  rest  by  day;  such  was  his 
sickness  that  he  could  not  rest  at  night.  My  thoughts,”  said 
he,  delight  to  dwell  on  these  words,  There  is  no  night  there,’ 
He  had  promised  the  Karens  that  he  would  again  visit  the 
Jungles.  The  arrival  of  the  new  missionaries,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Mason,  confirmed  him  in  his  purpose  to  go.  Mr.  Boardmau  was 
borne  in  a litter,  and  Mrs.  Boardmau  in  a chair  on  the  shoulders 
of  the  Karens.  Mr.  Mason  and  little  George  Dana  were  of  the 
party.  At  the  end  of  three  days  of  wearisome  motion,  they 
reached  the  large  bamboo  chapel  which  the  natives  had  built  for 
Mr.  Boardmau.  It  was  situated  at  the  foot  of  a mountain  slope, 
which  looked  towards  Tavoy,  and  whose  sides  were  lined  with 
the  villages  of  the  Karens.  Kear  the  chapel  flowed  a beautiful 
stream.  Aided  by  Mr.  Mason,  we  are  told,  and  the  native 
Christians  who  were  present,  Mr.  Boardmau  examined  them  in 
tlie  histoiy  of  fheir  Christian  exiierience  and  in  their  belief  of 


BAPTISM  OF  KARENS,  IN  THE  PRESENCE  OF  THE  DYING  BOARDMAN. 


A MEMORABLE  BAPTISMAL  SCENE. 


the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel.  But  he  could  do  no  more.  Mrs. 
Boardman  had  fondly  hoped  that  a few  days’  residence  in  that 
airy^  delightfnl  spot,  surrounded  by  his  beloved  Karens,  would 
invigorate  his  weakened  frame.  Seeing,  however,  that  he  was 
failing  fast,  she  tenderly  urged  him  to  return  to  town.  But 
he  replied,  ‘G)o  not  ask  me  to  go  till  these  jioor  Karens  have 
been  baptized.”  He  would  often  say,  ‘Hf  I can  only  live  to  see 
this  one  ingathering,  I may  well  exclaim  with  happy  Simeon, 
^ Lord,  noiv  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace/ 

At  length,  on  the  last  day  of  his  visit,  he  convinced  himself 
that  death  was  approaching.  In  the  morning,  while  looking  in 
the  glass,  he  said,  without  emotion,  have  altered  greatly — I 
am  sinking  in  the  grave  very  fast— just  on  the  verge.”  It  was 
therefore  determined  to  shorten  the  service  of  the  day  by  de- 
ferring the  baptism  of  the  male  candidates,  and  to  baptize  only 
the  females,  who  could  not  so  conveniently  come  to  Tavoy  for 
that  purpose.  Mr.  Mason  was  requested  to  administer  the  ordi- 
nance at  the  close  of  the  day.  And  so,  just  as  the  sun  was 
sinking  behind  the  hills,  his  couch  was  placed  by  the  stream-side 
in  the  midst  of  the  solemn  company  that  witnessed  this  Christian 
baptism,  which  for  the  first  time  came  like  an  angel  to  trouble 
those  ancient  waters.  Mr.  Boardman  saw  thirty-four  converts 
baptized.  The  joyful  sight  was  almost  too  much  for  his  feeble 
frame.  Within  the  last  two  months  fifty-seven  had  thus  fol- 
lowed Christ’s  example,  all  Karens,  except  one,  a little  boy  of 
the  mission  school,  a son  of  the  native  governor  of  Tavoy. 

Mr.  Boardman  now  felt  that  his  work  Avas  finished.  He  met 
the  disciples,  about  fifty  in  number,  at  their  eA^ening  meal,  and, 
still  reclining  on  his  'couch  and  continually  fanned  by  Mrs. 
Boardman,  addressed  to  them  a few  words  of  counsel  and 
encouragement.  Early  the  next  morning  they  left  for  home,  but 
Mr.  Boardman  expired  while  he  was  carried  homeward  on  the 
shoulders  of  his  converts,  February  11th,  1831,  a little  i)ast  noon, 


270 


THE  STOTIY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


OB  tlie  second  day  after  tliey  liad  set  out  for  Tavoy.  Ilis  deatli 
has  been  conijiared  with  tliat  of  (General  Wolfe  on  the  Jlei^'lits 
of  Ahrahanij  of  the  elder  William  Jhtt  in  the  Parliament-lJonse, 
of  John  Quincy  Adams  in  a chamber  of  the  (hijatol.  Ami 
certainly  it  was  one  of  true  moral  sublimity.  Wrote  Jndson, — 
‘^Ile  fell  gloriously  in  the  arms  of  vi(dory.  SmOi  a death,  next 
to  that  of  martyrdom,  must  be  glorious  in  the  eyes  of  Ileaveii.” 


Temple  at  Mahabalipooram  Each  column  composed  of  a single  stone 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


MES.  ANN  HASSELTINE  JUDSON. 


A Person  of  Decided  Character. — Some  Memoranda  of  her  Life  and  Death. 
An  Estimate  of  her  Character. — Her  Piety  Intelligent  and  Sincere. — Her 
Courage  Kemarkable. — Her  Consecration  Complete. — HerKare  Intellec- 
tual Powers. — Her  Ardent  Temperament. — Her  Independence  of  Heart 
and  Mind. — Her  Personal  Appearance  in  America  and  Burmah. — Her 
Political  Influence  at  Ava. — Her  Narrative  of  Mr.  Judson’s  Imprison- 
ment.— Her  Death  among  Strangers. 


I 


S THE  life  of  Mrs.  Aim  11.  Jiidson  was  completely  identified 
with  that  other  heroic  husband^  it  has  been  thought  neither 
desirable  nor  possible  to  contemplate  them  altogether  apart. 
The  reader,  therefore,  who  has  read  onr  shetch  of  Dr.  Jiidson, 
has  become  familiar  with  the  great  events  and  heroic  achieve- 
ments of  her  life.  Hence  the  following  pages  will  be  devoted 
chiefly  to  an  estimate  of  her  character.  And  as  she  manifested 
great  simplicity  and  force  of  character,  was  actuated  by  unmis- 
takable motives,  and  kept  ever  in  full  view  the  one  great  object  of 
her  life,  her  biographers  have  never  been  at  a loss  to  decide  with 
what  lines  and  colors  to  depict  her.  She  was  not  one  of  those 
women  who,  though  brilliant  and  famous,  have  been  so  volatile 
that  it  required,  not  a writer,  but  rather  a photographer,  to 


“ Catch,  ere  she  change,  the  Cynthia  of  this  minute,” 

and  so,  by  a long  succession  of  dissimilar  pictures,  to  enable  us 
to  form  some  general  notion  of  a versatile  and  extraordinary  but 
illogical  and  inconsistent  life. 

A few  brief  memoranda  may  be  here  set  down,  in  order  to 
prepare  the  reader  to  accompany  us  in  our  analysis  of  some  of 
the  elements  in  Mrs.  Judson’s  character.  Ann  Hasseltine  was 


278 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


born  at  Jbadford,  Massaclinsetts,  Docondx'r,  22d,  1789.  Slio  was 
(‘onvorted  at  the  a^o  of  s(went(‘en,  and  aft(‘i‘  (X)nii)l(‘tinf(  a ])n*tty 
tliorongh  and  extensive  eonrse  of  study  at  liradford  A(;ad(‘iny, 
slie  en^af^ed^  not  from  imverty,  l)nt  from  a sense  of  duty,  in 
teaeliing  tlie  yonng.  As  slie  o])en(Ml  Inn*  se.liool  with  i)ray(*r,  her 
little  pni)ils  at  first  seemed  astonished  at  sueJi  a be^iiiiiin^',  as 
some  of  them  had  jmobably  mwer  heard  a ])i*ayer  belong  Sln^ 
taught  sehools  in  Salem^  Haverhill  and  X(‘wbniy.  Her  marriage* 
took  ])laee  at  ]>radfoiTl,  Febrnaiy  dth,  1812^  and  on  the  IDth  of 
the  same  month  ^Ir.  and  jMrs.  Jndson  embarked  for  (kdentta. 
They  reaehed  llangoon  in  dnly,  1818.  She  set  out  to  return  to 
Ameriea  by  way  of  London  in  1821^  and  aft(*r  s])ending  a year 
in  England  and  Scotland  she  sailed  for  New  York^  where  she 
arrived  on  the  25th  of  Sei)tend)er^  1822,  bnt  i)roeeeded  at  once  to 
Philadelphia.  While  here  she  composed  and  i)nblished  a His- 
tory of  the  Biirman  Mission.”  She  siient  some  time  in  Baltimore, 
under  medical  treatment.  She  also  visited  Washington.  In 
June,  1828,  she  embarked  again  for  liangoon,  where  she  arrived 
in  December,  1828,  after  an  absence  of  two  years  and  a half. 
She  died  of  remittent  fever,  at  Amherst,  a town  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Salweii,  October  24th,  182G,  in  the  87th  year  of  her  age. 
Dr.  Jndson  was  absent  at  the  time,  and  no  fellow-missionary  was 
present  at  her  death  or  burial : 

“ By  foreign  hands  thy  dying  eyes  were  clos’d, 

B3"  foreign  hands  thy  weary  limbs  compos’d, 

B}"  foreign  hands  thy  humble  grave  adorn’d. 

By  strangers  honor’d  and  by  strangers  mourn’d.*’ 

Bightly  to  estimate  the  excellences  of  Ann  Ilasseltine  Jndson, 
our  readers  ought  to  be  acquainted  with  the  state  of  religion  in 
the  (k)ngi‘(‘gational  (churches of  New  England,  at  the  beginning  of 
the  j)res(‘nt  century.  Eor  information  on  this  subject  we  have 


no  loom. 


ANN  TIASSELTINE  JUDSON. 


270 


Her  piety  was  intelligent  and  siinten'.  The  pastors  of'  that 
day  seem  to  have  been  less  faithfnl  than  the  i)rineipals  and  i)ro- 
fessors  of  the  academies.  jMiss  TTasseltine,  under  the  religious 
teachings  and  exhortations  of  the  latter^  learned  to  search  her 
own  heart  and  to  understand  the  difference  between  common 
morality  and  the  gracious  affections.  She  was  also  somewhat 
indebted  to  books  on  i)ractical  piety,  such  as  Bunyan’s  Pilgrim’s 


Progress  and  Bellamy’s  True  Religion.  One  Sunday  morning  she 
took  up  jMrs.  Hannah  IVfore’s  Strictures  on  Female  Education. 
The  first  words  that  caught  her  eyes  were  those  of  a quotation  of 
Scrii)ture:  She  that  liveth  in  pleasure,  is  dead  while  she  liveth.” 
For  a little  season  these  words  alarmed  her,  and  she  resolved  to 
lead  a life  more  serious  and  thoughtful.  Converted  during  a 
revival  in  the  spring  of  180(3,  her  narrative  of  her  religions 
exercises  at  the  time  (no  common  production  regarded  from  a 


280 


THE  STORY  OF  IIAPTIST  IWTSSTONS. 


literary  point  of  view)  is  a strikin<(  jnoof  of  tlie  evanf,^eli(;al 
eliaracter  of  her  experience^  and  of  lier  el(‘ar  inte]l(*(dnal  analysis 
ot  its  elements.  The  tests  of  a state  of  ^raee  were  some  of  them 
perhaps  more  severe  than  Holy  AVrit  recpiires.  Ihit  aft(*r 
agonies  of  soul  which  remind  one  of  Jhinyan’s,  as  related  in 
Grace  Abounding^  she  came  out  of  the  eoidliet  Avith  nnmistakahle 
CAidence  of  ncAA  iiess  of  life.  As  she  oaaxmI  much  to  a rcAn'A^al  of 
religion,  so  she  was  ever  after  a friend  of  aAATikenings.  kSIic  also 
became  a Avinner  of  souls.  Whether  on  the  land  or  on  the  sea, 
sick  or  Avell,  among  acquaintances  or  strangers,  she  consider(*d  it 
her  duty  to  iiiAdte  sinners  to  Christ.  She  did  not  alloAV  her 
large  ideas  of  ^Hhe  good  of  being  in  general,”  and  ])reaching 
the  Gospel  to  all  nations  of  the  AA'orhl,  to  blind  her  to  the  needs 
of  CAxry  person  she  met  in  priAuite  and  social  intercourse. 

And  the  courage  of  Mrs.  Judson  Avas  as  remarkable  as  her  piety. 
AA^as  there  nothing  in  it  of  the  nature  of  fanatical  hardihood  or  a 
rash  and  willful  closing  of  the  eyes  on  the  dangers  and  unavoid- 
able miseries  of  a woman’s  missionary  life  ? AA"e  say  a woman’s; 
for  she  was  the  lirst  American  Avoman  that  resolved  to  enter  the 
field  of  Foreign  Alissions.  Harriet  Newell,  who  accomi)anied  her, 
informs  us  that  Miss  Hasseltine  Avas  the  first  to  determine  to 
leaAX  her  natiAX  land  and  to  go  to  India;  and  the  journal  of  the 
former  shows  that  she  Avas  influenced  by  the  example  of  her  more 
adventurous  friend.  But  this  Avas  not  the  only  time  that  she  was 
called  to  encounter  sufteriug  and  death  all  alone.  After  the 
death  of  her  earliest  female  associate,  Mrs.  Newell,  she  Avas  again 
left  alone.  And  during  her  husband’s  imprisonment,  lier  own 
liardsliips,  perils  and  sufierings  Avere  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  she 
Avas  tlie  only  European  A\a)nian  at  the  Burinan  capital,  and  tliere 
Avas  not  one  felloAV-foreigner  to  help  lier  meet  the  scorn  and  rancor 
of  the  i)0])ulace  or  the  insolence,  apathy,  terrorism,  and  extortion 
of  the  barbarous  oflidals. 

Her  consecration  to  tlK‘.  (^ause  of  Christ  Avas  complete.  About 


ANN  HASSELTINE  JUD80N. 


281 


the  time  of  her  conversion^  the  question  of  the  nature  and  extent 
of  true  submission  to  God  began  to  be  discussed  in  New  Eng- 
land. When  Kev.  John  Lord,  so  well  known  as  a lecturer  on 
history,  was  being  examined  for  ordination,  a member  of  the 
council  asked  him  whether  he  were  willing  to  be  damned  in  case  it 
should  please  God  to  send  him  to  perdition.  Ilis  reply  was,  ^^Well ; 
fathers  and  brethren,  if  the  question  were  whether  I am  willing 
that  you  should  be  condemned,  I might  answer  without  much 
hesitation,  but  I have  not,  I must  confess,  any  such  submission 
to  God,  as  in  any  case  to  be  willing  that  I should  myself  be 
doomed  to  final  misery.”  As  for  Miss  Ilasseltine,  in  her  narrative 
of  her  Christian  exi)erience,  she  relates  how  she  was  brought  to 
an  absolute  submission  to  the  divine  sovereignty.  Afterwards, 
when  her  sister  asked  her  if  she  were  willing  to  be  lost,  she 
replied  with  careful  discrimination:  am  not  willing  to  be  an 

enemy  of  God;  but  so  submissive  is  my  spirit  that  I could  not 
be  unhappy,  however  He  might  dispose  of  me.”  Well  does  Mrs. 
iSigourney  pronounce  her  piety  disinterested  and  sublime. 

Her  intellectual  powers  were  of  no  common  order.  Though, 
while  a girl,  she  had  a strong  relish  for  social  amusements,  such 
was  her  desire  for  knowledge,  that  a book  could  allure  her  from 
the  gayest  social  circle.  ^^This  desire,”  says  Mr.  Knowles,  ^ds 
almost  invariably  an  attribute  of  eminent  mental  powers;  and 
the  i)ersou  thus  happily  endowed,  needs  nothing  but  industry  and 
adequate  means,  to  assure  the  attainment  of  the  highest  degree 
of  literary  excellence.”  Hers  were  fortunately  the  means  and 
industry.  At  the  Bradford  academy  she  displayed  a rapid  i^er- 
ception  and  a retentive  memory,  as  well  as  that  strong  reasoning 
faculty  which  her  writings  everywhere  exhibit.  She  wrote  much 
and  well,  but  as  the  most  of  her  compositions  have  perished,  we 
can  not  form  a fair  estimate  of  her  abilities  as  an  author.  Her 
letters  are  marked  by  that  seriousness  and  fervor,  that  masculine 
strength  and  clearness,  which  characterized  her  mind  and  heart. 


282 


TIIK  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Her  Address  to  tlH‘  r"(Mnnl(*s  in  Ain(*rie;i,”  in  IxOialf  of  lier 
scliools  for  liiirinan  ^irls,  is  Avi  itt(‘n  Avitli  z(*al  and  f»rae(*fnln(‘ss; 
and  lier  ^Mlistory  of  tli(‘  I>ni‘inan  IVIission,”  is  a concise*,  and  w(‘ll 
coiidiudcd  narrative.!  Slie  l)ccain(‘,  perfectly  familiar  with  the 
Jtiirinan  language  and  eharaede*!’;  and  piohably  her  most  (‘lo(in(*nt 
addresses  were  those  which  she  made  to  the  King,  (^neen  and 
other  jiersons  connected  with  the  Ihirman  Court.  Dr.  Wayland 
speaks  of  her  as  possessing  great  clearness  of  int(*llect  and  large 
powers  of  c.omiireheusion.  It  was  not  to  he  ex])ect(‘d  that  a 
AATunan  Avith  such  sn])crior  gifts  and  a(;(piirem(‘nts,  Avonld  escape 
the  AA^eapons  of  malice.  ‘Hhoy  AAuth  its  acute  vision,”  says  her 
biographer,  “and  calumny  AAith  its  o])en  (*ar  and  ready  tongue, 
although  they  liaA^e  assail(‘d  her,  liaA^e  n(*AT*r  insinuated  a doul)t 
of  the  purity  of  her  life.”  For  a lady  to  he  a suc(T*ssful  author, 
Avas  proAU)king,  hut  for  her  to  he  also  a world-renoAA  iied  mission- 
ary, AAMs  a crime,  that  deseiwed  no  mercy. 

She  AAMS  of  sanguine  temperament,  hut  aa  ithout  the  (duuigeful- 
iiessAA  liich  so  often  attends  it.  Coupled  Avith  great  firmness  and 
resolution,  it  carried  h(*r  forward  in  her  career  Avith  a steady 
AUAMcity  and  hopefulness.  Herein  did  nature  co-o})erate  Avith 
grace;  for  in  her  early  years,  as  AA^e  are  told,  she  Avas  distinguished 

1.  Many  books  die  of  dignity;  and  the  common  notions  of  the  familiar 
and  social  life  of  Mrs.  A.  H.  Jndson  Avould  have  been  more  correct  if  her 
graA^e  and  stately  biographer,  Mr.  KnoA\des,  had  published  more  of  her 
letters  to  her  tried  and  trusted  friends.  As  it  is  he  exalts  her  intellect  at 
the  expense  of  her  heart.  lie  reproduces  such  letters  only  as  are  signed 
Ann  II. , whereas  some  of  the  best  parts  of  her  correspondence  are  subscribed 
Nancy.  And  iMr.  .Tudson,  in  Avriting  to  Lnther  Rice,  calls  her  by  the  same 
familiar  name,  as  Avhen  he  says,  “ Nancy  unites  Avith  me  in  affectionate 
remembrance,”  and  again,  “ So,  fare  you  well,  my  brother  Rice,  and  Nancy 
also  says,  ‘ Fare  you  Av^ell.’  ” In  a beautiful  letter  ui-ging  Mr.  Rice  to  return 
to  India,  Mrs.  Judson  (see  Rev.  J.  B.  Taylor’s  Memoir  of  Rice,  pp.  173-1 7G.) 
.•^bows  in  what  high  regard  she  still  held  him,  although  nearly  seA'en  years 
had  elapsed  since  their  sorrowful  parting,  at  the  Isle  of  France.  This 
touching  letter  Avinds  up  as  follows: 

“ Ever  Affectionately  Amours, 

Nancy  Judson.” 


ANN  IIASSELTINE  JITDSON. 


283 


by  feelings  unusually  ardent^  and  by  a love  of  enterprise  and 
adventure.  Her  restless  spirit  was  indeed  sometimes  tlie  occasion 
of  grief  to  her  motlier,  who  once  said  to  lier,  I hope,  my  daugliter, 
you  will  one  day  be  satisfied  witli  rambling.”  Her  excellent 
biographer,  Mr.  Knowles,  admits  that  her  constitutional  fervor 
may  sometimes  have  had  too  much  influence  over  her  feelings, 
and,  we  think  he  might  justly  have  added,  over  her  judgment. 
When  told  by  her  Loudon  physicians  (men  so  often  consulted  by 
patients  of  her  class),  that  she  could  not  live  if  she  returned  to 
Jndia,  she  gave  no  heed  to  the  intelligeiit  and  prudent  warning. 

Again,  while  returning  to  the  East,  she  was  on  her  arrival  in 
nindustau  assured  that  there  Avas  great  prospect  of  Avar  between 
the  English  and  the  Burmans.  Eriends  both  at  Serampore  and 
Calcutta  concurred  in  advising  her  not  to  go  forward  to  Eangoon. 
This  unanimous  adAuce  was,  we  are  told,  enforced  by  an  account 
of  the  real  state  of  things,  AA  hich  Avas  furnished  to  her  and  her 
fellow  missionaries  by  the  chief  Secretary  of  British  India.  Yet, 
after  all,  she  fleAv  deliberately,  as  no  bird  Avould  have  done, 
directly  towards  the  thunder-cloud.  We  hold  the  unpopular 
opinion  that  right  thiidving  is  as  acceptable  to  God  as  right 
feeling.  We  oaaui,  indeed,  that  it  is  not  certain  that  she  did  not 
think  wisely,  when,  in  the  face  of  all  human  counsels  and  alarms, 
she  determined  to  x)nt  health  and  life  in  jeopardy  by  going  to 
Baugoon  at  that  portentous  time.  We  are  equally  ready  to 
concede  that  very  feAV  of  the  heroes  or  heroines  of  the  church 
and  the  world  have  been  markedly  Avise  and  prudent.  We  might 
go  on  to  make  several  other  concessions  in  favor  of  Mrs.  Judson, 
were  it  not  that  to  set  them  doAA  n at  proi)er  length  Avould  carry 
us  too  far  out  of  our  way.  It  is  sufficient  to  add  that  she  showed 
an  admirable  superiority  to  fear,  from  the  time  of  her  first 
approach  to  India,  when  her  eyes  caught  a distant  glimpse  of  the 
towering  mountains  of  Golconda,  to  the  moment  when  she  cast 
her  last  dying  look  on  the  waters  of  Martaban. 


284 


TIIR  STOKY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


]\Iis  Jiidsoii  acquired  ji  ])ro])er  indopeiideiKM*,  of  lieart-  and 
mind.  Tliis  is  commonly  refunded  as  a masculine  rather  than  a 
feminine  virtuej  but  her  tra^i(5  life,  in  Avhicdi  a.  heroic  energy 
and  r(‘solutiou  were  so  often  demanded,  call(‘d  into  ex(n*cise  tlui 
highest  manly  excellence's.  These,  disentangling  themselves  from 
natural  weakness  and  temptation,  arose  to  those  serene  regions 
where  they  met  the  strong  current  of  divine  grace,  and  were 
tlierel)y  wafted  perpetually  towards  the  supreme  object  of 
Christian  pursuit.  But  this  indejiendeuce  was  not  joined  to  an 
audacious  and  obstinate  disposition,  but  to  meekness  and  to  a 
lady-like  delicacy  and  quietness.  It  was  this  indepcmdence 
that  sustained  her  rare  perseverance.  Hence,  amidst  p(*rplex- 
ities,  disease  and  danger,  she  pressed  steadily  forward  towards 
tbe  great  object  to  wliicli  her  life  was  devoted.  The  state  of  her 
health  repeatedly  forced  her  away  from  the  scene  of  lier  labors; 
but  she  returned  the  moment-  her  recruited  strength  would 
permit.  The  tumults  of  war,  and  the  exasperated  barbarity  of 
the  government,  subjected  her  and  her  associates  to  suherings 
unparalleled  in  the  history  of  modern  missions.  But  as  soon  as 
peace  returned,  instead  of  flying  from  a country  where  she  had 
endured  so  much,  and  where  her  benevolent  toils  had  been  so 
cruelly  requited,  her  first  thoughts  Avere  directed  to  the  re-estab- 
lishment of  the  mission.”  Many  other  instances  might  be  cited 
in  proof  of  Mrs.  Judsoii’s  superiority  to  circumstances,  and  her 
consequent  power  to  persist  un falter ingl 3^  in  a grand  enterprise. 

In  ])ersonaI  i)resence  she  happily  blended  modesty  and  self- 
])ossession.  In  her  manners  there  was  such  an  ease  and  repose 
that  at  first  you  suspected  that  she  Avas  wanting  in  feminine 
sensibility  and  ardor.  You  had  oidy  to  mention  the  Burman 
mission  or  any  subject  connected  Avitli  human  redemption,  to  see 
her  ey(‘s  flash  Avith  enthusiasm  and  to  find  features  and  voice 
<^xj)r(^ssing  tlu'.  most  debh^ate  and  most  j)reA^ailing  eloquence.  Her 
hgure  Avas  rather  above  the  medium  height;  in  complexion,  she 


ANN  IIASSELTINE  JUDSON. 


285 


was  a brunette : but  after  her  return  from  India  it  was  iini)aired 
by  the  sallow  tinge,  whieh  a tropical  climate  almost  always  lends. 
The  portrait  prefixed  to  her  memoir,  as  first  published,  was  thought 
by  her  friends  correctly  to  represent  her  as  she  appeared  during 
her  visit  to  tlie  United  States.  She  then  had,  we  are  told,  an 
oval  face,  with  a profusion  of  black  curls,  and  dark  deej)  eyes. 
Her  ifieasant,  open  countenance  had  an  unsought  air  of  dignity. 
Her  conversation  partook  of  the  same  admixture  of  sweetness, 
frankness  and  unaft'ected  majesty. 

Mrs.  Judson’s  destitute  and  forsaken  plight,  as  her  husband 
found  her  at  Ava,  on  his  return  to  his  home  from  Maloun,  at  the 
close  of  the  negotiations  for  peace,  was  afterwards  grax)hically 
described  by  Mr.  Judson  to  his  wife  Emily.  Some  vague  inti- 
mation had  created  the  fear  that  she  was  dead.  As  soon, 
therefore,  as  he  was  released,  he  ran  to  his  house.  The  door  was 
open,  and  without  being  seen  by  any  one  he  entered.  ^^The  first 
object  that  met  his  eye  was  a fat,  half  naked  Bengalee  woman, 
squatting  in  the  ashes  beside  a pan  of  coals,  and  holding  on  her 
knees  a wan  baby,  so  begrimed  with  dirt  that  it  did  not  occur  to 
the  father  that  it  could  be  his  own.  He  gave  but  one  hasty  look 
and  hurried  to  the  next  room.  Across  the  foot  of  the  bed,  as 
though  she  had  fallen  there,  lay  a human  object,  that  at  first 
glance  was  scarcely  more  to  be  recognized  than  his  child.  The 
face  was  of  a ghastly  paleness,  the  features  sharj),  and  the  whole 
form  shrunken  almost  to  the  last  degree  of  emaciation.  The 
glossy  black  curls  had  been  shorn  from  the  finely-  shaped  head, 
Avliich  was  now  covered  with  a close-fitting  cotton  cap.  The 
whole  room  x>resented  the  appearance  of  the  very  deepest 
wretchedness.  There  lay,  sick,  the  devoted  \vife  who  had  followed 
him  so  unweariedly  from  prison  to  iirison.  The  Bengalee  cook, 
who  held  the  child,  had  been  her  only  nurse.  The  wearied  sleeper 
was  awakened  by  a breath  that  came  too  near  her  cheek,  or 
perhaps,  a falling  tear.” 


THE  STOllY  OF  EAPTIST  MISSIONS 


28() 

Lon^-  ])(‘f()re  Mr.  elndsoii’s  iinprisounioiit  sIk*  hnd  iidoptcd.  tlio 
Biirinose  style  of  dress — \v(‘  sny  style,  for  in  Asia  fasliion  is  not 
known.  Her  friend,  the  wife  of  the  f»’oveinor  of  tin*,  pnhiee, 
l)resented  her  with  a dress  and  rec'oinnieinh'd  In'r  to  wear  it, 
rather  than  a Enro])ean  eostnine,  as  l)ett(‘r  ada[)t(‘d  to  (M)nej‘liate 
the  people.  I>ehold  her,  then,”  said  Mr.  Jndson  to  Mrs.  Emily, 
^dier  dark  enrls  earefnlly  straightened,  drawn  hack  from  her 
forehead,  and  a fragrant  eoeoa  l)h)ssom  droo])ing  like  a white 
l)liinie  fjom  the  knot  npoii  the  crown;  her  safl'ron  vest  thrown 
oi)en  to  display  the  folds  of  crimson  beneath;  and  a rich  silken 
skirt,  wrapi)ed  closely  about  her  fine  figure,  ])arting  at  the  ankle 
and  sloi)ing’  back  upon  the  floor.  The  clothing  of  the  feet  Avas 
not  Burman;  for  the  nati\^e  sandal  could  not  be  AAa)rn  except 
ui)on  a bare  foot.  Behold  her  standing  in  the  door-Avay  (for  she 
Avas  iicATi*  ])ermitt(*d  to  enter  the  prison)  her  little  ])lue-eyed 
blossom  AA  ailing,  as  it  almost  ahvays  did,  uj)on  her  bosom,  and 
the  chained  father  craAvling  forth  to  the  meeting.”  Behind  her 
stood  her  faithful  seiwant,  ]\Ioung  Ing,  and  by  her  side,  to  guard 
the  threshold,  the  merciless  ^‘spotted  face.”  As  the  father 
struggled  forward  to  receive  his  child,  his  companions  in  misery, 
Avho  Avere  fastened  to  him,  seconded  his  AA  ishesby  a simultaneous 
moAX‘nient  toAvards  the  door.  This  scene,  Ave  are  told,  remained 
to  the  end  of  his  life  among  Hr.  Judson’s  most  AUAud  recollections. 

The  inlluence  of  Mrs.  Judson  as  a i^olitical  adAuser  at  the 
Court  of  Ava,  during  the  Burman  A\’ar,  has  been  Axry  generally 
oAxrlooked.  AVhen  it  is  remembeicd  that  she  was  for  a long 
time  the  only  Euro])ean  at  the  (*apital  that  had  not  l)een  sent  to 
])rison  and  so  denied  all  intercourse  Avith  the  members  of  the 
(k>urt,  and  that,  though  she  AAms  aaxII  acquainted  aa  ith  the  British 
l)OAver  and  policy,  yet,  as  an  American,  she  had  the  adAmntage 
of  being  a neutral,  Ave  need  not  Avonder  that,  as  is  noAV  aaxII 
known,  slnj  was  the  author  of  those  eloquent  appeals  to  the 
government  Avhich  ])repared  it  for  submission  to  the  terms  of 


IV:RS.  jUDSON'S  visit  to  her  husband  in  prison,  with  little  maria 


ANN  HASSELTINE  JUDSON. 


287 


peace.  She  persuaded  the  haughty  and  proud  court  to  yield  its 
notorious  inflexibility  in  favor  of  the  welfare  of  the  peoi^le. 
Hitherto  sincerity  in  negotiations  with  an  enemy  had  not  been 
observed.  She  urged  the  importance  of  an  honest  diplomacy  and 
the  necessity  of  keeping  good  faith  in  all  offers  of  peace  to 
England.  Ko  official  acknowledgement  of  her  political  services 
was  to  be  expected  either  from  the  Burmese  or  from  the  British; 
for  the  party  to  a treaty  that  should  exi)ress  gratitude^  to  a 
mediator  would  be  suspected  by  the  opposite  party  of  having 
obtained  the  better  bargain.  Policy,  it  is  thought,  dictates  the 
necessity  of  a good  deal  of  formal  grumbling.  While  officials, 
greedy  of  pay  and  place,  are  loud  and  urgent  in  their  claims 
based  on  their  services  in  diplomacy,  it  is  not  surprising  that 
British  histories  of  Burmah  should  so  often  ignore  both  Mrs. 
Judson’s  good  offices  at  the  court  of  Ava,  and  those  of  Mr.  Judson 
in  securing  the  treaty  of  Yandabo.  It  is  but  just,  however,  to 
the  Governor  General  of  India  to  add  that  he  allowed  Mr. 
Judson,  five  thouand  two  hundred  ruj^ees,  in  consideration  of 
his  services  at  this  treaty  and  as  a member  of  the  subsequent 
embassy  to  Ava. 

Mrs.  Judson’s  narrative  of  her  husband's  imprisonment  at  Ava 
and  Oung-pen-la  must  always  rank  among  the  most  graphic  and 
pathetic  to  be  found  in  English  literature.  Such  a conjuncture 
of  events,  such  alternations  of  favorable  and  unfavorable  occur- 
rences; such  contrasts  of  character  in  the  intercourse  of  persons 
of  the  highest  refinement  and  of  the  coarsest  and  most  brutal 
barbarians — barbarians  who  had  just  enough  of  the  light  of 
civilization  occasionally  darting  upon  them  to  reveal,  like  light- 
ning at  midnight,  vast  surroundings  of  the  deepest  darkness ; — 
the  transitions  from  hope  to  terror  through  which  Mrs.  Judson 
was  so  often  hurried;  her  description  of  the  fate  of  others : as  of 
the  renowned  Burman  General  Bandoola — how  enthusiastically, 
yet  blindly,  his  troops  set  out  for  the  strife  with  the  British  forces; 


288 


TITK  STOIJY  OF  TiAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


tlie  (‘iitire  assurance  Avliic.li  ])(*rva(l<‘(l  tlx*.  ])ala(tc  that  lie  would 
return  in  triuniiili,  hrin^injj^  Eii'^lish  (ta])tiv(‘s  to  lx*,  tlx*,  slaves  of 
the  princes  and  princ(‘ss(‘s  of  golden  Avaj  then  the.  n(‘ws  of 
Baixhxda’s  sudden  death  in  tlx*  storming- of  Donalx'w;  how  tlx* 
Kin^^  received  it  in  silent  ainaz(*iuent,  and  the  Qne(*n,  in  Kast(*rn 
style,  smote  upon  her  breast  and  cried  Ama!  ama  ! (Alas!  alas!) 
— how  oil  that  hm^  walk  of  two  miles  though  the  dark  str(*(*ts  of 
the  capital  she  heard  the  pco])le  say,  “Who  can  be  found  to  till 
Baixhxila’s  place?  Who  Avill  venture  since  the  invincibh*.  g(*n- 


Boating  on  the  Irrawaddy  River. 


<‘ral  has  been  cut  off?”; — how,  in  low  tones,  the  poor  common  men 
AV(*re  lieaid  to  speak  of  rebellion  in  case  a call  AA'ere  made  for 
more  soldiers;  the  delayed  arrest  of  the  Spanish  consul  Lansaj»() 
and  tlx*.  Portu^’ixise  priest  (a.  delay  Avhich  Ave  are  sorry  she  did  not 
stoj)  to  (*xplain);  the  sulferin^s  and  death  of  the  Greek  ])risoner 
on  llie  Avay  to  ( )nn^-|x*n-la ; — h(*.r  can*,  in  feedin^  and  (*lothingthe 
other  lhiro|x‘an  ))rison(*is  as  av(‘11  as  lx*r  husband^  making  no 


ANN  HASSELTINE  JUDSON. 


289 


distinction  except  in  case  of  tlie  tlireatened  execution  of  all^ 
wlien,  having  interceded  for  all^  the  heart  of  the  wife  dutifully 
implored  that  he  at  least  might  he  spared; — her  daily  visits  to 
the  i)rison,  carrying  food  to  the  door  she  was  not  permitted  to  pass 
— food  which  the  keepers  would  not  even  allow  their  servants  to 
bear  a few  i)aces  to  the  hands  of  their  famishing  charge  without 
an  extra  fee; — her  daily  visits  to  the  governor  of  the  city  to  obtain 
some  mitigation  of  her  husband’s  sufferings; — her  nightly  return 
to  her  solitary  home,  two  miles  away,  and  her  throwing  herself, 
worn  out  with  fatigue  and  anxiety,  into  her  chair  to  invent  some 
new  scheme  for  the  release  of  the  prisoners; — her  construction 
of  little  bamboo  cabins  near  the  prison  to  serve  as  hospitals  for 
her  sick  husband; — the  first  appearance  of  poor  little  infant  Maria 
at  the  door  of  the  prison  in  the  arms  of  her  mother ; —the  sick- 
ness, terror  and  vexation  of  the  prison  life  at  Oung-i)en-la  ; — her 
making  presents  to  the  jailors  to  obtain  leave  for  Mr.  Judson  to 
carry  his  emaciated  little  daughter  around  the  village  to  beg  a 
little  nourishment  from  the  mothers  who  had  infants  of  their  own  ^ 
— the  hopes  of  life  and  liberation  that  were  raised  by  the  news 
of  the  execution  for  high  treason  of  their  diabolical  foe  at  court, 
the  PaJcan  woon,  one  of  the  King’s  brothers; — the  effect  of  all- 
absorbing  hopes,  fears,  pains,  anxieties  and  exasperating  exac- 
tions in  causing  in  her  heart  an  almost  total  oblivion  of  home  and 
kindred  for  nearly  a year  and  a half; — and  then  the  reasonable 
expectation  of  liberty  spreading  like  the  light  of  the  morning  on 
the  crests  of  dark  mountains; — last  of  all,  best  of  all,  the  cer- 
tainty of  freedom  and  that  greater  joy  than  any  other  human 
triumph  ever  knew,  when  they  found  themselves  floating  down 
the  Irrawaddy  of  a moonlight  evening,  surrounded  by  six  or 
eight  golden  boats ; and  the  next  morning,  saw  that  they  had 
sailed  within  the  British  lines  and  the  bounds  of  civilized  life; — 
these  events  and  others,  i^erhaps  more  touching  than  these,  must 
be  read  in  Mrs,  Judson’s  own  letter  to  her  brother,  before  we  are 


21)0 


THE  STORY  OF  RAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


jireparcd  to  form  any  tolerable  notion  of  lier  rare  benevolence, 
her  ingenious  kindness,  her  quick  sagacity,  her  star-like  pense- 
verance  and  the  peculiar  qualities  of  Iier  genius. 

Much  is  it  to  be  regretted  that  tliere  was  no  one  at  her  bed-side 
competent  to  mark  and  remember  her  last  words  during  those 
eighteen  days  of  sickness.  Though  little  Maria’s  dis(‘.as(i  had 

worn  out  her  mother,  and 
was,  it  is  su[)posed,  tlie 
innocent  occasion  of  her 
mortal  sickness,  she  was 
n(‘verthel(‘ss  a great  com- 
fort to  that  mother  during 
the  lonesomeness  which 
was  caused  by  her  hus- 
band’s long  inqirisonment 
and  his  subsequent  al)- 
sence  at  the  court  of  Ava. 
In  her  last  letter  to  him 
she  says,  ^AVlieii  1 ask 
l)oor  little  Maria  where 
Papa  is,  she  always  starts 
up  and  points  towards 
the  sea.”  Mrs.  Sigourney 
makes  touching  mention  of  the  relation  of  the  sick  child  to  the 
dying  mother: 

“ Dark  Biirman  faces  are  around  her  bed, 

And  one  pale  habe^ — to  hush  whose  wailing  cry, 

She  checks  the  death  groan,  and  with  fond  embrace,  * 

Still  clasps  it  firmly  to  her  icy  breast. 

Even  till  the  heart-strings  break.” 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


MRS.  SABAH  BOAEDMAN  JUDSON. 

Her  Parentage  and  Birthplace. — Of  Poetic  Turn  of  Mind. — Her  Self- 
education  and  Teaching. — Conversion  and  Baptism. — Her  Missionary 
Sympathies  at  first  divided  between  the  Indians  of  America  and  the 
Indians  of  Asia. — Her  Poem  on  the  Death  of  Colman. — Her  First 
Acquaintance  with  Mr.  Boardnian. — Her  Marriage  and  Embarkation. 
Mr.  Boardman  Settles  in  Calcutta. — Keligious  Dissipation  of  the  Capital 
of  India. — She  becomes  a Favorite  in  Society. — Her  Personal  Appearance 
and  Manners. — Her  Christian  Experience  as  Estimated  by  Dr.  Judson. 
Midnight  Robbers  at  Maulmain. — Death  of  her  Child  and  its  Effect  on 
her  Belief. — The  Perilous  Adventures  of  her  Son,  young  George  Dana. 
Messrs.  Dean  and  Jones  Attacked  by  Pirates. — What  George  Dana  has 
Come  to  Be  and  Do.— Death  of  Mr.  Boardman — Her  Missionary  Work 
at  Tavoy  Continued  Three  Years. — Becomes  the  Wife  of  Dr.  Judson. 
Studies  the  Language  of  Pegu. — Riding  and  Walking  for  Health. — Sick- 
ness and  Embarkation  for  America. — Mauritius. — Death  and  Burial  at  St. 
Helena. — Mr.  Judson’s  brief  Eulogy. 

WAS  the  eldest  child  of  Ralph  and  Ahiah  Hall,  born 
at  Alstead,  R’ew  Hampshire,  N'ovember  4th,  1803.  While 
a girl  of  about  fourteen,  her  parents  removed  to  Salem,  Massa- 
chiiestts.  As  her  father  and  mother  were  poor,  and  had  a family 
of  thirteen  children,  she,  as  the  eldest,  was  much  occupied  in 
household  toil.  Consequently  she  went  to  school  irregularly, 
but  acquired  knowledge  by  devoting  the  long  winter  evenings  to 
study.  From  her  biographer  we  gather  that  she  commenced 
writing  poetry  at  an  early  age,  how  early  no  dates  inform  us. 
In  the  days  of  her  girlhood,  p)arents  were  ambitious  to  prove 
that  their  children  were  very  precocious  and  prodigies  of  genius. 
Willian  Cullen  Bryant  is  reputed  to  have  written  his  Thanatopsis 
in  his  nineteenth  year ; but  as  it  was  not  published  until  he  was 
twentydwo,  there  was  abundant  time  for  him  and  his  learned 


292 


THE  STORY  OF  BAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


father  to  correct  and  improve  it  hefore  it  went  to  i)re.ss.  Sarah’s 
fondness  for  versification  showed  itself  at  a tiirn*,  wlien  her  lionrs 
were  almost  all  consnmed  in  domestic  duties  and  self-improvement. 
She  had  the  iioetic  gift^  but  not  the  leisure  to  cultivate  it.  At  the 
age  of  seventeen  she  taught  school  for  a few  months,  that  she 
might  gain  the  means  of  studying  for  the  same  length  of  time. 
The  same  year,  she  became  the  subject  of  divine  grace  and  was 
baptized  by  the  llev.  Dr.  Lncins  Holies,  at  that  time  pastor  of 
the  First  Baptist  church  in  Salem.  From  the  time  of  her  public 
profession,  she  was  very  active  in  seeking  the  salvation  of  her 
kindred,  friends  and  neighbors.  At  the  age  of  twenty  she 
became  the  leading  member  of  a tract  society  in  Salem,  and  of  a 
female  prayer  meeting,  all  of  whose  members  were  her  seniors. 
And  yet,  during  these  three  years  of  Christian  activity  at  home, 
she  ever  kept  in  mind  the  wants  of  the  heathen.  About  the 
time  of  her  baptism,  she  made  the  following  entry  in  her  journal: 
“ I have  been  pained  by  thinking  of  those  who  have  never  heard 
the  sound  of  the  Gospel.  When  will  the  time  come  that  the  poor 
heathen,  now  bowing  to  idols,  shall  own  the  living  and  true  God?” 
On  imrusing  the  life  of  the  missionary,  Samuel  J.  Mills,  she  says: 

I have  almost  caught  his  spirit  and  been  ready  to  exclaim : ^ Oh 
that  I,  too,  could  suffer  privations,  hardships  and  discourage- 
ments, and  even  find  a Avatery  grave  for  the  sake  of  bearing  the 
ncAvs  of  salvation  to  the  heathen.”  But  on  reflection,  she  chides 
herself  for  this,  while  sinners  are  perishing  all  around  her;  and  it 
Avas  ])robal)ly  the  coiiAdction  that  there  Avas  benevolent  Avork 
enough  nearer  home,  that  led  her  at  one  time  to  think  of  giAung 
herself  to  missionary  serAuce  among  the  Oneida  Indians  of 
Ceotral  Ncav  York. 

When  young  Colman  died,  so  soon  after  he  had  set  foot  on 
j)agaii  shores,  tlie  iicavs  of  his  premature  death  enlisted  two 
young  hearts,  as  yet  strangers  to  each  other,  in  the  missionary 
service;.  IMiss  Hall  was  moA^ed  to  Avrite  an  elegy  on  Colman, 
Aviiich  Avas  |)nblished. 


SARAH  BOARDMAN  JUDSON. 


293 


When  George  Dana  Boardman,  tlien  tutor  in  VVaterville 
College,  heard  of  tlie  death  of  Colmau,  he  said  to  himself:  Who 
will  go  to  till  Oolman’s  place ! — I will  go.’^  This  question  and 
answer  occnred  to  him  in  succession,  as  suddenly  as  the  twink- 
ling of  an  eye.  The  young  tutor  read,  about  the  same  time,  the 
elegy  which  we  have  mentioned.  He  found  the  heart  of  the 
unknown  author  in  such  sympathy  with  his  own,  that  he 
inquired  who  she  was.  They  met  soon  after,  and,  in  the 
language  of  the  sole  witness,  they  found  that  ^Gheir  si)irits, 
their  hoi)es,  their  aspirations  were  one.” 

At  tirst  her  parents  would  not  give  their  consent  to  her  going 
out  to  India,  but  at  length  they  were  brought  to  make  the 
sacritice.  As  she  was  leaving  home  for  the  last  time,  she  said : 
“ Father  are  you  willing  I should  go?”  ^Wes,  my  child,  I am 
willing.”  “ ^low  I can  go  joyfully !”  was  her  emi^hatic  response. 
Mr.  Boardman  and  Miss  Sarah  Hall  were  married  July  4th,  1825, 
and  on  the  16th  of  the  same  month  they  embarked  at  Philadel- 
l)hia  for  Calcutta,  where  they  arrived  on  the  2d  of  December. 

From  this  time  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Boardman,  her  career 
was  one  with  hisj  almost  all  its  incidents,  therefore,  will  be 
found  in  our  delineation  of  that  famous  missionary.  Some  events 
of  this  period,  however,  must  here  be  related.  Oh  their  arrival 
at  Calcutta,  they  found  the  war  in  Burmah  raging,  and  mission- 
ary oi)erations  at  a temporary  end.  They,  therefore,  resolved  to 
wait  in  Calcutta  till  the  strife  was  over,  meanwhile  pursuing 
their  studies  in  the  Burmese  language.  In  no  long  time  the 
Circular  Eoad  Baptist  Church  in  that  city  invited  Mr.  Boardman 
to  assume  the  pastoral  care  of  them,  which  he  continued  to  do 
for  more  than  a year.  Here  Mrs.  Boardman  was  persuaded 
to  go  much  into  society.  Being  young,  handsome  and  accom- 
plished, she  was  considered  a valuable  accession  to  British 
circles,  and  an  entertaining  companion  for  the  idle  and  fashionable 
European  ladies  of  the  capital  of  India.  Her  features  were  of 


I 

\ 


294  THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 

Grecian  moldj  lier  skin  transparent;  lier  (‘.ycis  bine;  lier  liair 
anbnrn — ^G)rown  in  the  shadow  and  "old  in  the  siin.”  She  was 
of  about  medium  stature,  and  of  gentle,  coididing  disi)osition. 
Her  English  friends,  at  the  time,  regarded  lier  ^^as  the  most 
finished  and  fanltless  specimen  of  American  women  that  they 
had  ever  known.” 

Bnt  the  society  in  which  she  had  been  detained  had  its  shadows 
as  well  as  its  lights.  She  was  drawn  insensibly  into  habits  of 
religions  dissipation.  ‘AVorldly  iirosperity  and  idleness,  (a  kind 
of  spiritual  idleness,  I mean;  for  ]\rrs.  Boardman’s  hands  and 
head  were  doubtless  busy),  are  great  enemies  to  growth  in  grace, 
and  both  of  these  were  incident  to  her  position.”  It  was  here, 
I fancy,  that  she  acquired  a hand-writing  which  betrays  in  the 
lady  from  whom  she  had  evidently  copied  it  (for  her  early 
writing  is  that  of  a true  and  simple-hearted  girl)  an  insincere  and 
affected  character.  Happily  for  IVlrs.  Boardman,  the  imitation 
did  not  go  beyond  chirography.  She  afterwards  testified  that  her 
residence  in  Calcutta  did  not  promote  her  progress  in  religion. 
Indeed,  in  later  years  she  was  led  to  doubt  whether  as  yet  she 
was  really  a new  creature.  This  might  have  been  owing  to  the 
fact  that  she  had  adopted  Dr.  Judson’s  views  of  the  Higher 
Life.”  “ When  about  sixteen  years  of  age,”  says  Dr.  Judson  in  his 
obituary,  “during  a revival  of  religion  in  Salem,  she  entertained 
a hope,  received  baptism  at  the  hands  of  her  pastor,  the  Bev. 
Dr.  Bolles,  and  became  a member  of  his  church.  Her  religious 
attainments,  however,  were  not  of  a distinguished  order,  and 
though  lier  amiable  disposition  and  her  deep  interest  in  missions, 
especially  after  her  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Boardman,  gave  her 
an  elevated  tone  of  chxaracter,  she  subsequently  felt  that  at  that 
l)eriod  she  hardly  deserved  the  name  of  a sincere  Christian. 
And  it  was  not  till  she  was  called  to  part  with  her  eldest  child, 
atTavoy,  in  1829,  and  pass  through  scenes  of  great  danger  and 
sufhiriiig  during  th(‘.  Tavoy  rebellion,  that  she  was  enabled  to 
live  a life  of  faith  in  tin*.  Son  ol*Cod.” 


SARAH  BOARDMAN  JUDSON. 


295 


After  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boardman’s  removal  to  Maiilmain,  they 
found  that  the  mission  house  was  exposed  to  the  attaeks  of  wild 
beasts  and  of  men  still  more  wild.  It  was  a mile  from  the 
cantonments,  on  the  edge  of  a thick  forest  or  jungle,  while 
it  was  exposed  at  night  to  bands  of  robbers,  who  came 
from  the  opposite  shore  of  the  Salwen.  One  night,  soon 
after  the  birth  of  her  first  child,  Mrs.  Boardman  awoke  and 
was  startled  to  find  that  the  lamp  had  been  extinguished.  It  was 
soon  relighted,  but  revealed  a scene  of  odd  Confusion, — trunks, 
boxes  and  chests  of  drawers,  all  rifled  of  their  contents.  liaising 
her  eyes  to  the  curtain  beneath  which  her  husband  had  slept, 
she  discovered,  cut  in  the  muslin,  two  long  gashes,  one  at  the 
head  and  the  other  at  the  foot.  “There  had  the  desperate 
villains  stood,  glaring  at  the  unconscious  sleeper  with  their 
fierce,  murderous  eyes,  while  the  booty  was  secured  by  their 
companions.  The  bared,  swarthy  arm  was  ready  for  the  blow^ 
and  the  sharp  knife  or  spear  glittered  in  their  hands.  Had  the 
sleeper  opened  his  eyes,  had  he  only  stirred,  had  but  a heavy, 
long-drawn  breath  startled  the  cowardice  of  guilt — ah,  had  it'? 
But  it  did  not.  The  rounded  limbs  of  tlie  little  infant  lay 
motionless  as  marble  j for  if  the  rosy  lips  had  moved  but  to  the 
slightest  murmur,  or  the  tiny  hand  crept  closer  to  the  loved 
bosom  in  her  baby  dreams,  the  chord  in  the  mother’s  breast 
must  have  answered  and  the  death-stroke  followed.  * * But 
an  Eye  was  open — the  Eye  that  never  slumbers;  a i)rotecting 
wing  was  over  them,  and  a soft,  invisible  hand  pr^essed  down 
their  sleeping  lids.” 

Kot  long  after  their  removal  to  Tavoy  they  lost  their  eldest- 
born,  little  Sarah,  at  the  age  of  two  years  and  eight  months. 
The  death  of  this  lovely  child  was  the  means  of  awakening  not 
only  Mrs.  Boardman’s  faith  in  God,  but  especially  in  His  particular 
providence.  Before  leaving  America  she  had  begun  to  doubt 
whether  the  great  Supreme  condescends  to  direct  and  control  the 


290 


THE  STOJIY  OF  liAPTlST  MISSIONS. 


iniiiiito  coiiceriis  of  every  iiidi vidua].  I>iit  wlieu  lier  little  flower 
Avas  1)1  licked  l)y  tlie  (lardeiier,  she  saw  that  it  was  II is  liarid 
that  had  done  it^  and,  Avhat  was  lietter,  Ilis  benevolent  object  in 
taking  it  aAvay. 

The  snlferings  and  dangers  she  shared  Avith  Mr.  Jloardinan  at 
Tavoy,  during  the  days  and  nights  of  the  r(‘.volt,  have  been 
recounted  in  our  sketch  of  her  husband.  AVhat  she  endured  in 
discoA^ering  that  he  Avas  incurably  sick,  and  as  she  Avatched  the 
progress  of  insidious  disease,  her  letters  afford  ns  a few  glimp- 
ses. Would  that  AA^e  could  liere  quote  many  ])assages  from  them ; 
but  AAX  must  content  ourseh^es  Avith  a feAV  sentences,  descriptiAm 
of  the  return  of  the  missionary  iiiA^alid  to  Tavoy,  to  superintend 
the  examination  and  baptism  of  nineteen  nati\^es. 

o Three  days,”  Avrites  she,  were  spent  in  examining  can- 
didates for  baptism  and  in  instructing  those  Avho  had  been 
previously  baptized.  Sometimes  Mr.  Boardman  sat  up  in  a 
chair,  and  addressed  them  a feAv  moments  j but  oftener  I sat  on 
his  sick  couch  and  interpreted  his  feeble  Avhispers.  lie  was 
nearly  OA^ercomeby  the  gladdening  prospect,  and  frequently  wept. 
But  the  most  touchingly  interesting  time  Avas  the  day  before, 
Avhen  they,  the  Karens,  left  us,  when  nineteen  were  baptized. 
Grief  and  joy  alternately  took  possession  of  my  breast.  To  see 
so  many  in  this  dark  heathen  land  putting  on  Christ  could  not 
but  fill  me  Avitli  joy  and  gratitude 5 but  AA^hen  I looked  upon  my 
beloA'ed  husband  lying  pale  upon  his  couch,  and  recollected  the 
last  time  we  had  stood  by  those  waters,  I could  not  but  be  sad 
at  the  contrast.  But  in  the  evening,  Achen  we  came  together  to 
r(^cei\"e  from  him  the  emblems  of  the  Saviour’s  sufferings,  my 
fexdings  changed.  A breathless  silence  iiervaded  the  room, 
(excepting  the  sound  of  his  voice,  which  was  so  low  and  feeble 
that  it  s(‘em(‘d  to  carry  the  assurance  that  we  should  feast  no 
mor(‘.  togeth(‘r  till  Ave  met  in  onr  Father’s  kingdom.” 

In  our  acjcount  of  Mr.  Boardmaifs  last  days,  notably  of  the 


SARAH  BOARDMAN  JUDSON. 


297 


baptism  of  tbirty-foiir  natives  in  a mountain  stream , we  again 
have  oecasion  to  refer  to  Mrs.  Boardmaif  s letters. 

The  circumstances  of  Mr.  Boardman’s  death  we  relate  elsewhere. 
When  left  alone  with  her  little  boy^  Cxeorge  Dana,  in  the  jungles 
of  the  Karens,  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Salem — of  which  she 
had  been  a very  active  and  beloved  member — no  sooner  received 
the  tidings  of  the  sad  event  than  they  instructed  their  pastor, 
the  Eev.  Dr.  Babcock,  to  write  to  her,  inviting  her  to  return  to 
Salem  and  receive  from  them  a home  amongst  them,  for  herself 
and  her  fatherless  sou.  Slie  wept  over  the  invitation,  and 
replied  with  gratitude,  but  added  that  she  had  given  herself  to 
the  Lord  for  missions,  and  as  long  as  she  had  strength  to  be 
useful  in  them,  nothing  must  be  allowed  to  divide  her  heart  or 
unsettle  her  i)urpose. 

Mrs.  Boardmaif  s motives  in  concluding  not  to  return  to  the 
United  States,  are  best  interi^reted  by  her  own  words: — “ AYhen 
I first  stood  by  the  grave  of  my  husband,  I thought  I must  go 
home  with  George.  But  these  poor  inquiring  and  Christian 
Karens,  and  the  school-boys,  and  the  Burmese  Christians,  would 
then  be  left  without  any  one  to  instruct  them  and  the  poor, 
stupid  Tavoyaus  would  go  on  in  the  road  to  death  with  no  one 
to  warn  them  of  their  danger.  How,  then,  oh!  how  can  I 
go?  * * My  beloved  husband  wore  out  his  life  in  this  glorious 
cause;  and  that  remembrance  makes  me  more  than  ever  attached 
to  the  work  and  the  peoi)le  for  whose  salvation  he  labored  till 
death.” 

Her  loneliness  was  partly  remedied  by  the  divine  blessing  on 
the  life  of  missionary  toil  to  which  she  immediately  returned, 
and  partly  by  the  poetic  sentiments  with  which  she  had  learned 
to  color  the  memories  of  her  loss.  While  recovering  from  an 
alarming  illness,  in  1829  and  ’30,  she  had  removed  to  Yalah,  a 
pleasant  place  by  the  seaside.  More  than  once  did  she  visit  the 
favorite  scene  with  her  late  husband.  After  hi«  death,  revisiting 


208 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


tlie  place,  slie  describes  in  a ])oeiTi  the  snd  ehec.ts  of  the  bereave- 
ment. 

“ The  moon  throws  lier  bright  and  glistening  ray 
On  ocean's  licaving  breast; 

And  with  the  liglit  is  the  landscai)e  gay, — 

But  to  me  ’tis  in  sable  dressed. 

♦ ***♦♦*** 

The  tree  to  which  the  frail  creeper  clung, 

Still  lifts  its  stately  head  : 

But  he,  on  whom  my  spirit  hung, 
fs  sleeping  with  the  dead.” 

Tlie  three  years  of  her  widowliood  were  spent  in  most  active 
and  arduous  missionary  service  among  tlie  Karens,  in  managing 
schools,  and,  because  of  the  absence  of  the  regular  minister, 
even  in  conducting  public  worshij).  She  would  on  such  occasions 
sit  in  some  zayat  and  address  in  low,  gentle  accents  companies 
of  two  or  three  hundreds  of  Karens,  through  the  medium  of  a 
native  interpreter.  She  made  tours  through  the  jungles  and 
among  mountains,  accompanied  only  by  a few  native  disciples. 
She  forded  all  the  smaller  streams,  but  Avas  carried  in  a chair 
through  the*  deeper  waters.  Her  way  sometimes  lay  through 
mountain  imsses,  along  the  beds  of  torrents,  amidst  tangled 
shrubs  and  oATrhanging  vines  which  were  interwoven  with 
the  branches  of  trees.  Little  George,  borne  in  the  arms  of  her 
followers,  was  always  her  companion  in  these  long  and  tiresome 
journeys.  To  a mind  of  poetic  turn  like  hers,  there  was  much  to 
delight  in  these  Avild  and  strange  aspects  of  creation,  although 
there  Avere  many  things  in  the  habits  and  customs  of  the  Karens 
to  offend  her  elegant  taste.  But  she  aatis  so  absorbed  in  the 
Avoik  of  carrying  to  these  benighted  tribes  the  glad  message  of 
salvation,  that  she  gave  scarcely  a thought  to  AAdiat  Avas  merely 
])leasant  or  ])ainful.  When  she  left  Tavoy  to  go  and  reside  at 
]\Iaulmain,  she  knew  that  her  beloved  Karens”  could  noAV 
go  forwni'd  without  her  guidance.  Messrs.  Mason  and  Wade, 


AN  ADVENTURE  WITH  PIRATES. 


299 


with  their  ever  increasing  number  of  native  preachers,  could 
abundantly  make  up  for  her  absence. 

Little  George  had  been  in  many  perils  for  a boy  of  his  few 
years.  He  had  jiassed  with  his  father  and  mother  through  the 
terrors  and  dangers  of  the  revolt  at  Tavoy,  and  had  accompanied 
his  mother  during  her  toilsome  and  courageous  wanderings  in 


to  the  ship  which  was  to  bring  him  to  America.  Hr.  Hean 
barely  mentions  this  stirring  event  in  those  recollections  of  Hr. 
Jones  which  we  elsewhere  reproduce.  Both  these  mission- 
aries were  in  the  boat  at  the  time.  ^^They  are  ten  miles 
from  the  shore  and  five  from  the  ship— all  alone  and  without 
arms.  A boat  with  three  fierce-looking  men  hails  them  in  a 
seemingly  friendly  manner  3 and  coming  near  enough  to  sjiy 


300 


THE  STOllY  OF  HAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


out  tlieir  stroiigtli,  or  rather  weakness,  moves  on.  But  tlie 
little  eompaiiy  susi)e(*.ts  no  (langer.  A few  moments  i)ass 
and  the  spy-hoat  re-appears.  It  heads  directly  towards  them, 
and  comes  Avith  more  speed — a sail  hoisted  and  better  manned. 
A quick  glance  of  susi)icion  is  exchanged,  hut  tluue  is  time 
for  no  more,  for  the  sail  is  close  alongside.  The  strangers  ask 
hut  a cluster  of  fruit,  hoAvever,  and  Mr.  Jones  rises  to  give  it 
them.  AVhat  a gleaming  of  liendish  eyes!  A moment  of  rapid 
action  succeeds— a push — a plung(‘. — and  the  kind  fruit-giver  is 
struggling  with  the  waves,  Avhich  have  closed  about  his  head. 
They  attempt  to  wrestle  a little  with  his  companion  hut  hnally 
sieze  their  arms.  The  little  hoy,  from  his  hiding  place  beneath  a 
bench,  marks  every  thrust;  and  his  tlesh  creeps  and  his  blue  eyes 
glitter  and  dilate  until  they  assume  an  intense  blackness.  And 
now  the  form  of  his  i)rotector  sways  and  reels,  and  the  red  blood 
trickles  from  his  Avounded  side  to  the  bottom  of  the  boat.  He 
stands,  liOAveAer,  and  receiAT\s  another  Avound.  And  noAV  the 
three  iron  prongs  of  a fishing  spear  send  their  barbed  ])oints 
through  bone  and  muscle,  and  the  heavy  A\T)oden  handle  is  left 
hanging  from  the  transfixed  and  bleeding  Avrist.  At  this  fearful 
crisis,  a hand  from  without  clutches  the  boat — a pale,  driiAping 
face  appears,  and  Mr.  Jones,  in  the  last  stages  of  exhaustion,  is 
dravA  11  up  into  the  boat  by  Mr.  Dean.  What  a place  to  seek 
safety  in!  The  marauders  stand  with  drawn  cutlass,  or  brand- 
ishing the  creese  or  cuiv^ed  Malay  dagger;  but  they  pause  a mo- 
ment in  their  deadly  Avork  and  substitute  threats  tVir  bloAvs. 
Tluhr  tones  are  those  of  infuriated  madmen,  and  their  gestures — 
ha  ! a light  begins  to  break!  Can  that  one  small  box,  standing 
so  uiii)reteiidingly  in  the  boat,  be  the  cause  of  the  afiray*?  It 
cvmtaiiis  treasure,  true,  but  not  such  as  they  can  appreciate — 
messages  of  love  from  absent  children,  brothers,  sisters  and 
fri(*nds,  to  those  avIio  AATuild  A^alue  them  far  aboA^e  gold  and  ru- 
bies. It  is  gladly  Hung  to  them,  lioAveA^er^,  and  the  pirate-boat 


SARAH  BOARDMAN  JITDSON. 


301 


wheels  and  flees  like  a bird  of  prey.  Thank  God  that  death 
eaine  neither  in  the  wave  nor  the  steel!  And  oh!  how  heartfelt, 
how  nnutterably  deep,  will  be  the  mother’s  gratitude,  when  she 
hears  of  her  darling’s  safety!  When  she  knows  that  he  has  not 
been  borne  away  to  some  dark  hannt  of  vice  and  crime,  to  be 
bred  to  the  bloody  trade  of  a wild  Malayan  corsair!” 

That  might  have  been;  but  how  diflerent  that  which  was  to  be. 
George  came  safely  to  ns  in  the  ship  Cashmere,  and,  pursuing  a 
classical  course  of  study,  graduated  at  Brown  University  in 
1852.  lie  then  studied  theology  and  settled  as  pastor.  His  bril- 
liant and  very  successful  career  as  preacher  and  author,  in 
Bochester  and  Philadelphia,  where  he  now  resides,  must  be 
known  to  almost  all  our  readers,  and  promises  well  to  be  heard 
of  in  distant  ages  and  on  the  remotest  islands  of  the  sea. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  year  of  her  widowhood,  in 
April,  1831,  she  was  married  to  Dr.  Jiidson.  At  Maulmain  she, 
like  the  first  ]Mrs.  Judson,  considered  it  her  duty  to  engage  in 
work  collateral  to  the  Burmese  mission.  As  Mrs.  Ann  liad 
studied  the  Siamese,  so  she  studied  the  language  of  Pegu.  She 
superintended  the  translation  of  the  Kew  Testament  and  some 
of  the  Burmese  tracts  into  this  tongue. 

Soon  after  Mrs.  Judson’s  removal  to  Maulmain,  she  was  seized 
with  alarming  sickness.  After  many  weeks  of  doubtful  linger- 
ing, she  began  to  recover.  She  attributed  the  good  health 
which  she  afterwards  enjoyed  to  riding  on  horseback,  and 
especially  to  a regular  system  of  exercise  on  foot  along  with  Mr. 
Judson.  They  Avalked  at  a rapid  pace  far  over  the  hills  beyond 
the  town,  eAuuy  morning  before  the  sun  was  up.  Later  in  his  ca- 
reer he  kept  himself  to  the  same  exercise,  It  is  this  walking,” 
says  Mrs.  Emily  Judson,  which  is  keeping  him  out  of  the 
grave.”  lie  always  declared  that  those  missionaries  who  by 
exercise  i^romoted  a regular  perspiration  lived  longest  in  India. 
Walking  may,  to  be  sure,  be  carried  to  excess.  Dean  Swift  is 


302 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


supposed  to  liave  Aveakeiied  liis  ])owers  of  digestion  l)y  inoviiij; 
about  too  iniieli  on  foot.  Nevertlieless,  walkiiifij'  is  the  Ix^st 
exercise  lor  students  in  j»eneral ; and  av(‘.  Iiave  known  not  a le.w 
AvliOj  beeause  of  tlieir  unwillingness  to  ado])t  it,  are  now  skeletons 
enjoying  that  uninterrupted  rest  AvhieJi  is  so  desirable  to  all  such 
as  are  ^M>orn  with  a tired  eonstitiition.” 

Unhappily,  hoAveA^er,  Mrs.  Judson  AA^as  living  in  a climate  most 
unfriendly  to  her  health.  In  December,  1844,  her  life  AA^as  so 
endangered  by  sickness  that  a Amyage  to  America  Avas  reriuired. 
]\rr.  Judson  accordingly  embarked  Avith  her  and  some  of  theii- 
children  for  the  United  States.  On  arriving  at  Mauritius,  or 
the  Isle  of  France,  (the  spot  Avhere  Saint  Pierre  laid  the  serene 
of  his  liitle  story  of  ^^Paul  and  Virginia”),  Mrs.  Judson  Avas  so 
much  better  that  she  resolved  to  i)roceed  to  America  Avith  the 
cliildren,  and  alloAV  ]\Ir.  Judson  to  return  to  his  missionary 
duties  at  Maulmain.  It  aa^s  in  prospect  of  this  ])arting  that 
she  i)encilled  on  a scraj)  of  broken  ])aj)er  her  memorable  poem, 
beginning : 

“We  part  on  this  green  islet,  Love, 

Thou  for  the  Eastern  main, 

1,  for  the  setting  sun.  Love — 

Oil,  Avhen  to  meet  again?” 

Put  in  spite  of  an  assurance  of  final  recovery  and  of  her 
CA^entual  return  to  Burniah,  alarming  symptoms  again  appeared; 
her  life  rose  and  retired  like  waA^es;  and  Mr.  Judson  re- 
embarked Avith  her  for  America.  AVe  cannot  linger  to  describe 
that  death-bed  scene.  At  three  o’clock  in  the  morning  of  the 
1st  of  September,  1845,  Avhile  the  ship  was  lying  moored  in  the 
port  of  St.  Helena,  she  Avas  forever  released  from  her  sufferings 
and  her  soitoavs. 

Early  that  morning  the  ncAvs  of  her  death  ficAV  SAviftly  from 
one  to  another.  The  Hags  of  the  shipping  AA^ere  at  half-mast. 
The  funeral  Avas  most  solemn  and  afi'ecting.  “SloAvly  and 


303 


MRS.  JUDSON’S  burial  AT  ST.  HELENA. 

heavily  beat  the  oars,  and  slowly,  boat  behind  boat,  moves  the 
mournful  procession  to  the  shore.”  Iler  grave  was  in  the  ceme- 
tery by  the  side  of  IMrs.  Chater,  an  English  Baptist  missionary 
of  Ceylon,  who  had  died  in  similar  circumstances  on  her  passage 
home.  The  poet,  II.  S.  Washburn,  has  described  the  movements 
of  that  funeral  procession,  and  the  beatings  of  sad  hearts  as  the 
casket  was  laid  in  the  Eock  of  the  Sea.  We  quote  the  first  of 
the  five  treasured  stanzas : 

“ Mournfully,  tenderly, 

Bear  onward  the  dead. 

Where  the  warrior  has  lain 
Let  the  Christian  be  laid ; 

Ko  place  more  befitting 
Oh,  Rock  of  the  Sea ! 

Never  such  treasure 
Was  hidden  in  thee!” 

As  the  ship  had  been  detained  three  days  in  the  port,  Mr. 
Judson  was  obliged  to  hasten  on  board  the  same  evening.  On 
the  following  morning  the  island  had  disappeared  beyond  the 
eastern  waves.  The  much  bereaved  man  was  acquainted  with 
grief.  He  had  buried  his  dead  at  Eangoou,  at  Amherst,  at 
Maulmain,  at  Serampore.  That  was  a sad  voyage  for  him,  how- 
ever, in  company  with  his  motherless  children.  The  infinite 
gain  of  his  Sarah  was  a great  loss  to  him.  She  had  been  the 
mother  of  eight  of  his  children.  For  ten  eventful  years  had  she 
cheered,  with  her  love  and  honor,  the  Crusoe  solitude  of  his  mis- 
sion life.  She  was,  as  he  testified,  ^^in  every  point  of  natural 
and  moral  excellence,  the  worthy  successor  of  Ann  H.  Judson.” 
To  that  veracious  eulogy  my  pen  has  no  words  to  add. 


22 


CHArTEll  XXVIII. 


JIKS.  EJIIIA'  C.  JUDSOX. 

A Little  Girl  at  Work  in  a Factory  has  a Play-day. — Birth  Place  of  Emily. 
Death  of  her  Sister. — Leaves  the  Factory. — A Child  of  Adversity. — The 
Budding  of  the  Missionary  Spirit  Endangered  by  tjlie  Frosts  of  Poverty. 
Becomes  a Teacher  and  Author. — As  Fanny  Forester,  is  highly  esteemed 
by  the  Luminaries  of  Letters. — Marries  Dr.  Judson. — Transition  from 
a Life  of  Civilization  to  a Life  of  Bar])arism. — Maulmain  and  Rangoon. 
Her  Letters  from  India. — Death  of  Dr.  Judson. — Returns  to  America. 
Her  Literary  Exertions,  Sickness  and  Death.— Her  Portrait. — Tier  Posi- 
tion in  Literature. — Her  Character  in  Outline. — The  Three  Mrs.  Judsons. 


POOR,  little  girl  of  twelve  is  ])ickiiig  wool  and  splicing 
rolls”  in  a factory.  Her  parents  allow  her  to  spend  half 
her  wages  (a  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  a week),  in  any  way 
she  thinks  proper.  One  day  the  carding  machine  Broke,  and  she 
found  for  the  first  time  that  she  had  an  afternoon  to  herself.  It 
was  in  the  month  of  IMay;  the  roBins  were  Beginning  to  come 
into  the  Budding  trees;  the  violets  were  peeping  out  Between  the 
fallen  leaves;  the  dandelions  were  Bespangling  the  green  road- 
side. What  shall  I do  with  myself  was  her  first  thought; 
her  second  thought  was,  ‘O  will  see  if  I have  money  enough  to 
hire  a horse  and  wagon  to  take  poor  sister  Lavinia  out  driving.” 
Lavinia  was  ])ining  away  with  consumiition.  The  little  factory 
girl  thought  eA^erything  of  her;  for  she  Avas  A^ery  good  and  took 
great  pains  to  teach  her  at  home  in  the  eA^enings;  so  that  she 
might  accpiire  a common  education.  She  Avas  glad  to  find  that 
tliough  it  Avould  take  all  her  little  stock  of  money  to  hire  the 
hors(‘.  and  wagon,  she  really  could  do  it.  And  so,  accompanied 
By  h(*i*  father.  By  LaAonia  and  Kate,  another  sister,  she  diwe 
out  to  tlie  (‘dg(‘/  of  a pi(‘C(‘  of  woods,  wIkmo  th(‘y  spread  a buftalo 


EMILY  C.  JUDSON. 


305 


robe  on  a pretty  dry  knoll,  and  poor  helpless  Lavinia  was  carried 
to  it  in  the  father’s  ariiis.  She  and  Kate  almost  buried  her  in 
violets  and  other  wild  spring  flowers. 

It  was  the  last  time  Lavinia  went  out.  About  a month  after 
this  happy  day,  the  little  factory  girl  went  to  the  bed-side  of 
Lavinia  and  received  her  kiss.  ^^Be  a good  girl,”  said  she;  but 
her  voice  sounded  hollow  and  her  lips  were  cold.  The  factory 
girl  longed  to  do  something  for  her  suffering  sister;  and  remem- 
bering her  fondness  for 
flowers,  she  went  to 
a neighbor  and  begged 
an  apron-full  of  roses. 

AYhen  she  returned  the 
house  was  as  still  as 
death.  She  entered  the 
sick  room.  She  saw 
her  father,  her  mother 
and  some  of  the  neigh- 
bors kneeling  around 
or  near  the  bed.  Ko 
one  took  any  notice  of 
her.  In  a moment, 
however,  Lavinia  ral- 
lied a. little  and  beck- 
oned to  her  with  her  finger.  She  put  the  flowers  upon  the  bed. 
The  dying  sister  could  only  express  her  thanks  by  a smile.  She 
tried  again  to  turn  her  eye  upon  the  little  bringer  of  the  roses, 
but  it  would  not  obey  her  will.  She  moved  her  lips  to  speak, 
but  they  gave  no  sound.  She  lay  quietly  a few  moments, 
then  suddenly  exclaimed,  “Glory!  glory!  my  Father!  Jesus!” 
and  never  breathed  again. 

These  scenes  actually  took  i)lace  in  the  little  village  of  Pratt’s 
Hollow,  Madison  County,  New  York,  in  May  and  June,  1829. 


Mrs.  Emily  C.  Judson. 


300 


TIIK  STOUY  OF  JJAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Tlint  poor  little  tUetory  ^irl  was  Einily  (3ml)l)uek,  since  so 
celebrated  as  the  author  and  j)oct  Fanny  Forester,”  and  th(‘.  wife 
of  the  ^reat,  heroic missionary,  J)r.  Jiidson.  She  was  born  at 
Eaton,  ill  the  same  county,  August  22d,  1817.  After  the  death 
of  lier  sister  her  own  health  la i led,  and  no  wonder;  for  she 
worked  twelve  hours  a day.  In  the  hope  of  saving  her  life  (the 
physician  said  she  could  not  live  where  she  was),  her  father 
removed  to  a farm  in  a neighboring  town,  but  he  contiinuMl  very 
poor,  and  although  the  family  always  had  jilenty  of  jilaiu  food, 
yet,  by  reason  of  the  unlinished  state  of  the  farm-house,  they 
suffered  severely  Ironi  winter’s  snow  and  cold.  Emily,  her 
sister  and  mother  were  frequently  compelled  to  go  out  into  the 
tields  and  dig  broken  wood  out  of  the  snow  to  keep  themselves 
from  freezing.  But  she  now  had  more  time  for  study,  went  as 
much  as  she  could  to  the  district  school,  and  took  lessons  iu 
composition,  rhetoric,  and  natural  pliilosojiliy.  8till  pinched 
with  want,  she  earned  something  at  twisting  thread  and  taking 
iu  a little  sewing.  At  the  age  of  hfteeii  her  mother  hinted  to 
her  that  she  could  uiake  money  iu  the  millinery  business.  She 
however  retired  to  think  over  the  subject,  and  proposed  to  her 
mother  her  plan ; it  was  that  she  should  go  to  school  one  year 
more  and  prepare  to  be  a teacher.  Her  further  conhicts  with 
ignorance  and  want  we  cannot  here  relate.  The  brief  inquiry 
in  one  of  her  letters,  ‘HIow  didl  live?”  must  have  been  sug- 
gested by  very  xiainful  memories.  She  was,”  as  her  biograxdier 
touchingly  remarks,  ^Hlie  child  of  adversity.  * ^ Her  iiarents 

were  not  al)le  to  shield  their  children  from  iioverty.  The  light 
that  surrounded  them  was  literally  ^ idl  from  within ; ’ for  little 
of  external  sunshine  fell  upon  their  xiathway.  Emily  can 
scarc.ely  be  said  to  have  had  a childhood — an  exxierience  of  that 
hapx)y  season,  exempt  from  forecasting  thought  and  care,  which, 
bird -like,  carols  away  the  x>Jissing  hour,  before  the  shades  of 
th(‘.  prison-iionse  b(‘gin  to  close  upon  the  maturing  sjiirit.  Life 
early  slint  in  iqx))!  Iicr  st(‘rnly,  darkly,  inexorably  real.” 


EMILY  C.  JUDSON. 


.307 


We  may  in  very  early  years  learn  wliat  we  are  good  for  j but 
we  must  reacli  maturity  before  we  discover  (if  we  do  even  then) 
what  we  are  best  for.  When  the  reading  world  received  the 
intelligence  that  Fanuy^Forester  had  turned  missionary,  it  was 
well  nigh  unanimous  in  lamenting  that  she  had  mistaken  her 
vocation.  But  they  were  totally  ignorant  of  those  innermost 
presentiments  of  her  heart,  with  all  the  hopes  and  fears  that  it 
awakened.  At  the  age  of  twelve  Emily  had  her  dreams  about 
mission  life.  She  had  already  read,  and  her  sister  had  told  her 
some  things  about  missionaries.  One  day,  in  reading  the  Baptist 
Register,  her  eyes  fell  on  the  words,  ^‘Little  Maria  lies  by  the 
side  of  her  fond  mother.”  She  knew  at  once  that  the  letter  was 
from  Mr.  Jndson,  and  that  his  little  daughter  was  dead.  She 
dreamt  that  her  own  missionary  life  was  to  be  one  of  suftering 
and  toil  and  pain,  and  though  these  ended  in  death,  the  death 
always  came  as  death  does  in  our  dreams,  pleasantly.  After 
reading  (two  or  three  years  later  iierhaps)  the  memoir  of  Mrs. 
Ann  H.  Judson,  she  felt  that  she  must  become  a missionary. 
But  now  commenced  a struggle  between  her  sense  of  duty  to  the 
heathen  and  her  deep  desire  to  help  her  parents  and  to  secure  an 
education  for  her  younger  brother  and  sister.  This  deep  desire 
it  was  that  for  a considerable  time  overspread  her  soul  and  hid 
from  her  friends  all  marks  of  her  early  consecration  to  the  cause 
of  foreign  missions.  ITor  was  it  known  by  general  society  that 
she  was  baptized  by  the  liev.  William  Dean,  who  was  under 
appointment  as  a missionary  to  China.  Long  before  she  became 
distinguished  as  an  author,  while  she  was  yet  a young  girl,  she 
had  confided  to  her  pastor,  the  Eev.  Dr.  ^7athaniel  Kendrick, 
her  conviction  that  it  was  her  duty  to  devote  her  life  to  the 
salvation  of  the  heathen. 

But  her  path  was  as  yet  winding  and  very  uneven.  For  a 
considerable  time,  Emily  seems  to  have  had  no  higher  ambition 
than  to  afford  her  aged  parents  a comfortable  suiiport.  After 


THE  STORY  OF  HAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


;^>08 


going  to  and  teaoliing  scdiool  lior(‘  and  slio  finds  a inoro 

pornianent  spliero  in  a young  ladios’  soniinaiy  in  rti(;a.  Slie 
liad  already  Idrined  tlie  lial)it  of  einidoying  Inn-  leisure*,  lionrs 
with  her  penij  hnt  now  ho])(*d^  hy  (*.oin])osiiig  Sniiday-seliool 
hooks,  novels  and  articles  for  magazines,  to  earn  a litth*  money 
to  send  home  to  father  and  mother.  In  order  to  do  this  she 
oft(‘n  deprived  herself  of  needed  sle(‘p.  How  slie  maintain(*d 
the  struggles  of  her  mind  against  weariness  is  related  hy  ^Miss 
Sheldon,  the  principal  of  the  seminary,  and  afterwards  tlie  wife 
of  the  Eev.  Dr.  Nott,  ])resident  of  Union  College*.  As  slie  was 
liassing,  near  midnight,  throngh  the  halls,  a light  streaming  from 
Emily’s  apartment  attracted  her  att(‘ntion,  and,  softly  opening 
the  door,  she  stole  in  upon  her  vigils.  Emily  sat  in  her  night- 
dress, her  paiiers  lying  spread  ont  before  her,  while  she  grasped 
with  hoth  hands  her  throbhing  temiiles,  pale  as  a marble  statue. 
Miss  Sheldon  Avent  to  her,  Avhispered  words  of  sympathy,  and 
gently  chided  her  for  robbing  herself  of  necessary  repose. 
Emily’s  heart  was  already  fall,  and  now  the  fountain  of  feeling 
overtlowed  in  weetiing.  ‘‘  Oh,  IVIiss  Sheldon!”  she  exclaimed,  I 
mnst  Avritej  I must  Avrite;  I must  do  AAdiat  I can  to  aid  my  poor 
liarents.”  At  a time  AAlien  her  earnings  AA^ere  small,  she  nnder- 
took  to  xnirchase  a home  for  her  aged  lather  and  mother. 

She  Avas  imleed  a happy  illustration  of  the  iiroATwb  that  ^^Xeces- 
sity  is  the  mother  of  inAa*ntion.”  Her  brain  noAV  teemed  AAith  very 
readable  ])rodnctions,  in  Averse  and  hetion.  These  Avere  not  long- 
in  finding  their  Avay  to  the  public  throngh  the  Lady's  Boolx,  the 
KnicLerhocl'er  Magazine  and  other  periodicals  of  a high  class. 
In  no  long  time  her  ])ieces  attracted  the  attention  of  men  Avho 
Aver(‘.  then  the  leaders  of  literature,  snch  as  the  Ilev.  Dr.  linfns 
AV.  OrisAVold,  the  ])oet  editors  N.  V.  Willis  and  (l.E.  ^Morris,  11.  E. 
Wallace*,  Es(|.,  Professor  A.  (h  Kendrick,  Professor,  afterwards 
Pishoj),  Alonzo  Potter,  and  oth(*r  distingnished  men  of  letters. 
She;  Avi-ote  nnd(*r  the*,  anthoi-ial  name*  of Panny  Porester.”  Very 


EMILY  C.  JUDSON. 


300 


few  of  her  early  readers  knew  anythiiig  about  her  personally^  and 
many  of  them,  judging  by  these  effusions  alone,  formed  one-sided 
and  wrong  opinions  of  her  real  character.  It  would  be  pleasant 
to  follow  her  through  “Author-land,’’  to  quote  her  correspon- 
dence with  Mr.  Willis  and  Mr.  Wallace,  and  to  recall  how  some 
of  our  first  authors,  Prescott,  Bancroft  and  Longfellow,  presented 
to  her  full  sets  of  their  works  on  the  occasion  of  her  embarkation 
for  Burmah.  But  we  cannot  linger  in  the  Eepublic  of  Letters. 

]\Iiss  Chiibbuck  and  Dr.  Judson  were  married  at  Hamilton, 
New  York,  June  2d,  184(1.  On  the  11th  of  July  they  embarked 
for  Maulmain,  and  reached  the  harbor  of  Amherst  on  the  30th 
day  of  November,  1840.  To  one  of  Emily’s  imaginative  mind, 
there  was  danger  that  on  arriving  in  Burmah  she  miglit  suffer 
severely  from  the  sure  process  of  disenchautmeut.  The  transition 
from  the  high  civilization  of  America  to  the  send-barbarous  land 
was  indeed  great  j and  there  were  those  who  predicted  that, 
having  arrived  at  her  missionary  home,  she  would,  on  looking 
around  her,  become  disillusionized,  and  consequently  as  miser 
able  as  Letitia  E.  Landon  was  erroneously  represented  to  have 
been  when  she  married  and  went  to  reside  at  Cape  Coast  Castle. 
And  indeed  it  must  be  allowed  that  there  was  something  like 
this  in  her  repeated  fits  of  crying  while  the  ship  lay  at  anchor 
off  Amherst,  in  her  experiences  in  “Bat  Castle,”  and  in  the 
miseries  of  her  widowhood.  Yet,  after  all,  the  school  of  adver- 
sity in  which  she  had  received  her  early  training,  and  the  facility 
Avith  which  she  had  been  able  to  fly  from  her  castle  in  Spain  to 
her  tent  in  Africa,  Avere  good  preparations  for  the  AAmnders 
which  the  arch-magician  so  often  works  in  the  presence  of  the 
children  of  genius,  turning  Edens  into  Saharas  and  even  depriv- 
ing Sahara s of  their  oases  Avatered  with  Avells  and  verdant  AAdth 
Avith  palm-trees. 

After  a short  residence  at  Maulmain,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson 
l)roceeded  to  Kangoon,  Avhere  in  1847  they  commenced  ancAV  tlie 


.310 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Avork  of  tlie  iiiissioii.  As  Mrs.  Jndsoii’s  life  is  bow  idcBtiiied 
with  that  of  JMr.  Jndson,  the  leading  events  are  narrated  in  the 
sketch  of  her  ]ius])and.  In  Dc^.cember,  Emily  Erances  was  born^ 
the  subject  of  the  thoroughly  feminine  poem,  My  Bird.”  In 
April,  1850,  Avas  born  her  second  child,  named  Charles,  after  lier 
father,  but  he  died  soon.  Me  is  remend)ered  as  the  subject 
of  the  ])oem  Angel  Charlie.’^  AYe  notice  in  this  and  some  of 
Emily’s  best  poems  that  she  seems  piu’suaded  that  her  departed 
and  lamented  ones  do  become  A^eritable  angels.  Poetry  and 
sorroAV  Inn^e  their  license,  but  it  may  be  well  to  bear  in  mind 
that  we  are  little  loAAX^r”  than  the  angels  in  the  scale  of  being; 
and  though  Ave  are  to  become  ^^ike”  them,  Ave  are  nowhere  told 
that  Ave  are  to  be  transformed  into  them. 

Mrs.  Emily’s  letters  from  Eurmah  are  models  of  womanly 
correspondence,  and  as  such  are  oidy  surx)assed  by  those  of  tne 
lion.  Emily  Eden,  ANdiich  she  Avrote  from  India  while  residing 
there  in  the  court  of  her  brother.  Lord  Auckland,  GoA^ernor 
General.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Judson,  she  embarked  for 
home,  in  Eebruary,  1851,  accomiianied  by  the  boys,  Henry  and 
Edward,  as  well  as  her  own  daughter,  Emily  Erances.  Already 
Ava sting  away  AAutli  consumption,  after  her  return  she  did  much 
literary  Avork,  and  notably  assisted  Dr.  Wayland  in  the  comitosi- 
tion  of  the  Life  of  Mr.  Judson.  She  died  at  Hamilton,  ittew 
York,  June  1st,  1854,  at  the  age  of  thirty-seA^eu.  The  vestment 
of  her  beautiful  spirit  lies  in  the  cemetery  at  IlamiltoUc 

The  portrait  of  Mrs.  Emily  0.  Judson  has  been  drawn  by  the 
])en  of  I^rofessor  Kendrick  Avith  accuracy  and  completeness. 
The  superiority  of  the  pen  to  the  iiencil  is  here  very  manifest; 
i‘or  it  describes  the  CA^er-Amrying  expression,  the  changeable  lines 
and  tints,  the  very  lights  and  shadoAVS  of  a face  full  of  life  and 
mind  and  heart.  fn  iierson  IMrs.  Judson  Avaas  about  the  middle 
h(‘ight,  but  giving  the  impression  of  great  delicacy  of  structure 
and  a highly  nervous  organization.  Her  general  appearance 


EMILY  0.  JUDSON* 


311 


was  graceful  and  i)leasiiig;  and  especially  so  as  the  timid 
shyness  of  her  earlier  years  gave  way,  in  the  larger  intercourse  of 
later  life,  to  a quiet  selfqiossession  and  dignity.  Her  residence 
abroad,  while  it  gave  elevation  and  maturity  to  her  character, 


Pagoda  at  Maulmaln.* 


wrought  a corresponding  improvement  in  her  bearing.  Gentle, 
genial  and  dignified,  she  imjiressed  one  at  once  as  full  of  soul  and 
sensibilty.  Her  face,  in  repose,  would  scarcely  be  called  hand- 
some, but  easily  lighted  ub  into  an  expression  fascinating,  if  not 
beautiful.  The  likeness  which  accomiianies  the  jiresent  volume 

* To  the  bells  of  which  Mrs.  Judson  listened  during  her  husband’s  last 
illness. 


312 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


does  admirable  Justi(;e  to  lier  e.oiiiibaianee,  especially  in  ber  more 
tliouglitful  moods.  Tlie  ])liiloso])liic  dej)tlij  tlui  calm  (b^cision  and 
self-reliance,  tbe  ibayfnlness  lurking  in  tbe  (corners  of  tbe  montb 
and  just  ready  to  llasb  out  from  tbe  ey(‘,  cannot  fail  to  strik(‘,  one 
wbo  looks  at  it  a second  time,  wbile  they  but  truly  rei)resent  tbe 
living  personage.  In  reality  so  niucb  of  tlie  interest  of  ber 
countenance  depended  on  its  i)lay  of  expression,  that  any  picture 
could  do  it  but  inadeipiate  Justice.  Tbe  dramatic  vivacity  of  ber 
intellect  sbadowed  itself  ou  ber  fac(‘.  Tlie  jibilosopbical,  tbe 
poetic,  tbe  practical,  tbe  girlisbly  sportiv(‘  and  balf-miscbievous 
elements  iiortrayed  tbemselves  in  ra[)id  alternation  on  ber  tlexible 
features.  Her  liroad,  deep  and  bnely-sbaped  forebead  indicated 
a large  development  botb  of  tbe  logical  and  ideal  elements.  Her 
dark  eye,  somewbat  too  small,  and  not  sulbciently  licjuid  for 
beauty,  yet  glowed  with  sjiirit  and  intelligence,  now  sparkling 
witli  mirtb  and  bumor,  and  now,  in  ber  more  tbougbtful  moments, 
seeming  to  penetrate  tbe  depths  of  tbe  suliject  sbe  was  considering. 
Her  nose,  perbajis  a little  sharp,  was  prominent  and  finely  out- 
lined; ber  montb  rather  large,  but  well-formed ; while  ber  thin 
and  delicate,  but  slightly  compressed  lips,  indicate  at  once 
sensibility  and  strength.  Tbe  entire  cast  of  ber  features  be- 
tokened clearly  that  union  of  intelligence,  refinement  and 
energetic  Avill,  wbicb  marked  tbe  living  character.’^ 

Ib’ofessor  Kendrick’s  long  and  familiar  acquaintance  with  ber, 
as  well  as  bis  analytical  faculty  and  bis  admirable  skill -in  tbe 
verbal  delineation  of  bunian  cbaracter  and  its  modes  of  living 
ex[)r(*ssion,  conspire  to  make  this  x)ortraiture  one  of  tbe  best  that 
w(‘.  bav(5  met  witli  in  a ])retty  extensive  course  of  biographical 
reading. 

AV(‘,  now  glance  at  ber  ])osition  in  literature.  As  a xioet  sbe 
wi-ot(‘.  soiiK*  ])i(‘C(*s  fbat  must  ever  be  remembered;  among  wbicb 
we  j)lace  '^Aly  liii'd,”  Watching^’  and  ^fMy  Angel  Guide.”  Of 
tin*  last,  tlie  (inal  stanza  lias  bc'cii  most  freipiently  ipioted,  but 


EMILY  C.  JITDRON. 


313 


we  concur  with  Professor  Kendrick  in  the  opinion  that  the  thirds 
fourth  and  fifth  stanzas  are  tlie  best.  Each  of  these,  as  he  says, 
furnishes  a picture  for  an  artist,  and  they  are  as  faultless  as 
they  are  exquisitely  beautiful.  The  last  two  words  of  this  poem, 
‘Agates  ajar”  have  been  adoi)ted  by  Miss  Phelps  as  the  name  of 
of  her  well-known  religions  novel.  Her  biographer  and  critic 
pronounces  her  writing  as  thoroughly  feminine.  In  mere  vigor 
and  grasp  of  intellect  he  would  not  class  her  with  Joanna  Baillie, 
Mrs.  Browning  and  Miss  Bronte,  but  still,  he  thinks  she  comes 
nearer  to  them  in  intellectual  vigor  than  they  do  to  her  in 
womanly  delicacy  and  softness.  This  is,  no  doubt,  as  far  as 
impartial  criticism  can  go;  and  those  who  seemed  to  regard  her 
as  altogether  masculine  in  reasoning  and  in  logical  i)ower  are 
not  sustained  by  tacts.  One  or  two  examples  of  her  argumenta- 
tive feebleness  must  have  come  under  the  notice  of  the  readers 
of  her  biography.  In  her  later  journal  she  maintains  the  past 
eternity  of  matter,  without  suspecting  that  such  a position  is  as 
illogical  as  it  is  nnscrii^tnral.  Again,  in  her  controversy  with  a 
publisher,  wherein  she  takes  the  right  side  and  has  a good  cause, 
she  needlessly  shakes  her  reader’s  faith  in  her  candor  by  denying, 
at  the  very  outset  of  her  reply,  that  her  husband  was,  in  the 
true  sense  of  the  word,  a public  man;”  whereas  he  was  in  the 
true  and  the  very  broadest  sense  of  the  word  a public  man,  a man 
^^who  had  tilled  a hemisphere  and  half  a century  with  his  deeds 
of  sublime  Christian  devotion.”  W e have  cited  these  cases  with 
no  desire  to  disparage  the  strength  of  her  intellect,  but  rather 
to  contirm  the  i^osition  of  her  biographer  that  her  intellect  was 
admirably  feminine,  and  to  show  the  extravagance  of  those 
eidogists  who  have  made  her  out  to  be  something  like  a univer- 
sal genius. 

We  cannot  here  reconsider  the  elements  of  her  character  as 
they  have  been  elaborately  set  forth  by  Kendrick,  Wallace  and 
Wayland; — the  strange  transitions  of  her  career,  bringing  out 


.314 


THE  S^’ORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


as  tlioy  (lid,  licr  stroiif^ly  contrastod  and  many-sided  ])owers, — 
lier  union  of  (]|naliti(‘s  s(*(iniini»ly  (jontradit^tory, — Inn*  poetic? 
ideality  joincMl  to  ])lain  and  (d'lieJcMit  cnmnnon  scmse, — her  (?arly 
years  of  pcwerty  and  nnMjlianieal  drud^(*ry,  (*li(?(‘r(‘d  by  that  li^ht 
of  the  iina<^ination  which  is  b(\yond  any  that  ever  shone  on  sea 
or  shore  or  elond  — at  onee  a child  of  ^’(*nins  and  a (?hild  of  Avant, 
who,  while  starving’  alone  in  a eotta^e,  (?an  bnild  castles  far  away, 
and  ])eo])le  thcMii  Avith  hei*  oAvn  noble  and  royal  guests, — theecjiial 
gTac(‘fnln(‘Ss  and  energy  of  her  intcdlcn'tnal  excntions, — the  ten- 
derness and  deli(*a('y  of  Inn*  scnisibility,  siigg(‘stive  of  the  deAV, 
the  rose,  the  Annl  of  Axn*nal  mist,  but  hiding  internal  tires  r(*ady 
betimes  to  asc'end  in  a ‘^Andeanie  enthnsiasin,”— the  rare  coin- 
ponnd  of  the  feminine  and  the  masenline,  beauty  and  angularity, 
relinement  and  ])lainness,  weakness  and  strength,  fancy  and 
reason,— timorous  and  loAung  retireanent,  yet,  u])on  occasion, 
bold,  independent  and  totally  regardless  of  public  oi)inion  or 
what  is  regular  and  expected  in  society, — graA^e  and  earnest  in 
purpose  and  in  the  gcmeral  tone  of  her  feeling,  yet  cheerful 
and  hopeful,— of  an  exceptionally  sensitive  system  of  nerves, 
but  capable  of  the  Aador  of  a heroine  and  the  fortitude  of 
a martyr, — predestinated,  as  it  Avould  seem,  to  live  a maiden  life, 
seciuestered  and  absorbed  in  the  creations  of  romance  and 
])oetry,  or  devoted  to  the  x^Ri’Suit  and  communication  of  scien- 
tific knoAvledege  amidst  the  facilities  and  elegances  of  Enroxiean 
civilization,  she  disabuses  us  by  becoming  a Avife,  a mother,  a 
missionary  among  oriental  savages,  a student  (Af  a difficult  lan- 
guage^, Avhich  has  inherited  no  beautiful  literature  and  no 
])rofouiid  phih)Soi)hy,  — of  a dreamy,  contemidatiA'e  turn  of  mind, 
and  still  not  a mystic,  but  seeking  in  the  Holy  Scrix)tnres  alone 
the  ground  of  ho])e  and  the  standards  of  faith, — yet  after  all,  and 
to  the  A^ery  last,  consistent  in  the  manifestation  of  seemingly  ad- 
V(‘i  S(‘  or  nintually  destrncitiAT?  atti‘ibnt(‘s  : exhausting  debility  of 
frame  obeying  the  ])roniptings  of  a vigorous  intellect 5 groAving 


DR.  JUDSON’S  THREE  HAPPY  MARRIAGES.  315 

more  strong  in  mind  while  less  and  less  able  to  move  or  even  to 
breathe,  and  so  forging  arrows  of  life  ont  of  the  very  arrows  of 
death.  Whoever  will  diligently  consider  these  characteristics, 
and  gather  them  together  in  one  view,  may  thereby  learn  many 
lessons  in  the  mysteries  of  providence,  the  possibilities  of  human 
nature,  and  the  science  of  life. 


These  sketches  of  the  three  Mrs.  Judsons  might  properly 
wind  up  with  a comparative  estimate  of  the  splendid  trio.  But 
we  have  room  only  to  add  Professor  Kendrick’s  jirecious, 
weighty  and  ringing  words  concerning  the  congrnity  of  the 
three  marriages.  Ann  Hasseltine  more  than  met  all  the 
demands  of  Judsou’s  earlier  years  of  youthful  and  heroic  action  j 
Sarah  Boardman  shed  the  light  of  one  of  the  most  exquisite  of 
womanly  natures  over  the  calmer  scenes  of  his  manhood;  Emily, 
with  a heroism  not  less  devoted,  with  a womanliness  not  less 
pure  and  gentle,  met  his  ri^ie  culture,  his  keen  intellectuality,  his 
imaginative  and  poetic  temperament,  with  gifts  and  acquirements 
which  belonged  to  neither  of  those  admirably  endowed  women.” 

i 

1 


Durga,  Consort  of  Shiva, 


criArTEii  XXIX. 


EUGENIO  KINCAID,  THE  BUKMAN  EVANGEIAST. 


Courage  and  Presence  of  Mind. — Birth-place  and  Early  Tdfe. — Conversion. 
New  Testament  the  best  guide  to  Baptism. — Studies  for  the  Ministry. 
Oilers  himself  for  Missionary  Service. — Settles  as  pastor  and  becomes  a 
State  Missionaiy. — Again  oilers  himself  as  Foreign  Missionary. — Goes 
out  to  Mauhnain. — Success  among  Soldiers. — How  long  he  intended  to 
stay  in  Burmah. — In  perils  of  Bobbers. — First  experiences  at  Ava. — Suc- 
cess in  the  city  of  the  Golden  Foot. — The  Blessing  of  Infants. — Excur- 
sion to  the  northern  part  of  Burmah. — A nest  of  Bobbers. — M''ading  into 
the  river  to  get  tracts. — Descending  the  Irrawaddy. — In  the  hands  of 
Bobbers. — Banditti  sitting  in  council  concerning  his  death. — Escape  and 
further  Sulferings  among  Bobbers. — A mother  beaten  to  death  by  order 
of  a Bobber  Chief. — The  young  Cathayaii  helping  him  to  escape. — Ilis 
escape  and  flight  through  the  jungles. — Beturn  to  Ava. — Forbidden  to 
distribute  any  more  Cliristian  books. — Betires  to  another  field. — Among 
the  mountains  of  Tenasserim — Goes  to  Akyab  in  Arracan. — Conversion 
of  an  aged  Burman  Teacher. — Chet-za,  the  Mountain  Chief. — Mr.  K. 
visits  America. — Beturn  to  Bangoon. — Successes  there  and  in  Prome. 
Beturns  to  America  as  an  envoy  of  the  King  of  Burmah,  and  a defender 
of  some  of  the  Missionaries. — Going  back  again  to  Burmah,  labors  in 
Prome  and  other  Towns. — Final  return  to  America. — Home  in  Kansas. 
His  Death. — Mrs.  Luther’s  testimony  concerning  Dr.  Kincaid. 


•HE  IIEAllT  of  the  Avriter  Avas  first  fully  enlisted  in  the 


iiiissionary  vTork  of  Mr.  Kincaid  AAiiile  he  and  I Avere 
ATiyagiiig  together  in  an  ocean  steamer,  homeAvard  honiid,  amidst 
Aviiiter  storms.  The  cold  Avinds  and  the  occasional  shiiiping  of 
crests  of  snrgQS  kept  ns  much  together  in  the  cabins.  We  had 
engaged  three  state-rooms,  one  for  Mr.  Kincaid,  another  for  his 
Avife  and  daughter,  another  for  the  AAniter.  But  Ave  had  not  been 
long  on  the  Atlantic  before  Ave  enconntered,  at  night,  a Avild 
gale,  Avliicli  loosened  some  of  the  fastenings  of  the  deck  in  sncli 
wise  that,  in  the  morning,  Avhen  Dr.  Kincaid  turned  out  of  his 
bed,  liis  feet  wiu'e  laved  witli  nnwelcome  Avaters.  Thinking  this 
a favoralile  occasion  to  secnre  more  of  his  company,  I begged 


KINCAID,  THE  BURMAN  EVANGELIST.  317 

he  would,  for  the  rest  of  the  voyage,  share  my  state-room. 
Consenting  to  this,  we  talked  together  much  and  variously. 
Many  an  incident  of  his  missionary  life  did  he  relate  (often  in 
reply  to  my  endless  questions ) — incidents  beneath  the  dignity  of 
biography,  and  not  thinking  they  would  ever  get  into  print.  I 
just  now  recall  one  of  his  narrow  escapes  from  death  j it  illus- 
trates the  necessity 
of  courage  and  pres- 
ence of  mind  in  every 
man  who  labors 
among  wild  tribes,  as 
Dr.  Kincaid  did.  He 
was  one  day  traveling 
on  foot  through  the 
brush  and  weeds  of 
a jungle,  when  he 
chanced  to  see  a rob- 
ber, not  far  off,  who 
had  just  levelled  his 
gun  at  him.  Dr.  Kin- 
caid instantly  sprang 
into  the  face  of  the 
robber  and  seized  him 
by  the  throat.  The 
tiger-like  bound  of  the 
missionary  paralyzed 
the  hand  that  was 
about  to  pull  the  trigger. 

Eugenio  Kincaid  was  born  in  Wethersfield,  Connecticut.  He 
was  the  son  of  Koah  Kincaid,  a respectable  physician,  and  his 
wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Lydia  Hough.  Both  his  parents 
were  exemplary  and  highly  esteemed  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  On  his  father’s  side  he  was  of  fScottish  origin.  While 


318 


THE  STOllY  OF  HAPTIST  MISHIONS. 


y(‘t  a l)()y,  liis  fath(‘r  with  his  1‘ainily  r(*iii()V(‘(l  to  Poimsylvaiiia. 
At  the  a.i;e  of  sixteen  he  was  led  seriously  to  consider  the  moral 
state  of  his  soul.  lie  attended  sonn*.  daily  inecdin^s  held  by  n 
travelling  Ihiptist  i)reaeher,  and  belbre  the  close  of  the  si)ecial 
services  young  Kincaid  was  numbered  among  the  converts.  As 
was  natural  to  one  educated  as  he  had  been,  he  now  felt  the 
need  of  further  instruction  about  bai)tism.  lie  asked  the  Bax)- 
tist  missionary  for  a book  which  might  give  him  some  light  on 
the  subject.  The  minister  took  out  of  his  saddle-bags  a small 
volume  and  handed  it  to  him.  Upon  ox)ening  it,  the  young  man 
found  it  to  be  a Kew  Testainent,  and  thinking  the  minister  had 
made  a mistake,  returned  it  to  him;  whereupon  the  later,  looking 
very  earnestly  at  him,  said:  Young  man,  if  you  want  a better 

guide  than  the  Holy  Ghost  has  given,  don’t  come  to  me.”  The 
young  man  then  took  the  Kew  Testament  home  with  him,  and 
read  it  with  reference  to  the  first  Christian  ordinance.  He  was 
not  brought  to  decision  without  x)ainful  struggles,  as  welfAvithout 
as  within,  lie  had  commenced  the  study  of  law  with  a lawyer 
of  the  Pipdo-baptist  faith.  On  the  day  following  his  bai)tism 
this  legal  gentleman  informed  him  that  he  could  no  longer  allow 
him  the  use  of  Blackstone  and  other  text-books.i 

Denied  all  furtlier  assistance  in  his  legal  studies,  and  at  a 
loss  to  determine  what  to  do,  he  looked  to  the  Lord  for  light, 
and  took  every  oi)x)ortunity  to  pray  and  exhort  in  religious 
meetings.  In  no  long  time  lie  came  to  consider  it  his  duty  to 
juirsue  a course^  of  study  preparatory  to  the  Avork  of  the  minis- 
try. Binding  his  Avay  to  the  Institution  at  Hamilton  (since 
grown  to  be  JMadison  University),  he  comxileted  his  course 
and  graduated  in  181^2.  After  linishing  his  studies,  he  offered 
himself  to  the  Baxffist  Board  of  jMissions,  asking  an  ajAxmlntment 

1 . 'I'liis  book  is  not  to  be  over- weighted  with  notes.bi't  we  must  here  grate- 
fully acknowledge  our  obligations  to  the  “ 7/ero  Missiouanj,'''^  (a  book  now 
vejy  scarce),  by  Jiev.  Dr.  A.  8.  I'atton,  of  New  York. 


PREACHINa  TO  SOLDIERS. 


310 


to  Burmali.i  Tliroiigli  the  couusels  of  one  who  regarded  him  as 
wanting  in  prudence  (What  could  he  more  imprudent  than  to 
think  of  going  to  Burmah  at  that  time?),  the  Board  was  led  to 
decline  his  request.  He  then  settled  as  pastor  in  Galway,  Y., 
and  labored  there  with  success  till  1820,  when  his  heart  became 
enlisted  in  favor  of  the  Hock  of  God  scattered  along  the  valley 
of  the  Susquehanna  and  in  the  gorges  of  the  Alleghanies.  IVIr. 
Kincaid  preached  the  Gospel  in  the  then  wilderness  parts  of  Penn- 
sylvania for  several  years,  travelling  during  this  i)eriod  2(),00() 
miles,  and  i)lanting  a number  of  churches  in  those  vast  wood- 
lands. As  a pioneer  missionary  he  sometimes  met  with  that 
self-educated  but  successful  revivalist.  Elder  Sheardowii,  whose 
biography  has  been  published,  and  who,  together  with  Mr. 
Kincaid,  will  long  be  remembered  by  the  villagers  of  the  interior 
of  the  Keystone  State. 

But  still,  Mr.  Kincaid  had  not  forgotten  the  heathen  of  Bur- 
mah ; and  at  length  the  door  was  opened  to  him  by  the  Board 
that  had  at  first  declined  his  services.  He  and  his  wife,  along 
with  Francis  Mason  and  wife,  were  x>nblicly  set  apart  at  Boston, 
in  May,  1830,  and  embarked  in  a shii)  sailing  directly  to 
Calcutta.  After  an  uneventful  voyage  of  four  mouths,  Mr. 
and  JMrs.  Kincaid  arrived  at  Calcutta.  Thence  they  embarked 
for  Maulmain,  and  commenced  the  acquisition  of  the  language. 
Meanwhile  he  was  engaged  to  i)reach  on  Sunday  as  well  as  on 
Friday  evening,  to  an  English  congregation  comxiosed  chiefly  of 
British  soldiers.  The  officers  of  a single  regiment  generously 
built  a new  and  commodious  house  of  worshii),  and  within  a 
year,  about  a hundred  soldiers  were  converted  and  baptized. 

In  December,  1831,  his  wife,  after  sufiering  from  several 

1.  Young  Kincaid  was  first  led  to  think  of  being  a foreign  missionary  by 
hearing  a sermon  from  the  Kev.  Luther  Kice  on  the  text:  ''''Let  your  light 
so  sh-iiie,'’'’  etc.  During  his  last  sickness  Mr.  Rice  rejoiced  that  the  Lord 
had  raised  up  such  a man  as  Kincaid  to  take  his  place  in  Burmah, 

23 


320 


THE  STORY  OF  HAPTTST  MISSIONS. 


attacks  of  diseases  ])eeiiliar  to  tla*.  climate,  departed  this  life,  to 
the  great  sorrow  of  her  devoted  hnshaiid.  Eaily  in  the  Spring 
of  1832  he  removed  from  IMaulmain  to  Uangoon,  Avhere  lie  took 
charge  of  the  schools  that  had  hecm  estahlished,  and  hy  the  aid 
of  iiatiAX  assistants  maintained  many  of  the  ])nl)lic  services  of 
the  mission.  During  the  year  of  his  sojourn  in  Rangoon,  he  Avas 
married  to  Miss  Darbara  McBain,  danghter  of  an  officer  in  the 
East  India  military  serAuce.  Being  one  day  asked  by  a Burmese 
officer  of  the  goAmrumeut  Iioav  long  he  intended  to  stay,  he 
rejdied,  Until  all  Burmah  AAmrships  tlu^.  Eternal  God.” 

The  year  folloAving,  he  set  out  on  a Amyage  of  seven  hundred 
miles  up  tlie  IrraAvaddy.  lie  was  acconpianied  liy  his  A\ife  and 
her  sister,  and  by  tAvo  natiAUi  teachers.  They  soon  found  tliem- 
selA^es  exposed  to  attacks  from  robbers.  SeA^eral  times  they 
touched  at  Aullages  AAdiere  plundering  and  murder  had  just  lieen 
committed.  In  one  instance  they  came  A^ery  near  being  robbed, 
and  possibly  murdered.  While  Ioaa  ing  the  boat  round  a i)oint 
in  the  riA^er,  a^  band  of  ten  men  approached  them  on  the  bank, 
all  armed.  At  that  same  instant,  two  boats  came  towards  them 
rapidly.  The  Burmans  cried  out,  Teacher,  come  quickly;  the 
robbers  are  upon  us  ! ” His  Burman  boatmen  tied,  leaving  only 
six  besides  himself  to  face  twenty-three  men,  who  were  rushing 
rajiidly  towards  them.  The  aiAproaching  robbers  in  the  armed 
boats  were  ordered  to  stop.  But  as  they  continued  to  adAmnce, 
iMr.  Kincaid  cried  out  to  his  men,  ^^FoIIoav  me!”  and  rushing 
toAvards  the  ajiproaching  fiends,  threatened  them  if  they  did  not 
stop  instantly.  Just  at  that  moment,  a large  Burman  boat  hoA^e 
in  sight  and  came  doAAui  the  riA^er.  This,  with  Mr.  Kincaid’s 
firmiKiss,  caused  them  to  turn  about  and  make  off  with  all 
dispatch. 

Mr.  Kincaid  gaAx^  aAvay  large  quantities  of  tracts  and  portions 
of  tli(i  Kevv  ^'(‘sfaimmt  AvlieiuYcr  an  o])i)ortunity  aatis  giA^en; 
whih'  h(‘.  occasionally  met  Avith  natiATS  Avho  had  been  aAvakened 


LABORS  AT  THE  GOLDEN  CITY.’’ 


321 


by  the  light  that  had  shone  upon  their  minds  out  of  these 
scanty  pages.  Tims,  one  venerable  man  he  met  had  been  con< 
verted j by  the  blessing  of  God,  on  the  mere  reading  of  the 
Gospel  of  St.  John.  At  length  they  reached  Ava,  after  a voyage 
of  fifty-fonr  days,  and  after  having  visited  on  their  way  about 
three  hundred  villages  and  cities,  in  most  of  wliich  they  preached 
the  Gospel. 


A Burmese  Court  of  Justice. 


His  welcome  in  Ava  was  not  warm.  Many  and  great  were 
his  difficulties  in  getting  the  permission  of  the  authorities  to 
rent  a house  and  to  preach  the  Gosiiel.  But  at  the  close  of  the 
first  year  spent  in  Ava,  a churcli  liad  been  i>lanted.  Among  the 
natives  baptized  in  the  Irrawaddy,  was  one  of  the  most  popular 
preachers  of  Buddliism,  Moung  Kay.  This  man  had  first  heard 
the  Gospel  from  one  of  Mr.  Kincaid’s  assistants,  Ko  San-lone. 
During  the  three  following  years  of  his  residence  in  the  golden 
city,  he  was  permitted  to  preach  Jesus  to  hundreds  of  tliousands, 


322 


THE  STORY  OF  liAPTlST  MISSIONS, 


many  of  whom  went  so  far  as  to  abandon  the  Avorsliip  of  Oau- 
tama,  wliile  otliers  oi)enly  declared  tlieir  faith  in  the  Light  of  tJie 
AVorld. 

About  th(‘.  year  1834  an  evmit  oeenrnMl  whieli  we  wonld  liave 
gladly  ])assed  in  silence.  For  twcmty  years  after  it  oecairrcMl, 
nothing  was  said  about  it  by  aii}^  jmblication,  and  then  one  side 
of'  the  story  was  verae.ionsly  told  by  authority.  AVe  think  it 
wonld  be  well  to  outline  Mr.  Kincaid’s  share  in  it,  as  illustrating 
his  eonrage  and  indepcndeiuie  as  a_J>ai)tist.  Lefore  he  went  out 
to  Bnrmah  there  had  come  to  be  a custom  called  ^^The  Great  Bless- 
ing’’ observed  by  some  of  his  fellow  missionaries.  Parents  and 
other  relatives  of  a new-born  child  were  invited  to  a prayer- 
meeting for  the  purpose  of  comniending  it  to  God  and  imploring^ 
Llis  blessing  upon  it.  A name  Avas  sometimes  given  to  the 
infant,  but  not  generally.  The  meeting  Avas  sometimes  held  in  a 
priAvate  house,  sometimes  in  a i)lace  of  pnldic  Avorshij).  Much  as 
CAXU',  the  cnstoiii  grcAv  to  be  something  like  a sacrament.  Men- 
tion was  made  of  it  in  a iirinted  list  of  the  Christian  ordinances, 
by  way  of  appendix  to  the  marriage  service.  For  some  time 
after  his  arri\ad,  Mr.  Kincaid  remained  in  happy  ignorance  of 
this  custom.  But  one  Sunday,  at  the  close  of  the  morning 
seiwice,  Avlioni  should  he  see  but  a number  of  Burinan  mothers, 
AAa’th  their  infiints  in  their  arms,  standing  near  the  puli^it,  request- 
ing him  to  give  their  new-born  children  ^^The  Great  Blessing.” 
lie  Avas  surprised,  and  told  them  that  he  must  be  excused j but 
if  they  would  come  to  church  next  Sunday  he  would  tell  them 
Avhy  he  Avished  to  be  excused.  On  further  inquiry  he  learned 
that  a natiA^e  teacher  from  one  of  the  other  stations,  in  his  calls 
among  the  converts,  had  advised  these  mothers  to  make  this 
nHjiKist.  On  the  next  Lord’s  day,  Air.  Kincaid  preached  on  the 
Gosjxd  ordinances,  and  took  ocA'asion  to  say  that  ^^The  Great 
Bl(‘ssing,”  as  a rite,  Avas  ])racticnd  neither  by  the  i)rimitive 
Christians  nor  by  the.  Baptist  chni’cbes  that  had  sent  him  out  to 


AN  ADVENTUROUS  VOYAOE  UP  THE  IRRAWADDY. 


323 


Biirmah  as  their  missionary.  And  it  was  through  his  protesta- 
tions that  the  custom  was  everywhere  ahandoned. 

Ava,  being  the  capital  of  the  empire,  was  visited  by  people 
from  every  i)art  of  Burmah.  While  making  the  acquaintance  of 
some  Shyaus,  from  a province  on  the  northern  frontiers  of  the 
emjiire,  he  formed  the  design  of  visiting  this  people,  and  if 
possible,  to  extend  his  tour  as  far  as  the  frontiers  of  Assam  and 
the  borders  of  China.  This  pnriiose  meeting  the  apiiroval  of  the 
brethren  of  the  Mission,  after  much  oi)position  from  the  author- 
ities, he  at  length  obtained  a permit  from  the  Government,  and 
embarked  January  27,  1837,  in  a boat  jirovided  and  dispatched 
in  his  charge  by  the  British  Eesident. 

The  voyage  nii  the  Irrawaddy  was  prosiierons  until  the  close 
of  the  third  day;  when  happening  to  stop  for  the  night  at  a 
small  village,  it  was  soon  discovered  that  he  was  near  a nest  of 
robbers.  Finding  only  one  musket  and  one  pair  of  cavalry 
pistols  on  board,  he  loaded  them  with  care,  and  jilaced  two  Bar- 
mans on  shore  with  the  musket,  to  keep  watch  by  turns.  He 
then  fastened  the  boat  so  that  the  party  could  push  oft'  at  a 
moments  warning.  With  his  pistol  lying  by  his  side,  he  sat  and 
watched  till  day -break.  The  night  being  clear  and  still,  he  could 
overhear  the  robbers  debating  the  question  of  capturing  the 
strangers.  About  midnight  a tall  robber  came  down  towards 
the  boat,  and  when  within  forty  yards  the  Burman  guardsmen 
hailed  him  and  advised  him  to  stop.  With  an  angry,  coarse 
voice,  he  asked  ^^Why'?^^  ^AAe  are  so  directed,”  replied  the 
Burmans.  Then  Mr.  Kincaid  added,  It  will  be  unsafe  for  yon 
to  come  nearer.  I have  heard  your  talk  and  witnessed  your 
l)roceediugs.  We  are  peaceable  people,  seeking  only  the  benefit 
of  others,  but  shall  not  tamely  fall  into  the  hands  of  lawless 
men.”  After  looking  at  the  party  for  a few  minutes,  the  robber 
returned,  and  the  villagers  remained  together  all  night,  talking, 
singing,  drinking  spirits  and  smoking  opium. 


324 


THE  STOEY  or  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Oil  his  way  up  tlie  river  he  would  stoj)  at  the  villa^^es,  jire.ach 
to  the  people,  and  distrihute  tracts  and  hoohs.  One  incidinit, 
which  occurred  at  a village  of  fifty  houses,  shows  th(‘  advautaf^e 
of  adding  the  work  of  Scriiiture  distribution  to  that  of  oral 
preaching.  The  party  had  stoi)ped  for  the  night.  A iiundHu-  of 
the  people  having  gathered  near  the  boat,  JVIr.  Kincaid,  favored 
by  a mild  moonlight,  preached  the  Oospel  to  them.  After  they 
had  gone  to  their  homes,  and  while  all  on  the  boat  were  aslei*]), 
Mr.  Kincaid  was  roused  by  a low  voice,  saying;  ‘‘Teacher, 
teacher!”  Starting  up,  he  saw  a man  standing  in  the  water 
near  the  boat,  lie  apologized  for  disturbing  Mr.  Kincaid,  at 
that  time  of  night.  “ I was  absent,”  said  he,  “ and  when  1 
returned,  a neighbor  read  to  me  a tract  about  God.  Learning 
where  he  got  it,  and  fearing  the  teacher  might  be  gone  before 
day-light,  I resolved  to  come  at  once.”  “ It  was  very  dark,” 
says  Mr.  Kincaid,  “but  I could  perceive  by  his  voice  that  he 
was  an  old  man.  In  a few  Avords  I explained  to  him  the 
character  of  God  and  the  provision  lie  had  made  for  the  happi- 
ness of  intelligent  beings;  and  gave  him  a small  book  and  two 
tracts.  The  poor  old  man  Avent  aAvay,  expressing  many  kind 
wishes,  and  saying  that  he  desired  to  understand  this.  For  the 
first  time  in  his  life  he  has  heard  that  there  is  an  eternal  God, 
who  made  the  lieaA'ens  and  the  earth.  For  the  first  time  in  his 
life,  he  has  in  his  hand  the  Gospel  of  peace.” 

At  length,  after  tAventy-three  days,  they  reached  Mogaung, 
the  most  northern  city  of  Burinah.  They  AA^ere  noAV  about  three 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  Ava,  and  beneath  the  shadoAvs  of 
the  Himalaya  mountains.  Before  him  was  the  vast  Avilderness 
Avdiich  separates  Burmah  from  Hindustan. 

It  AvasnoAV  Mr.  Kincaid’s  daily  question,  “Shall  I go  foAvard  or 
shall  1 return  1?”  After  making  several  excursions  into  the 
surrounding  regions,  and  learning  the  extent  and  character  of 
the  population  spread  further  north,  he  concluded  to  turn  home- 


A PERILOUS  JOURNEY  HOMEWARD. 


325 


ward.  Indeed,  tliere  was  no  alternative;  for  lie  fonnd  it  impos- 
sible to  procure  either  men  to  accompany  him  or  provisions 
suitable  for  a longer  journey. 

After  leaving  the  most  northern  city  of  B'urmah,  and  commit- 
ting himself  again  the  waters  of  the  Irrawaddy,  Mr.  Kincaid 
was  exposed  to  perils  and  sufferings  almost  too  painful  to 
describe.  On  the  way  down  the  river  he  learned  that  civil  war 
had  broken  out;  and,  as  is  ever  to  be  expected  in  India  at  such 
a time,  bands  of  robbers,  more  or  less  protected  by  one  party 
in  the  strife,  were  overrunning  the  land,  iiillaging  and  burning 
villages,  waylaying  travellers,  and  often  adding  murder  to 
robbery.  At  this  crisis,  the  robbers  had  swooped  down  ujion 
the  villages  that  enliven  the  banks  of  the  Irrawaddy;  and  after 
quartering  themselves  on  the  inhabitants,  lay  in  wait  on  the 
shores  to  capture  all  such  as  Avere  jiassing  in  boats. 

When  he  had  descended  to  a point  about  two  hundred  miles 
north  of  Ava,  his  native  attendants  began  to  say  to  him, 
^‘Teacher,  the  robbers!”  They  repeated  this  alarm  so  often,  as 
the  boat  passed  between  dark  mountains,  that  he  had  learned 
to  pay  little  attention  to  it.  But  one  morning,  while  he  was 
Ijing  and  reading  under  the  coaau’  of  the  boat,  the  alarm  was 
raised  and  repeated  Avitli  such  emphasis,  that  he  turned  and 
looked  out.  A boat  full  of  armed  men  was  nearing  him.  He 
told  one  of  the  boys  to  hold  ui)  the  musket.  He  carried  this  by 
order  of  the  gOA' ernment,  no  boat  being  alloAvecf  to  go  ux)  or  down 
the  rivers  Avithout  a Burmese  musket.  The  robbers,  seeing  the 
boat  AA  as  armed,  Avent  back  towards  the  shore  shouting.  They 
repeated  their  Ausit  and  returned,  shouting  as  before.  Then,  fiA^e 
or  six  boats  full  of  armed  robbers  came  down  uxion  him  raxiidly, 
yelling  in  the  most  aAvful  and  terrifying  manner.  When  they 
AA^ere  within  hailing  distance,  he  said  to  them,  ^^Come  and  take 
all  we  haAm  got.”  The  only  reply  was,  Sit  doAvn,  sit  doAvn ! ” By 
this  time  there  were  no  fcAver  than  thirty  muskets  xiointed  at  the 


THE  STOltY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


32(> 

boat.  He  said  to  thein,  J will  not  sit  down!”  knowing  that  if 
he  atteini)ted  to  sit  down,  they  wonld  ha\^e  riddh'd  him  with 
bnllets.  He  then  said,  I am  a fona'gner,  and  the  (iovernor 
has  promised  me  i)rote(dion.  If  you  injure  me,  it  will  Ixi  at  your 
cost.”  ]>ut  they  were  not  to  be  intimidated;  they  tired  thirty  or 
more  bullets,  some  of  which  struck  the  boat,  othtus  skij)])ed 
over  the  water.  They  then  raised  the  most  ])iercing  and  horrid 
cries,  and  rowed  rapidly  around  him,  encircling  almost  every 
part  of  his  person  with  spears.  He  was  encased  by  more  than 
seventy  steel  points.  He  could  not  move  without  feeling  these 
points.  Meanwhile  his  crew  had  laid  themselves  down  in  the 
bottom  of  the  boat  on  their  faces,  and  were  crying  in  the  most 
piteous  manner. 

iMr.  Kincaid  was  ordered  into  one  of  their  boats,  and  was 
asked:  Where  is  your  moneys”  They  now  began  to  beat  his 
four  men,  and  to  i)lunder  the  boat  of  its  contents.  They  also 
l)roceeded  to  strip  him,  and  would  have  deprived  him  of  every 
garment  had  he  not  made  some  resistance  and  demanded  that  he 
should  be  brought  to  their  chief.  Brought  before  the  leader  of 
the  banditti,  he  begged  he  wonld  restore  to  him  some  of  his 
clothing  to  protect  him  from  the  cold  dews  of  the  night.  He 
succeeded  in  recovering  one  of  his  jackets.  This,  with  his  shirt 
and  pantaloons,  was  all  the  covering  that  was  allowed  him.  He 
was  then  ordered  to  a boat  under  a strong  guard,  and  informed 
that  the  banditti  were  sitting  in  council  on  the  question  of  his 
release  or  his  death.  When  the  council  broke  up,  the  youngest 
of  his  Burman  boys,  a lad  about  sixteen,  approached  Mr.  Kin- 
caid in  tears,  saying,  ‘^The  robbers  have  decided  to  behead  you 
at  sundown” — the  time  of  day  when  all  Burman  executions  take 
j)lac(‘.  Mr.  Kincaid  now  watched  all  the  movements  of  the  rob- 
b(*rs  with  much  anxiety.  As  the  time  for  his  execution  drew  on, 
h(‘  obs(u  v(‘d  that  they  were  (mgaged  in  a.  war  of  words,  and,  by 
catching  a word  now  and  then,  he  gathered  that  they  were  di- 


ESCAPINa  PROM  BANDITTI. 


327 


vided  in  oiiiuion  about  IhkS  sentence  of  deatli.  Their  quarrel  over 
him  grew  fierce  j they  drew  their  swords  and  threatened  to  plunge 
them  into  each  other.  However^  from  some  cause  unknown  to 
him,  they  reversed  their  decision,  and  went  to  a village  a few 
miles  nj)  the  river  to  i:>lnnder  its  inhabitants.  They  all  joined 
the  expedition;  not  a single  man  was  left  even  to  guard  the 
prisoners. 

As  soon  as  they  discovered  that  they  were  left  to  themselves, 
they  jumped  into  their  boat,  and,  rowing  out  into  the  current  of 
the  river  under  cover  of  the  night,  made  good  their  escape. 
They  descended  the  river  in  peace  until  the  dawn,  when,  ap- 
proaching a village,  they  were  greeted  by  terrific  yells,  and  soon 
captured  by  bands  of  robbers.  They  stripped  Mr.  Kincaid  of 
his  garments,  and  began  to  tie  his  arms  after  the  manner  of  Bur- 
mese criminals.  But  he  resisted  this  treatment,  told  them  that 
they  should  not  tie  him,  that  he  never  had  been  tied,  and  that  he 
should  resist  being  tied  until  death.  Whereupon  they  set  up  a 
loud  laugh  and  grinned  awfully  at  him,  but  did  not  persist  in 
tying  him.  Taking  him  ashore,  they  made  a ring  in  the  sand 
around  the  place  where  he  stood,  and  told  him  for  his  life’s  sake 
not  to  step  beyond  it.  An  armed  guard  of  fifteen  or  twenty  men 
surrounded  this  ring.  He  remained  there  six  days  and  nights, 
without  any  shelter  from  the  scorching  heat  of  the  day  or  the 
cold,  damp  air  of  the  night.  His  only  food  was  begged  of  the 
women  of  the  village,  as  they  passed  and  re-passed  down  to  the 
shore  for  water.  His  only  covering  was  a pair  of  pantaloons  and 
an  old  ]iiece  of  sail-cloth. 

During  his  stay  among  these  banditti  he  daily  witnessed  the 
most  lawless  and  cruel  proceedings.  Parties  were  sent  off  to 
rob  the  neighboring  villages,  and  often,  in  the  night,  the  sky 
would  be  lighted  up  by  the  flames  of  burning  houses  and  ham- 
lets. They  commonly  returned  from  these  expeditions  driving 
cattle,  which  they  would  roast,  and  pass  the  whole  of  the  day  in 


328 


THE  STORY  OF  liAFTTST  MISSIONS. 


feasting',  drinking  and  smoking.  Soinetinnss  women  and  cliil- 
dren  Avere  (nii)tnr(Ml  and  kionglit  into  earn)).  Tlies(*.  Avere  (*xam- 
ined  in  tlie  presence  of  tli(‘  clii(*f,  to  learn  Avlnn'e  tlieii*  valuables 
were  buried,  it  being  the  cnstom  of  this  ])eo])l(i  to  ])nt  th(*irgold, 
silAT‘r  and  jeAvels  into  jars  and  bury  tbem  in  tin;  eaidli,  and  so 
secure  them  against  lire  and  theft.  If  tin*,  Avomen  rcdiised  to  tell 
Avhere  their  treasures  Avere  buried,  they  Avere  b(‘aten  and  tortured 
in  the  most  savage  manner. 

One  scene  of  crnelty,  surpassing  all  the  others,  was  Avitnessed 
by  ]\rr.  Kincaid:  a mother  of  seA^en  children,  he  saw  beaten  by 
a.  robber  because  she  refused  to  ansAcer  questions  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  the  chief.  She  aa  as  taller  than  most  Burmese  AA'omen  5 she 
Avas  of  slender  form,  and  had  a countenance  ex])ressiATA  of  intelli- 
gence. She  stood  before  her  ca])t()rs  Avith  noble  dignity,  and 
scA^en  children  AAm*e  clinging  around  her.  A stout,  muscular 
robber  beat  lier  AAdth  a large  rattan  in  the  presence  of  his  heart- 
less chief.  Strike  (piickly!”  the  chieftain  AAmuld  cry  out;  and 
the  robber  Avould  then  lay  on  the  i*attan  Avith  vengeance.  Her 
hair,  falling  doAA  n OA^er  her  bare  back,  Avas  soon  clotted  A\ith  blood, 
and  her  face  was  cut  unmercifully.  EA^ery  bloAV  was  so  lieaAy 
that  IMr.  Kincaid  expected  it  would  be  the  last.  Finally,  her  head 
fell  on  her  shoulder,  her  eyes  Avere  fixed,  her  lips  i)ale,  and  she 
rolled  OA^er  on  the  ground.  Death  had  at  last  released  her. 
Her  eldest  child,  a beautiful  girl,  AAdio  held  the  infant  in  her 
arms,  and  her  fiA^e  brothers  and  sisters,  Avept  bitterly  when  they 
found  their  mother  Avas  dead.  This  girl  laid  the  babe  at  her 
feet,  and  fell  doAvn  upon  the  body  of  her  mother,  uttering  the 
most  ])iteous  and  x>i<?Tcing  cries  of  anguish,  saying  again  and 
again,  ‘Olother,  don’t  die  and  leave  us!”  There  aatis  no  one  to 
si)eak  a kind  Avord  to  these  oiqdian  children,  no  one  to  express 
th(‘.  smallest  ])ity.  So  far  from  it,  one  of  these  robbers  Adoleutly 
kick(‘d  poor  child,  bidding  her  to  get  out  the  way;  and  she 
f<*ll  oA'er  spe(‘chless  011  the  ground.  This  was  too  much  for  Mr. 


AN  UNEXPECTED  ALLY. 


320 


Kincaid  j lie  was  overcome  with  revenge.  Eising  to  his  feet^  but 
finding  himself  tied,  in  a kind  of  despair  he  called  him  by  every 
evil  epithet  he  could  invent.  To  tantalize  him,  the  whole  band 
burst  out  into  a loud  laugh. 


A Young  Cathayan  Helping  Mr.  Kincaid  to  Escape. 

But  there  was  one  young  man  among  these  robbers  whom  Mr. 
Kincaid  thought  he  had  seen  before.  At  any  rate,  the  young 
Cathay an’s  behavior  to  him  was  marked  by  kindness  and  respect. 
He  gave  him  a compassionate  look  when  he  had  an  opportunity, 
and  once  secretly  managed  to  slip  a iiiece  of  money  into  his 
hand.  Mr.  Kincaid  looked  surprised,  and  motioned  as  if  he 


330 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


would  rotiini  it.  ‘MJusli!  liiisli!”  wliisi)er(‘<l  tlio  young  man; 
^^you  may  want  d.’’  The  (*.ai)tivo  now  seized  every  oeeasion  to 
ex(*liange  a f(*w  words  witli  tli(‘  young  man.  At  last  they  fixed 
on  a night  that  was  thought  favorabh*,  for  .Mr.  Kincaid’s  es- 
ca])e,  and,  at  tlie  auspicious  moment,  the  young  (hithayan  was  to 
come  and  uid)ind  the  cords  that  fast(‘ned  his  hands  and  feet. 
The  guard  AV(‘re  in  the  habit  of  slee])ing  Avhile  on  duty.  The 
long  marauding  excursions  they  made  every  day  i)rei)ared  them 
to  sleep  very  soundly.  On  the  idglit  of  his  conbmiplated  es- 
cai)e,  Mr.  Kincaid  purposely  kept  the  guard  awake  till  a very 
late  hour,  telling  them  about  steam  engines,  railroads,  and  what- 
ever else  would  be  new  and  wonderful  to  them.  Long  after  mid- 
night, while  all  the  guard  were  sleeping,  and  the  captive  was 
lying  anxiously  on  the  ground,  the  young  Cathayan  crawled  to 
his  side,  unbound  the  cords,  and  then  raised  himself  up  a little 
to  take  another  look  at  the  guard.  He  saw  that  all  were  asleep, 
and  whispered,  ^^Go!”  Cautiously  Mr.  Kincaid  rose  on  his 
hands  and  knees  to  look  and  listen  for  himself.  Some  man  was 
liable  to  awake  at  any  moment.  Hark  ! there  is  a break  in  the 
heavy  snoring  of  one  of  the  guard.  Would  the  man  wake  him- 
self up'?  Xo;  he  has  commenced  snoring  as  before.  ISTow  Mr. 
Kincaid  rises  to  his  feet,  walks  tiptoe  outside  of  the  guard,  and 
])icks  his  noiseless  ])ath  until  he  is  out  of  hearing,  and  then 
(piickens  his  pace  into  a run  until  he  is  beyond  the  village,  and 
near  the  thicket  of  the  jungle.  A thick  fog  resting  on  the  val- 
ley favored  his  escape;  and,  as  it  began  to  lift  in  the  morning,  he 
had  reached  the  thick  woods  of  the  mountain.  He  had  not  gone 
far  up  into  the  heights  IxTore  he  threw  himself  on  the  ground 
and  returned  thaidvs  for  his  great  deliverance.  AVeary  and  ex- 
liaiist(*d,  he  soon  fell  aslee]),  and,  Avlieii  he  awoke,  tlie  sun  was 
high  in  llui  heaAmns.  He  started  uj),  and  travelled  all  that  day 
wilhont  wat(*i-.  At  night  he  came  to  a stagnant  puddle,  and, 
alter  eating  a little  rice,  he  pushed  away,  with  his  hand,  the 


MR.  KINCAID’S  SECOND  ESCAPE. 


331 


dark  red  scum  from  tlie  water,  put  down  his  lips,  aud  drauk. 
Without  rising’,  he  rolled  over  on  the  ground,  and  slept  until  he 
was  awakened  by  the  sunshine  of  the  morning. 

At  the  close  of  the  second  day  after  he  had  entered  the  wilder- 
ness, as  he  was  descending  a mountain  pass,  he  came  into  the 
plain,  and  saw,  at  a distance,  a Ihirman  cottage.  Iteaching  the 
door,  he  was  met  by  an  old  man,  who,  when  he  had  heard  his 
story,  invited  him  into  the  house,  and  his  wife  set  before  him  a 
large  dish  of  cold  boiled  rice.  Itesting  here  during  the  night, 
he  travelled  nearly  all  the  next  day  before  he  (unne  in  sight  of 
any  human  habitation.  Towards  evening  he  reached  a fountain 
near  a village,  and  being  warned  by  a woman  avIio  came  to  fill 
a jar  with  water,  not  to  go  any  farther  that  night  lest  he  should 
again  fall  into  the  hands  of  robbers,  after  partaking  of  some 
boiled  rice  Avhich  she  brought  to  him,  he  laid  down  and  slept  till 
morning.  ^N^ext  day  he  came  unexpectedly  near  a camp  of  rob- 
bers. They  saAv  him,  but  probably  thinking  a tramii,  Avith  little 
covering  except  a piece  of  old  sail-cloth,  game  not  Avorth  pursu- 
ing, they  allowed  him  to  pass  on.  After  another  night’s  rest  he 
pursued  his  course  as  before.  He  had,  until  now,  been  going 
eastward  tOAvard  the  country  of  tlie  Shans,  bordering  on  West- 
ern China j and,  liaAfing  been  fiA^e  days  on  his  journey,  he  en- 
tered a more  circuitous  path,  and  bent  his  way  toAAmrds  the 
Irrawaddy.  Just  at  nightfiill  he  came  out  of  the  jungle  near  a 
little  Afillage,  about  five  and  thirty  miles  north  of  Ava.  As  the 
whole  region  was  infested  Avitli  robbers,  he  did  not  venture  into 
the  village,  but  went  round  it  to  a point  on  the  banks  of  the 
river  where  women  came  for  water,  and  he  laid  himself  down  in 
the  sand,  weary  and  hungry.  He  had  not  been  there  long  before 
two  women  came  AAith  jars  for  AAmter.  Kemembering  that  he  had 
never  been  refused  rice  by  any  Burman  Avoman,  he  asked  of 
them  food.  Obtaining  from  them  a large  pan  of  boiled  rice,  he 
made  what  was,  to  him,  a rich  meal.  He  rested  there  for  the 


332 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


and,  at  break  of  day,  start(*d  olj  liis  way.  Ih*.  liad  not 
i>one  far  Avlien  he  met  Avith  a Ihirman  of  his  aecjiiaintama^,,  wlio, 
with  the  ])roniise  of  an  exorl)itant  j)riee,  Avas  indneed  to  carry 
him  in  his  l)oat  to  tlie  “City  of  the  (lohhm  h'oot.” 

Tl)e  four  natiAm  Inxdlinm  Avho  had  Ihhmi  taken  ])risoners  witli 
him  contriATul  to  escape,  and  returned  to  Aa'o  some  Ave(‘ks  latei-. 
They  had  mourned  for  tlndr  teacher  as  dead.  (tr(‘at  Avas  tludr 
astonislmient  and  joy  Avlien  tliey  saAv  that  lie  was  still  aliAaC 

Scarcely  had  Mr.  Kincaid  reacdied  Ava  wlnm  he  learned  that 
the  capital  had  undei\i>()ne  a rcAadution.  Prince  Thur-a-Avadi 
had  dethroned  his  brother,  and  AAais  subja^atini;’  the  ])rovinces. 
Kobbers  AAan*e  still  eA’eryAvhere  threatmiin^-  life  and  ])ro])erty. 
Seeking  an  interAiew  AAuth  the  neAV  King,  Mr.  Kimaiid  Avas 
assured  that  lie  was  not  unfriendly  to  him  jiersonally;  “But,” 
said  he,  “I  am  uoaa^  King  of  Bnrmah,  and  am  therefore  defender 
of  the  faith,  and  must  sujiport  the  religion  of  the  country.  You 
must  giA^e  no  more  of  (hirist’s  books.” 

In  these  threatening  circumstauces,  and  fearing  that  the  new 
Burmaii  authorities  AAa)uld  soon  be  involATul  in  Avar  Avitli 
England,  iNlr.  Kincaid  temporarily  turned  his  attentiou  to 
more  promising  tields  in  the  Tenasserim  proAunce.  His  account 
of  his  toilsome  journey  among  the  mountains  of  Teuasserim 
Olsens  A icAvs  into  a land  of  Avonders.  “ We  set  off,”  says  he,  “in 
Indian  tile,  for  more  than  three  hours  AA^ending  our  Avay  along  a 
bed  of  a mountain  stream,  sometimes  two  or  three  feet  deep. 
On  either  side  the  mountains  rose  to  a great  height.  In  many 
] daces  the  stream  is  Idled  Avitji  brush  and  fallen  trees,  oatu* 
Avhich  AA^e  had  to  climb.  This  Avas  not  alAA  ays  practicable,  and 
AAXi  AV(‘re  obliged  to  (a-eej)  on  our  hands  and  feet  for  fifteen  or 
tAventy  yards  together.  Alter  reaching  the  head  of  this  stream, 
AA'C  asiamded  the  high  range  of  mountains  Avliich  stretch  from 
north  to  south  betAvium  th(‘-  riATu*  Tenasserim  and  the  ocean. 
We  travelhMl  jibont  four  hours  amidst  these  Avild,  ragged  moun- 


EXPLORATION  OF  THE  TENASSERIM. 


333 


tains^  finding  no  other  path  tlian  that  made  hy  wild  ele- 
l)hants  and  tigers.  This  is  their  own  often  undisputed  territory. 
Monkeys,  too,  range  these  wild  regions  in  countless  niimhers. 
There  is  one  kind  very  large  and  without  tails.  The  Karens  tell 
me  they  are  very  bold  and  savage,  often  attacking  travellers  if 
they  find  them  alone.  When  surronnded  by  these  animals, 
urging  one  another  forward  by  the  most  deafening  yells,  the 
only  security  is  in  starting  a fire,  of  which  they,  like  other  Avild 
animals,  are  afraid.” 

After  reaching  the  river  Tenasserim,  one  hundred  and  forty 
miles  aboA^e  31ergni,  he  adds,  ^^Onr  jonrne}’  to-day,  as  yester- 
day, has  been  amidst  the  wildest  scenes  of  nature,  most  of  the 
way  without  the  least  evidence  that  any  human  being  had  been 
there  before  us.  Half  the  distance  Ave  walked  in  the  channel 
of  a stream,  having,  some  part  of  the  way,  a most  welcome 
sandy  bottom,  with  only  a few  inches  of  water.  Tracks  of  the 
rhinoceros,  elephant,  tiger,  deer,  wild  hog  and  monkey  are 
everywhere  seen.  Their  frequent  and  hard-beaten  paths  giA^e 
one  a fearful  idea  of  their  numbers.  Yegetation  is  eA^eryAAdiere 
seen  in  all  its  wildest  luxuriance.” 

The  chief  of  the  village  AA'hich  he  now  reached  had  Ausited  him 
two  or  three  times  in  IMergui,  and  for  months  before  had  been 
expecting  his  arri\"al.  The  chief  had  built  a zayat,  in  which  Mr. 
Kincaid  preached.  During  his  stay  in  the  village  he  bai^tized 
four  persons  in  the  Avaters  of  the  Tenasserim. 

After  finishing  his  explorations  among  the  tribes  of  the  Ten- 
asserim, Mr.  Kincaid,  still  finding  the  gates  of  Ava  closed 
against  him,  turned  his  face  toAvards  Arracan.  We  next  find 
him  laboring  in  the  city  of  Akyab,  but  making  excursions  to  all 
accessible  points  to  preach  the  Gospel  and  to  baptize  converts. 

In  May,  1840,  Mr.  Kincaid  baptized  three  converts  and  found 
many  more  inquiring  the  AA^ay  to  Christ.  Among  these  Avas  a 
Burinan  patriarch  of  ninety.  He  had  come  into  Arracan  AAdth  a 


334 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


coiiiinissioii  from  the  of  Jiiinnali,  at  Ava,  as  an  authorized 
exi)ounder  of  tlie  sacred  book  of  (lautaina.  The  conversion  of 
one  Avho  had  grown  gray  iu  tlie  service  of  Jbiddlia,  and  liis  sub- 
sequent defence  of  the  (Tiristain  faitli,  had  a i)oweit‘ul  effect  at 
Akyab.  AVliile  in  tliat  city  lie  was  visited  by  Chet-za,  a 
remarkable  character,  known  as  ^^tlie  great  ^Mountain  Chief.” 
After  the  return  of  the  child*  to  thii  mountains,  he  wrote  a letter 
to  Mr.  Kincaid,  signed  by  himself  and  tliirteim  petty  chiefs, 
urging  him  to  visit  the  mountains  and  jireach  to  them  the  Gos- 
])el.  In  this  letter  is  repeated  the  following  tradition  : ^dn  ancient 
days  God  gave  our  fathers  a good  book,  written  on  leather;  but 
being  careless,  a dog  carried  it  a way  and  destroyed  it,  and  thus 
the  divine  disjileasure  appeared  against  ns.” 

Kot  content  Avith  writing  this  letter,  the  chief  made  another 
Ausit  to  Akyab,  entreating  him  to  come  at  once.  Soon  after  the 
chief’s  return  home,  IMr.  Kincaid,  accompanied  by  the  IIcax  L. 
Stilson,  set  out  for  Chet-za’s  domains.  Ascending  the  Ko-la-dan 
about  scA^enty  miles,  they  left  Ibirmah  behind  them,  and  entered 
the  land  of  the  Kemmees.  They  next  reach  the  month  of  the 
EiAmr  Moe,  and,  after  sailing  its  Avaters  about  six  miles,  they 
came  to  the  xilace  of  their  destination.  Our  space  does  not  per- 
mit ns  to  describe  the  welcome  of  the  missionaries,  and  the 
steps  they  took  to  establish  a station,  afterwards  known  as  the 
head-quarters  of  the  Kenimee  Mission.  Subsequently,  Mr.  Kin- 
caid made  seA^eral  Ausits  to  this  people.  Mr.  Stdson  studied  their 
language,  reduced  it  to  AATiting,  and  so  suxAxdied  them  with  a 
number  of  books.  Among  the  coiiAmrts  was  the  son  of  the 
iMonntain  Chief,  a young  man  Avho  became  noted  for  feiwent  piety 
and  d(‘Aa)tedness.  Pleading  Avith  God  for  his  countrymen,  in 
every  jirayer  ime  of  his  jietitions  Avas:  Lord,  send  a teacher 

from  Amin  ica  for  the  Kemhiees  ! ” 

Having  noAV  been  in  Ibirmah  more  than  tAAmhm  years,  and  the 
liealtli  of  liis  Avite  r(‘(|uiring  a change  of  climate,  in  1843  Mr. 


A BAPTISMAL  SCENE  AT  KANCOON. 


335 


Kincaid  made  a visit  to  Ids  native  land.  During  Ids  sojourn  in 
this  country  he  travelled  through  nearly  every  State,  making  the 
most  thrilling  appeals  on  hehalf  of  missions,  and  preaching  many 
very  effective  sermons.  Besides  these  exertions  he  was  instru- 
mental in  laying  the  foundations  of  the  University  of  Lewisburg, 
Pennsylvania.  With  the  assistance  of  the  Bev.  Dr.  W.  Shadrach, 
he  succeeded  in  securing  an  endowment  of  $100,000. 

The  chief  cause  of  his  prolonged  sojourn  in  America  was  the 
distracted  and  unsettled  state  of  the  Burmaii  empire.  After 
long  delay,  the  civil  war  in  Burinah  having  come  to  an  end,  and 
men  friendly  to  Christian  missions  being  appointed  regents,  Mr. 
Kincaid  jirepared  to  return  to  his  former  favorite  field  of  mis- 
sionary labor.  He  arrived  at  Maulmain  early  in  the  year  of 
1851,  and  proceeded  to  Eangoon.  At  first  the  governor  of  the 
city  subjected  him  to  various  kinds  of  iiersecution.  But  this 
ceased  on  the  arrival  of  a royal  message  from  Ava,  the  substance 
of  Avhich  was  that  the  American  teachers  should,  if  they  wished, 
be  allowed  to  come  up  to  Ava;  or,  if  they  preferred  remaining 
in  Eangoon,  they  were  not  to  be  molested.  During  a residence 
of  six  months  in  Eangoon,  a number  of  natives  were  converted 
under  his  ministrations.  The  baptism  of  four  Burmans  and  five 
Karens  he  thus  describes:  ^^Our  baptism  took  jilace  between 
three  and  four  in  the  afternoon,  in  the  royal  tank,  a beautiful, 
clear  sheet  of  water,  nearly  four  miles  in  circumference.  It  has 
several  finely- wooded  islands,  and  is  surrounded  on  three  sides 
by  groves,  having  a park-like  appearance.  Under  the  deep, 
dark  foliage  of  a clump  of  aged  trees,  on  a green  bank  sloping 
down  to  the  watePs  edge,  with  the  glittering  spires  of  a hundred 
pagodas  before  us,  we  kneeled  in  i)rayer  to  Him  who  said,  ^ Lo, 
I am  with  you.’  I cannot  express  to  you  my  feelings,  when 
these  redeemed  ones  went  down  into  the  baptismal  grave,  ren- 
dering homage  to  Him  who  is  ^ the  resurrection  and  the  life.’  ” 

In  the  midst  of  these  successful  exertions,  the  city  was  thrown 
24 


'I'lIE  STOllY  OF  JiAFTJST  31ISSIONS. 


33(> 

into  a (*.oinin()ti()ii  l)y  tlio  anival  of  a fri<»at(^  and  four  aiiiKMl 
stoainors  domandinj*,  in  Indialf  of  flic  East  India  (iovoTnincnt, 
a.  redress  of  ii>rievanees.  l)nrin<>’  tlie  nei«'otiations  tliat  follower!, 
^Ir.  Kincaid  was  of  nnicli  service  to  the  officials  on  hotli  sid(*s,  as 
interpreter  and  adviser.  lint  still  he  was  snl^J(‘cl  to  many 
insults  and  ])erils^  caused  iii  i)art  l)y  two  Portuguese,  tlie  tools 
of  a Jesuit,  Avho  made  the  fiovernor  believe  that  Kinc.aid 
was  the  instigator  of  the  En^^’iish  invasion.  From  Pan^,u)on, 
]\Ir.  Kincaid  ])assed  to  rrome,  a city  midway  l)etw(‘(*n  Kan^^oon 
and  ^Vva.  liy  the  assistance  of  the  (»)uart(U‘-mast(*r  (ieneial,  h(i 
obtained  imssession  of  two  monasteries  and  a zayat  in  whi(di  to 
l)reach  salvation.  From  Prome  our  missionary  made  excursions 
in  diherent  directions.  The  work  of  grace  at  Prome  included  an 
unusual  number  of  Purmans.  To  the  north-east  and  south-east 
extended  the  Karen  held,  where  more  than  forty  converts  were 
baptized. 

At  last  he  was  invited  by  the  King  of  Burinah  to  visit  the 
royal  city.  Hitherto,  since  his  return  from  America,  he  had 
not  considered  it  his  duty  to  go  up  to  the  royal  residence,  now 
removed  to  Amarapura.  After  two  visits  to  the  court,  where  he 
was  cordially  welcomed,  he  was  persuaded  by  the  King  to  visit 
the  United  States  as  an  envoy  from  Burmah,  with  a view  to 
establish  friendly  relations  between  the  two  governments.  As 
Mrs.  ]vincaid’s  feeble  health  demanded  a change  of  climate,  and 
as  the  King  offered  to  pay  all  the  expenses  of  the  overland 
])assage,  JMr.  Kincaid  accepted  the  appointment.  There  was  like- 
wise another  object  to  be  accomplished  by  this  visit  to  America. 
For  some  years  serious  misuuderstandings  had  existed  between 
some  of  the  Executive  (Joinmittee  of  Boston  and  a number  of 
fhe  missionai  i(‘s.  Besides,  some  of  the  missionaries  were  at 
variamai  among  themselves  u])on  questions  of  policy,  fields  of 
labor  and  such  lik(‘,  matt(‘rs.  With  a view  to  ])ut  an  end  to  these 
misiiiidcrstandings,  JMi*.  Kincaid  Avas  requested  to  proceed  to 


KINCAID  AS  A ROYAL  AMBASSADOR. 


337 


Ainerica/aiid  l)y  clear  and  full  stateinents  to  vindicate  the  char- 
acter and  conduct  of  some  of  his  fellow-missionaries.  We  do 
not  now  propose  to  conduct  our  readers  over  that  old  battle-field, 
to  see  what  relics  Ave  can  pick  up,  or  to  point  out  the  iilaces 
occupied  by  the  belligerents,  or  to  discuss  the  merits  of  the  con- 
tention. Every  important  controversy  has  two  sides,  as  had  the 
fabled  shield,  golden  on  one  side  and  silvern  on  the  other.  If 
two  knights,  although  only  a foAV  feet  apart,  could  contend  Avith 
deadly  weapons  concerning  said  shield,  should  you  and  I,  dear 
reader,  Avonder  that  these  tAvo  parties,  separated  by  the  terraque- 
ous globe,  could  not  see  things  alike? 

In  AAdiatev^er  light  we  may  vieAV  Mr.  Kincaid’s  vindication  (and 
it  certaiidy  was  frank  and  fearless),  all  agreed  in  responding 
heartily  to  his  addresses  and  apiAeals  in  behalf  of  foreign  mis- 
sions and  the  perishing  millions  of  Heathendom.  In  August, 
1857,  Mr.  Kincaid,  leaving  his  family  behind  him,  set  out  again 
for  Burmah,  by  way  of  Great  Britain,  thence  by  the  OA^erland  or 
mail  route  to  Calcutta.  After  spending  some  days  in  that  city, 
and  having  several  iuterAueAA  s with  Dr.  Duft'  and  other  mission- 
aries, he  proceeded  to  the  capital  of  Burmah  to  lay  the  message 
and  gifts  he  bore  from  the  United  States  at  “ the  golden  feet,” 
make  a report  of  the  success  of  his  embassy  and  obtain  an  hon- 
orable discharge  from  the  royal  service.  But  before  going  up  to 
appear  before  the  mortal  King,  he  so  far  departed  from  ambassa- 
dorial usage  as  to  attend  first  to  the  duties  he  owed  as  an  am- 
bassador for  Christ,  Ausiting  the  churches  at  Prome  in  the  hope 
of  afibrding  them  some  comfort  and  encouragement. 

After  Mr.  Kincaid  had  Avound  up  the  business  of  his  embassy, 
he  resumed  his  missionary  Avork,  the  centre  of  AAdiich  was  at 
Prome.  The  year  after  his  return,  a young  Buddhist  priest  was 
couA^erted,  and  putting  off  the  yellow  robe  of  his  order,  put  on 
Christ  by  baptism.  The  Kliyens,  a tribe  resembling  the  Karens, 
liAung  north  of  Prome,  and  probably  of  the  same  family  as  the 


338 


THE  HTOllY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


K;i-lvliyt‘iis,  now  l)(‘gan  to  tlie  infhuMHH*.  of  the.  Pronn^  mis- 
sion. Tlie  first  of  tin's  tribe  Innl  b(‘en  l)ai)tize(l  by  Dr.  Mason,  at 
Tonn!i;oo,  in  1837.  Two  or  tliree  otliers  bad  Ixhmi  baptized  lien* 
and  tbere  previously  to  1850,  Avhen  it  was  rei)ort(Ml  tliat  tliey  bad 
not  l)een  found  very  ready  to  receive  tbe  Oospel.  Ibit  tbe  tid(‘ 
liad  now  turned;  many  of  tbem  came  as  inquirers,  and  several 
were  baptized.  In  1803  a Kbyen  assistant,  in  bis  zeal,  left  tbe 
])rovinceof  Arraimn,  travelled  over  tbe  mountains  to  tbe  s(‘a,  a 
bundred  and  tbirty  miles,  across  patbb^ss  Jiiiqij^les,  exposixl  to 
wild  beasts,  that  be  migbt  make  known  tbe  (losi)el  to  tbe  scat- 
tered members  of  bis  oavii  tribe.  Dr.  Kincaid  also  made  lon^- 
Journeys  to  distant  places,  travelling  as  far  as  two  bundred  and 
fifty  miles  nortb-east  of  Prome.  In  1803,  tAventy-five  Avere 
baptized.  Tbe  mission  liaAung  suffered  mucb  from  the  repeated 
destruction  of  tbeir  bouse  of  Avorsbi])  by  bre,  resolved  to  build 
one  of  brick.  Tbe  first  donation  receiA^ed  for  this  object  Avas 
given  by  a retired  medical  ofiticer,  once  a resident  of  Burundi 
but  at  tbe  time  settled  in  Scotland. 

On  account  of  tbe  illness  of  bis  wife.  Dr.  Kincaid  was  com- 
pelled to  return  to  America  in  1805,  ne\^er  to  go  back  again  to 
tbe  Jungles  and  mountains  Avliicb  bad  so  long  enjoyed  bis  apos- 
tolic labors.  Tbe  last  years  of  bis  life  were  spent  in  Avell-earned 
repose  on  a farm  near  tbe  village  of  Girard,  Kansas.  The  old 
ac(iuaintance  or  tbe  curious  traA^eller  Avbo  turned  aside  to  call 
ni)on  bini  of  a bright  Summer’s  day  AAmuld  niaybap  see  the  street 
door  blocked  open  by  a smiling  image  of  tbe  Light  of  Asia.” 
Other  idols  AA  ere  ])erbai)s  made  to  serve  the  imrpose  of  carya- 
tid(‘s,  Avitb  AvindoAv-sasbes  resting  upon  tbeir  marble  or  AAmoden 
b(*ads.  Surrounded  by  such  mementoes  of  bis  past  labors,  in 
tlie  midst  of  loAung  friends,  a*nd  Amnerated  by  all  Avbo  kneAV  the 
story  of  bis  lif(‘,  be  (piietly  iiassed  aAvay  on  tbe  3d  of  April,  1883. 

Of  tbe  jiopularity  of  Dr.  Kincaid  among  tbe  Karens  bis  Amer- 
ican friends  cannot  form  an  adequate  idea.  JMrs.  Oalista  Vinton 


KINCAID’kS  courage^  popularity  and  zeal. 


339 


Luther,  who  knew  and  has  pleasantly  shown  how  great  favorites 
her  father  and  mother  were  among  this  people,  cheerfully  awards 
the  palm  to  our  hero.  Never,”  says  she  Avas  a Burman  mis- 
sionary so  loved  and  trusted  hy  the  Karens  as  Dr.  Kincaid. 
Like  the  dear  teacher  who  had  just  gone  from  them  ” (her  own 
father,  Eev.  Justus  II.  Vinton)  “ he  had  shown  that  he  sought 
‘ not  their’s  hut  them.^  Fearless  and  independent,  while  trusting 
and  huinhle,  he  read  in  his  commission : ‘ Preach  the  gospel  to 

every  creature  and  whether,  on  journeys  among  Barmans,  he 
came  across  a Karen  hamlet  or  a garrison  of  English  soldiers, 
he  never  refrained  from  preaching  Christ  to  them  because  he 
had  not  been  specially  Dlesignated’  to  them.  His  work  was 
owned  and  blessed  of  God;  and,  besides  the  many  trophies  won 
from  among  the  Barmans,  he  Avill  meet  in  heaven  hundreds  of 
redeemed  Karens  Avho  firsfc  heard  the  Gospel  from  his  lips,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  many  others  Avho  were  cheered  and  helped  by 
his  earnest  words  and  example.  Dear,  noble  old  man! — the 
hero  of  a hundred  lights, — his  indomitable  courage  never  failed 
him,  whether  facing  the  robbers  in  northern  Burmali,  or  the 
governor  of  Kangoon,  with  his  infuriated  soldiery,  or  the  terrors 
of  the  ecclesiastical  council  in  Maulmain.  Bight  was  right,  and 
duty  was  duty;  and  his  voice  was  always  heard  on  the  side  of 
truth.  * * * No  one  on  the  heavenly  shore  will  be  more 

glad  to  meet  Eugenio  Kincaid,  than  his  old  comrades  on  the 
mission  field.  They  had  toiled  together  side  by  side  for  years . 
together  they  had  won  many  a victory  over  the  powers  of  hell ; 
and  together  shall  they,  with  that  other  grand  old  veteran, 
Jabez  Swan,  Avalk  the  golden  streets,  and  thank  God  for  per- 
mitting them  to  do  and  sufier  for  his  cause.” 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


THE  REV.  GROVER  S.  COMSTOCK  AND  ARRACAN. 


A Call  for  Six  Men. — Birth  and  Early  Training. — Studies  and  Practices  Law. 
Conversion  and  Education  for  the  Ministry. — 'J'lu;  awakening  of  a Mis- 
sionary Spirit. — At  Mr.  Wade’s  Burinan  and  Karen  Scliool. — Marries 
Miss  Davis. — Embarks  with  Fourteen  Others. — Settles  in  Arracan. — 
Necessity  of  Skill  in  Argument. — Joins  ]\Ir.  Kincaid  in  a Preaching 
Tour. — Trial  in  sending  away  Chihb’en  to  America. — Death  of  Mrs. 
Comstock  and  of  two  of  his  Children. — Ills  Notes  on  Arracan. — Ilis 
Tracts  still  Preach  to  the  Karens. 


►EM EMBER,  Jirother  Kincaid,  six  men  for  Arracan,” 
were  the  last  words  of  drover  S.  Comstock  to  his  lel- 
low  missionary,  at  that  memorahle  parting  wlien,  with  many 
tears,  lie  bade  farewell  to  his  two  children  on  board  the  ship  tliat 
was  to  bear  them  and  their  ip’otector,  Mr.  Kincaid,  to  America. 
These  words  were  wafted  to  the  United  States,  and  were  so  often 
repeated  from  platform,  pulpit  and  ])ress,  that  they  came  to  be 
fixedly  associated  with  the  name  of  Comstock. 

This  man  of  God  was  born  at  Ulysses,  N.  Y.,  Marcn  24th,  1809. 
Ilis  youth  was  spent  in  study  and  recreation.  Ilis  father,  being 
a jireacher  of  the  Gospel,  took  great  care  that  his  son  should 
have  a sound  body  as  well  as  a sound  mind.  His  course  as  a 
student  was  uniformly  creditable;  he  was  graduated  at  Hamilton 
College,  Clinton,  N.  Y.,  in  1827,  and  then  studied  law.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  of  New 
York  in  duly,  1830,  and  commenced  jiractice  at  Rochester.  He 
was  a young  man  of  dignified  and  attractive  jiresence,  being  six 
f(‘et  in  height,  W(‘ll  jnoportioned,  and  of  manly  strength  and 
bearing.  H(‘.  hail  bcMoi  in  ])ra(*tic(^  Init  Ui  fevv' months  wlien  he, 
along  .Avitli  many  otbms,  Avas  c.onviated.  lie  Avas  one  of  the 


A YOUNa  LAWYER’S  DEDICATION  TO  MISSIONS.  .‘iTl 

fruits  of  tlie  great  revival  wliicli  blessed  Ilocliester  in  1831. 
From  tlie  time  lie  was  converted  lie  elierislied  the  intention  of 
bearing  to  the  heathen  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation. 

Uniting  with  the  First  Baptist  Chnreh  in  Ilocliester^  of  which 
his  father  was  then  pastor^  in  no  long  time  he  went  to  Ilamil- 
ton  Institution  (now 
Madison  University)^ 
and  there  finished  his 
course  of  theological 
study.  Agreeably  to 
his  own  desire  and 
request  he  was  ap- 
pointed a missionary 
to  Burmah.  i 

About  the  time  he 
finished  his  theologi- 
cal studies,  Mr.  Wade 
opened  at  Hamilton  a 
preparatory  school  for 
the  instruction  of  in- 
tending missionaries 
in  the  Burnian  and 
Karen  languages.  As 

eight  persons,  iuclud-  Rev.  Grover  S.  Comstock. 

ing  Mr.  Comstock  and  Miss  Davis,  whom  he  married,  were 

1.  His  convictions  of  duty  towards  the  heathen  are  strongly  expressed 
in  a letter  written  two  years  before  his  embarkation  for  Burmah:  “ Last 
week,”  he  says,  “the  Missionary  Society  of  this  county  met  here,  and  a 
blessed  meeting  it  was.  I do  believe  the  Lord  looked  down  upon  it  with 
approbation.  The  sermon,  by  Elder  Leonard,  was  from  the  text,  ‘ Say  ye 
not  there  are  four  months  and  then  cometh  the  harvest,’  etc.  The 
harvest  indeed,  appeared  great  and  ready  to  be  gathered  in.  When  the 
necessity  of  entering  into  it  with  the  whole  soul  was  pressed  upon  the 
audience  and  the  question  asked:  ‘ Who  would  sit  at  ease  and  leave  a part 
of  the  harvest  already  ripe  to  the  pitiless  storm?  ’ I could  not  but*  think, 
I icould  not  be  the  person.’’'' 


3i2 


THE  SrOEV  Ol'’  JJAl’TIST  MISSIONS. 


(lesigiiiited  for  tliat  mission,  tin*  school  (tomimmccd  niMl<*r 
favorable  aiis])ices.  IMr.  Wa(l(‘,  liimself  a r(*turiH‘(l  niissionary, 
and  two  native  assistants,  ]\Ionn<^  Sliwa,  Monn*;,  a Ibnanan,  and 
Ko  Oliettliin^,  a Karen,  taught  this  cairions  school  for  nirn*, 
niontlis. 

On  tlie  doth  of  June,  18.34,  fourt(‘en  r>a[)tist  inissioiiai  i(*s  (*in- 
barkod  on  the  same  ship  for  Ibirmali  and  Siam.  Among  these* 
was  young  Comstock  and  bis  Avife.  lie  married  Miss  Sarah 
Davis  a few  days  before  bis  embarkation.  After  a very  long 
voyage  tbe  vessel  arrived  at  Maubnain  in  December.  Detained 
there  for  two  montbs,  Avaiting  for  a passage  to  Anncan,  lui  Avas 
unable  to  establish  himself  in  bis  held  b(*fore  ^Vlarcb,  18.3.‘>. 
Soon  after  bis  arriAml,  be  made  a.  tour  in  order  to  gain  some 
acquaintance  with  bis  extensiA^e  diocese,  in  tbe  course  of  AAdiicb 
be  preached  tbe  (Tospel  and  distributed  tracts  AAiiereeAX*r  oppor- 
tunities were  giA^en.  At  bis  station,  Kyouk  Pbyoo,  be  set  up 
tAAm  schools,  one  in  English.  There  AA^ere  no  missionaries  nearer 
than  Akyab,  two  hundred  miles  UAvay,  and  tbe  English  residents 
at  bis  station  bad  no  sympathy  Avitb  bis  religions  si)irit  or 
Avocation.  They  inAuted  him  to  their  parties,  but  be  declined 
almost  all  their  iiwitations,  on  tbe  plea  that  be  could  allow 
nothing  to  interfere  with  bis  missionary  engagements. 

Tbe  iiatiAm  school  was  taught  by  Mrs.  Comstock,  while  her 
husband  divided  bis  attention  between  tbe  English  school,  bis 
necessary  studies,  preaching  and  coiiAmrsing  Avitb  the  people. 
In  tbe  East  tbe  custom  is  for  tbe  natiA^es  to  interrupt  a preacher 
if  they  ba\^e  any  question  to  raise,  suggested  by  any  tboiigbts 
be  has  advanced.  think,”  says  Mr.  Comstock,  ‘Dbe  habits  of 
thought  which  I acquired  in  my  Iuay  days  are  of  great  benefit  to 
me  here.  In  talking  Avitb  tbe  natives  it  is  necessary  to  be  as  cir- 
(mmspect  as  yon  Avonld  be  in  drawing  up  special  pleadings. 
Everything  must  be  stated,  and  in  its  proper  order.” 

Early  in  18.3b  In*  transferred  bis  station  to  Eainree,  on  a large 


A PAINFUL  SEPARATION. 


island  of  that  name  oft*  the  coast,  a town  of  eight  thousand  in- 
habitants. Althongh  regarded  by  the  natives  as  more  healthy 
than  his  former  station,  yet  from  its  situation,  shut  in  on  all 
sides  by  high  hills,  the  heat  of  Summer  was  found  intense  and 
exhausting.  In  making  excursions  by  water  among  the  natives 
he  was  conveyed  in  a small  native  boat,  a part  of  which  was 
covered  with  leaves  as  a sleeping-iilace  by  night,  and  as  a pro- 
tection from  the  heat  by  day,  ‘^making  a cabin  somewhat  larger 
than  an  American  oven.’^  In  the  Spring  of  1841,  he  and  his  fam- 
ily paid  a visit  to  Mr.  Kincaid  at  Akyab.  During  a stay  of 
about  sixteen  days,  he  joined  Mr.  Kincaid  in  a preaching  excur- 
sion to  a number  of  villages,  and  went  as  far  as  the  old  town  of 
Arracan.  Here  they  preached  to  large  and  serious  assemblies, 
as  well  in  iirivate  houses  as  in  the  open  air. 

In  the  natural  course  of  events  IMr.  and  Mrs.  Comstock, 
like  so  many  other  missionaries,  were  comiielled  to  jirepare  their 
hearts  for  sending  their  children  to  their  native  land.  In  a let- 
ter written  in  September,  1840,  he  says:  asked  Sarah  [his 

wife]  if  she  would  not  send  Lucy.  Her  eyes  immediately  filled 
with  tears,  and  she  soon  concluded  that  she  could  not  go  yet. 
Alas!  it  will  be  a sad  hour  when  we  part  with  our  children  to 
send  them  to  America,  but  I see  no  way  to  avoid  it;  the  mission- 
ary life  is  one  of  sacrifice  from  first  to  last,  and  conld  the  ene- 
mies of  missions  look  into  our  hearts  at  times — but  I forbear.” 

In  October,  1841,  he  touches  ui)on  the  same  painful  subject. 

Our  children  are  learning  much  that  we  are  very  sorry  to  have 
them  learn.  Lucy  and  Oily  must  go  to  America,  I think.  We 
do  not  know  yet,  though,  how  they  will  go,  or  where  they  will 
live  when  they  get  there.  Poor  things!  perhaps  they  will  feel 
as  Lucy  M — , when  she  said  to’ her  mamma,  ^ Other  little  girls 
have  their  mothers,  and  I want  mine ! ^ However,  I suppose  they 
will  suffer  much  less,  and  for  a shorter  time,  than  their  i)arents 
will.  Yet  what  is  duty  must  be  done.” 


TIIK  S'I’OIJV  OF  UAPTIST  AIISSFONS. 


314 

Tli(‘.  ])artiii;>^  iiit(*iTi(‘W  of  fatlicr  and  tin*,  mother  witli 
th(‘ir  two  (*liildr(‘ii  is  ])(‘st  d(‘seril)(‘d  by  Mr.  Kincaid  in  om* 
ol*  tlic  addr(\sses  Ini  made  aft(‘r  his  rcdiirn  to  Aimn-ica:  ‘‘\V(* 
Avere  together  omi  day  at  tlieir  lions<‘,  wlnm  word  caim* 
tliat  tlie  ship  was  r(‘ady  to  sail,  and  w(‘.  must  imm(*(liat(*ly 
l)rei)are  to  eml)ark.  U])on  tlie  arrival  of  this  m(*ssaf((‘,  whi(di 
Ave  had  been  expecdinj^,  aAIi’s.  (>omsto(*k  aros(i  from  her  chair, 
took  her  tAA^o  ehildiiMi  by  the  hand,  and  Avalk(‘d  Avith  thcmi 
to  a giwe  of  tamarinds  near  th(‘-  hoiis(*.  Wlnm  she  had 
gone  some  little  distance,  she  ])ansed  a moment,  look(‘d  at 
each  of  her  eliildren  Avith  all  a mother’s  1oax‘,  and  inii)rint(‘d  an 
afteetionate  kiss  upon  tlu^  forehead  of  each.  8h(‘.  tlnm  raised  her 
eyes  to  heaAaui,  silently  invoking  a blessing  on  tlndr  heads,  and 
returned  to  the  house;  and,  deliAawing  them  into  my  hands,  she 
said,  ^ This  1 do  for  my  SaAnonr.’ 

‘^Brother  Comstock  then  took  his  two  children  by  the  hand, 
and  led  them  from  the  house  toAvards  the  ship,  Avhilethat  tender 
mother  gazed  ni)on  them,  as  they  AA  alked  aAvay,  /or  the  last  time. 
She  saAV  them  no  more  on  earth. i God  grant  that  she  may  meet 
them  in  heawen  ! Brother  Comstock  accompanied  his  tAvo  chil- 
dren to  the  ship,  Avhich  lay  about  two  miles  ott*  on  the  bay. 
When  Ave  had  gone  on  board  and  descended  to  the  cabin,  he 
entered  one  of  the  state-rooms  with  his  children.  There  he  j^nelt 
with  them  in  prayer,  laid  his  hands  nx)on  their  heads,  and 
bestoAved  a father’s  blessing  upon  them,  tears  all  the  while 
streaming  down  his  cheeks.  This  affecting  duty  over,  he 
resumed  his  usual  calmness.  He  took  leawe  of  me  with  a gentle 
pressure  of  the  hand;  and  I followed  him  to  the  side  of  the  ves- 
sel, as  he  descended  into  the  small  boat  which  lay  alongside,  and 

1.  According  to  another  account,  the  almost  heart-broken  mother  noAV 
exclaimed  : “ O Saviom-!  1 do  this  for  Thee!”  Another  story  is  that  Mrs* 

C.  accom})anied  the  little  ones  to  the  ship  and  handed  them  over  the  rail  of 
the  vessel.  \V(‘  follow  Dr.  Kincaid,  Avho  Avas  a trustwortliA^  Avitness  of  the 
affecting  scene. 


^^SIX  MEN  FOR  ARRACAN!” 


wliieli  Mas  to  convey  him  to  tlie  shore.  N^ever  shall  I forget  the 
Avoids  or  the  tone  in  whieli  these  Avoids  AA^ere  uttered,  as  he 
turned  np  his  face,  still  liedeAved  with  tears,  and  exclaimed,  as 
the  float  moved  aAAmy,  dvEMEMBER,  Brother  KinoAid,  six 
MEN  FOR  ARRAC AN ! ^ 

I never  saAV  brother  or  sister  Comstock  after  that.  The  very 
day  Ave  took  a pilot  on  board  off  Sandy  Hook,  April  28th,  1843, 
Avas  the  day  that  sister  Comstock  died;  and  in  one  year  after- 
Avards,  laeking  three  days,  that  is,  on  the  25th  of  April,  1844, 
brother  Comstoek  folloAA^ed  her.  j^oav  they  sleep  side  by  side  in 
the  graveyard  at  Baniree,  under  the  tamarind  trees ; and  sister 
Abbott  and  her  children  are  buried  in  the  same  ground. 

“Ah!  my  Christian  friends,  could  yon  have  Avitnessed  the 
parting  of  these  beloA^ed  missionaries  Avith  their  children  j — could 
yon  liaA^e  stood  with  suiwiAmrs  fiy  the  graA^es  of  the  loved  ones 
who  lie  buried  on  those  heathen  shores,  you  would  then  know 
something  of  Avliat  it  is  to  make  sacrifices  for  the  missionary 
cause. 

“Once  more  let  me  call  upon  this  audience  to  remember  the 
last  parting  Avords  of  the  beloA^ed  Comstoek ! and  then  let  me 
ask,  in  the  name  of  my  departed  brother  and  of  Jesus,  the 
Master  whom  he  seiwed,  shall  Ave  go  baek  to  that  heathen  land 
without  SIX  MEN  FOR  ARRACAN  !” 

About  the  time  of  the  arriAail  of  his  two  eldest  children  in 
Ameriea, . Mr.  Comstoek  Avas  called  to  snfier  even  a heavier 
afflietion.  Mrs.  Comstoek  herself  was  summoned  to  her  heavenly 
home.  She  died  after  a week’s  nnexpected  illness.  In  less  than 
three  months  later,  their  tAvo  youngest  children  followed  their 
mother;  and  the  widoAA^ed husband  and  the  afiectionate  father  was 
left  alone.  “June  12th,”  writes  he,  “ at  about  tAvo  in  the  morn- 
ing, my  dprling  Eobert  breathed  his  last,  after  seA^eral  hours  of 
convulsive  agony.  He  had  l)een  sick  but  three  days.  He  Avas  a 
remarkably  intelligent  and  amiable  boy,  and  Avas  a great  deal 


STOK’Y  Ol'’  HAl’TIS'I’  MISSIONS. 


:)U> 

of  sooioty  and  (H)nifoit  to  iik*  al‘t(‘r  liis  iiiotli(‘i’s  (l(*atli.  duly  1st, 
my  SMTot  l)al)C  loft  mo,  I (loiil)t  not  to  Join  liis  motlnn-  and 
brother  in  lieavon.  How  I fo.lt  as  1 wato.ln'd  tlui  dyin^  strn^’^l(‘s 
of  those  dear  ones,  i)r(‘])ar(*d  tlnn'r  bodicvs  for  tin*,  ^^rave,  and  oon- 
diicted  the  burial,  you  eannot  fully  oomjeivo,  norc^an  you  ima^dne 
the  feelings  which  thoughts  of  tlnmi  sometimes  excate  in  my 
lonely  hoart.” 

During  the  same  Summer  he  suffered  from  s(*vere  sickn(‘ss: 
but  during  the  AVinter  his  healtli  seemed  to  rally.  In  the  Spring 
following,  however,  while  staying  ])rovidentially  at  Akyab,  ho 
Avas  seized  with  Asiatic  cholera.  This  disease  was  chocked;  but 
a low  fever  ensued  which  proAUMl  fatal. 

Thus  died  Comstock,  at  the  age  of  live  and  forty,  without 
realizing  all  the  sanguine  hopes  with  Avlii(*h  he  had  left  his 
native  land.  The  little  church  at  Ramroe  consisted  of  only  nine 
members;  six  or  eight  more,  however,  had  been  converted  and 
were  AAmiting  for  baptism.  Some  feAV,  in  other  i)arts  of  Arracan, 
had  been  led  to  Jesus  by  his  ministrations.  But  still  Ave  should 
consider  that  young  Comstock  and  his  Avife  AAXu*e  much  occu])i(*d 
soAving  the  seed  for  haiwests  AAddcli  other  missionaries  were  to 
reap  and  gather  in.  ]Mrs.  Comstock  had  translated  a ‘^Scripture 
Catecliism^^  and  Avritten  ^^The  Mother’s  Book,”  l)oth  useful  man- 
uals, while  her  husband  had  prepared  the  Avay  for  other 
messengers  of  the  Cross  b}"  writing  a history  of  the  people,  their 
modes  of  thought  and  of  faith,  entitled,  ^^Xotes  on  Arakan,” 
published  shortly  after  his  decease  in  the  ^CTournal  of  the 
^Vmerican  Oriental  Society.”  ^ 

IT  is  tracts  were  Avidely  circulated;  and  Karens  who  nether 
heard  his  voice  have  been  coiiA^erted  by  reading  his  printed  pro- 
ductions. To  those  Avho  do  not  admit  that  the  reading  of  the 
Gospel  from  the  printed  ])age  is  Aurtually  xireaching  the  Gospel, 

1.  Yol.  T,  No.  3,  1847.  See  also  American  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine^ 
Vol.  XXVI b p.  375. 


I 


POWEK.  OF  THE  PRINTED  PAGE. 


:U7 

we  commeiid  the  following’ fact:  A Burman,  afterwards  a Bud- 
dhist priest^  was  reading  aloud  ^^The  Way  to  Heaven,”  one  of 
Mr.  Comstock’s  tracts.  A Karen  chanced  to  hear  him,  and 
begged  he  would  come  to  his  village  and  read  those  words  to  his 
neighbors.  He  did  so,  and  the  people  hocked  together  to 
listen.  They  wept  as  they  heard  of  a Saviour’s  love.  They 
urged  him  to  repeat  his  visit;  and,  though  himself  without  inter- 


A Karen  Village. 


est  in  the  theme,  this  idolatrous  Burman  went  from  village  to 
village,  reading  the  tract  to  deeply  affected  hearers,  who,  in 
return,  loaded  him  with  gifts.  This  fact  was  first  published 
about  eight  years  after  the  hand  that  wrote  the  tract  ^Horgot  its 
cunning.”  They  that  turn  nlany  to  righteousness  shall  shine  as 
the  stars.  Like  the  stars  they  may^long  be  hid  behind  clouds 
and  storms  of  the  night,  or  be  rendered  invisible  by  the  succes- 
sive visits  of  the  day.  But  they  shine  on  still ; and,  were  they 
immortal,  like  our  missionary,  it  might  be  said  of  them  that  they 
shall  shine  on  forever. 


AN  OLD-FASHIONED  HINDU  VILLAGE  SCHOOL. 


A STATE  PROCESSION  IN  INDIA. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


MBS.  SABAH  DAVIS  COMSTOCK. 

Born  in  Brookline,  Massachusetts. — Early  Conversion. — Offers  Herself  as  a 
Candidate  for  a Foreign  Mission. — Never  Regretted  her  Resolution. — 
The  Trackless  Ways  of  Providence. — Embarks  for  Arracan. — The 
deadly  Climate. — Her  Sentiments  about  sending  Missionaries’  Children 
to  America. — The  Painful  Surrender. — Her  Knowledge  of  a Pagan 
Language. — Excelled  in  Discussion. — Her  Sickness  and  early  Death  — 
The  subsequent  History  of  the  Arracan  Mission. — Eight  Missionaries 
followed  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Comstock. — The  Labors  of  Messrs.  Fink, 
Kincaid  and  Abbott  in  Arracan. 

^jTARAII  DAYIS  was  born  at  Brookline,  near  Boston,  Mass., 
September  24tli,  1812.  Her  pious  mother  trained  her  to 
early  obedience  and  to  habits  of  iisefnl  activity.  Xatnrally  she 
was  frank,  ardent  and  energetic ; her  excellent  education  brought 
these  qualities  under  the  control  of  fiatience,  considerateness  and 
a delicate  regard  for  the  feelings  of  others.  Her  conversion  at 
sixteen  caused  to  be  gradually  wrought  into  the  elements  of  her 
character  an  enlightened  sense  of  duty,  humility,  and  a world- 
embracing  benevolence.  Her  home  was  attractive ; she  grew 
up  as  a tender  i)lant,  shielded  from  the  fierce  winds  of  tempta- 
tion, and  enjoying  the  choicest  influences  of  society  and  friend- 
shij).  Life  spread  out  before  her  its  rich  parterre,  and  everything 
promised  a career  of  sunshine  and  joy.”  But  with  her  growth 
in  grace  increased  her  deep  interest  in  the  conversion  of  the 
ungodly  and  the  salvation  of  the  heathen.  To  such  a degree  did 
her  compassion  for  the  heathen  and  her  sense  of  duty  move  her, 
that,  without  waiting  for  any  clear  indication  of  Providence,  in 
1832  she  offered  herself  to  the  Board  of  Missions  as  a candidate 
for  foreign  service,  to  go  she  knew  not  where.  She  expected  to  go 
out  to  the  East  unmarried,  and  at  the  time  she  offered  her  services 


THE  STORY  OR  RA1*T1S'J'  MISSIONS. 


348 


sli(‘  IijmI  iio  ])r()si)ec4.  And  y(‘t  sIk*  lind  not  (nkcn  this  stop 

liMstily  and  th()ii^^iitl(‘ssly.  I liav(‘,  not,”  said  slio,  actcil  witli 
Unit  ])m‘Ji)itaii(*y  Avliich  may  Justly  lx*.  consid(‘i(‘d  an  in^oTdiiuit 
in  niy  oliaractiM'.  No  ; iny  c.ondiKd.  is  tin*  iTsidt  of  calin,  dolilxu’ati* 
and  rational  rothxdion.”  As  two  years  elajisixl  from  tlie  time  of 

tli(‘.  otter  of  lu'i-  ser- 
vie(‘S  to  the  tinu*/  sin* 
embarkcMl  tor  IJnr- 
inah,  she.  liad  a.  lon^’ 
season  in  wliie.li  to 
test  thoroughly  h(‘r 
motiv(‘s,  and,  it  sh(‘. 
liad  found  that  she 
had  aeted  from  any 
romanti(5  or  fanatical 
impulses,  to  return  to 
the  iiaths  of  reason 
and  luudence.  From 
tlie  very  tirst,  how- 
ever, her  resolution 
did  not  falter  nor  her 
heart  faint.  After  she 
had  been  at  work 
some  years  in  Arra- 
can,  she  thus  writes 
to  her  foster-father: 


Mrs.  Sarah  Davis  Comstock.  , 

Though  aware  that 

when  I left  yon  I lost  a father’s  care,  a father’s  counsel  and 
a father’s  home,  yet  conscience  tells  me  that  in  so  doing  I per- 
formed a duty  which  I owe  to  myself,  the  heathen  and  my  God. 
And  I cannot  REaiiET  it.” 


have  said  that,  thongh  Miss  Davis  heard  the  call  of  the 
S])irit  to  dedicate  her  life  to  missionary  service  and  suflering,  she 


MR.  AND  MRS.  COMSTOCK  IN  ARRACAN.  349 

did  iiotj  at  first,  liear  any  voice  of  Providence  telling  lier  when, 
where  or  how  she  was  to  engage  in  her  beneficent  work.  So  fiir 
as  she  had  matured  any  plan,  it  was,  we  snx^i)ose,  to  connect 
herself  with  some  missionary  family  already  in  the  field,  and 
there  labor  as  a teacher  of  heathen  children.  But  it  was  to  be 
otherwise  ordered.  At  the  time  she  was  accepted  by  the  Board, 
another  candidate,  the  Eev.  Grover  S.  Comstock  was  also 
appointed  to  a like  foreign  service.  He  was  subsequently  to 
become  her  husband.  She  afterwards  passed  several  mouths  in 
Mr.  Wade’s  Burman  and  Karen  school  at  Hamilton,  Kew  York. 
She  was  married  June  24th,  1834,  and  sailed  for  India  July  2d. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Comstock  spent  some  time  after  their  arrival  in 
Arracau  in  searching  for  a i^roper  place  to  establish  a mission. 
This  province  had  a worse  rex)utation  than  any  other  for 
uuhealthiness.  The  heated  exhalations  from  the  deposits  made 
along  the  coast  by  the  waters  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  and  from 
the  marshes  and  pools  of  the  province,  x^oisou  the  atmosi)here, 
and  make  it  very  fatal  to  foreigners.  Our  missionaries  were 
comx>elled  to  change  their  stations  several  times  in  consequence 
of  local  causes  of  insalubrity,  but  they  were  determined  to 
remain  in  Arracan. 

In  our  sketch  of  Mr.  Comstock  we  have  seen  how  he  and  his 
wife  suffered  when  called  to  separate  from  their  children.  Mrs. 
Comstock  dwells  on  this  x^athetic  subject  in  her  letters  j and  her 
motherly  way  of  handling  it  has  done  much  to  embalm  her  name 
in  the  memory  of  all  evangelical  Christendom.  In  one  of  her 
best  letters,  she  says:  ^Wou  are  right  in  sux^X)osing  that  I have 
many  anxious  thoughts  about  my  future  lot,  lioio  many  and  how 
anxious  no  human  being  can  ever  know.  I am  not  decided 
whether  it  is  best  to  send  them  from  me,  or  rather,  from  this 
country.  Prom  exx)erience  and  observation,  my  own  as  well  as 
that  of  others,  I am  convinced  that  our  children  cannot  be  x)rox)- 
erly  educated  and  fitted  for  the  greatest  usefulness  in  this  coun- 

\ 


2o 


TilE  STOliY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


try;  tliat  I shall  Avroii^- my  c.liihlii'ii,  seriously  wrony  Wn^wiy  l)y  siih 
erin^'  them  to  ^o-ow  ii]),  iiilialiii^’,  day  after  day,  and  year  aftei- 
year,  the  fatal  miasma,  with  wl deli  the  wlioh*.  moral  atmosjiheTiMif 
this  country  is  so  fearfully  im])re^nated.  On  this  jioiiit  my 
ment  has  long  heim  eonvim'.ed.  Shall  w(*,  then,  go  hoim*.  with  our 
ehildreii,  and  see  them  edueat(‘d  under  the  genial  iidluenci*.  of  a 
Christian  sky  ? Or  shall  we  simd  them  away,  and  e.ommit  their 
best  interests,  for  time  and  eteiadty,  to  strang(*r  hands,  who  do 
not,  can  not  feel  a mother'' s responsihiUtyj  howev(*r  muedi  and 
eonseieiitiously  they  may  strive  to  perl'orm  a.  mother’s  duties? 
As  a general  rule,  1 believe  a mother’s  duty  to  her  ehildrmi  is 
second  only  to  her  duty  to  her  Creator.  How  lar  ndssionary 
mothers  may  be  exempt  from  this  rule,  it  is  dilticult  to  de(ade. 
A mother  who  has  spent  eight,  ten,  or  twelve  of  her  liest  years 
among  the  heathen,  may  be  expectcnl  to  be  well  acipianted  with 
their  language,  manners,  customs  and  habits  of  thought  and 
feeling.  She  has  proved  herself  their  friend  and  gained  their 
coiihdence  and  affection.  She  is,  as  it  were,  just  xuepared  for 
extensive  usefulness.  At  this  period,  shall  she  go  and  leave 
them,  with  none  to  tell  them  of  Him  who  came . to  ransom  their 
souls  from  sin  and  its  penalty?  Or,  if  another  is  raised  uj)  to 
till  her  place,  it  must  be  j^ears  — years  during  which  many 
precious  immortals  must  go  down  to  a dark,  a fearful  eternity, 
ere  she  is  prepared  to  labor  efficiently  among  tliem. 

see  no  other  way  than  for  each  mother  i^rayerfully  to 
consider  the  subject,  and  let  her  own  conscience  decide  as  to  her 
duty.  As  for  my  own  private  feelings  on  the  subject,  after  long, 
serious,  and  i)rayerful  consideration,  I have  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  it  is  best  to  send  our  two  eldest  children  to  America  in 
the  course  of  another  year,  should  a good  opi)ortunity  offero 
This  decision,  be  assured,  has  not  been  gained  without  many 
tearful  conllicts  with  maternal  affection. 

^^You  are  right  when  you  judge  this  to  be  the  greatest  cross 


THE  PAKTINO  OF  PARENTS  AND  CHILDREN. 


351 


the  missionary  is  called  to  hear.  When  we  left  forever  the  land 
of  onr  birth,  the  home,  sweet  home  of  onr  sunny  childhood,  and 
all  those  beloved  friends  and  relatives  who  were  to  us  dearer 
than  life,  many  thought  we  were  making  a great  sacrifice.  So  it 
was.  And  deep  and  sincere  seemed  the  sympathy  that  was 
evinced  on  onr  account.  Yet  the  iiangs  of  that  separation  are 
not  to  be  compared  with  those  which  must  rend  that  mother’s 
heart  who  feels  compelled  to  send  from  her  fond  embrace  those 
precious  little  ones  to  whom  she  has  been  the  means  of  giving 
life,  almost  in  the  infancy  of  their  existence,  too,  with  no  fixed 
principles  and  habits,  and  without  a hope  of  ever  seeing  them 
again.  This  surely  forms  the  climax  of  a missionary’s  sacrifices. 
But  if  God,  the  kind  author  of  all  onr  blessings,  require  even  this, 
shall  we  say,  ^ It  is  too  much  f Shall  we  .withhold  even  onr 
Isaacs?  Yo!  may  we  rather  strive  to  commit  ourselves  and  our 
precious  ofi'spring  in  faith  to  his  care,  who  has  said,  ^ Leave  thy 
fatherless  children  to  me.’  They  are,  in  one  sense,  orphans.  But 
if  rendered  so  by  what  we  feel  to  be  obedience  to  our  heavenly 
Father’s  will,  will  he  not  be  to  them  a father  and  protector? 
Will  he  not  more  than  supply  the  place  of  the  most  affectionate 
earthly  parents  ? ” 

We  have  here  quoted  to  an  extent  not  equalled  in  this  volume. 
But  Mrs.  Comstock’s  words  concerning  this  subject  have  been 
treasured  in  many  hearts  as  of  more  value  than  oriental  diamonds. 
The  generation  of  missionaries  who  first  read  them,  with  many 
natural  tears,  has  passed  away  to  the  tearless  and  nightless  land ; 
and  these  letters  are  in  some  danger  of  growing  too  scarce  for 
the  coming  heralds  of  salvation.  There  is  one  more  paragraph 
which  were  I to  refuse  to  quote  I Avould  be  slow  to  forgive 
myself : 

You  know  not,  you  never  can  know,  save  by  precisely  the 
same  experiences,  what  this  heart  of  mine  has  endured  in  the 
separation  (which  duty,  stern  duty  required)  from  our  darling 


TJIK  STORY  OR  BAPTIST  MISSIONS, 


snj 

cliildroB.  Tlio  tlionglit  that  they  are  gone,  y(‘s,  gone  forever 
iroiii  Biy  view,  and  at  their  tiaider  age,  when  they  most  need  a 
mother’s  tender  care  and  gnidanee  ; that  tliey  are  orphans  by  the 
voluntary  act  of  their  parents,  is  at  times  almost  too  much  for 
my  aching,  bursting  heart  to  endure.  Had  not  my  Saviour,  yes, 
and  a compassionate  Saviour,  added  these  two  words,  ^ and 
children,’  to  the  list  of  sacrifices  for  his  sake,  I must  think  it  more 
than  was  required.” 

Ah!  well,  Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,”  and  not  seldom 
in  a soil  that  is  as  dark  as  it  is  fruitfnl.  And  what  harvests  of 
light  some  of  the  sowers  we  read  of  are  yet  to  reap  ! 

Mrs.  Comstock  acquired  a very  good  knowledge  of  the  language 
of  the  natives,  and  her  easy  and  correct  use  of  it  was  often 
noticed  by  the  natives  with  astonishment  and  admiration.  She 
had  much  argumentative  skill,  and  was  often  compelled  to  engage 
in  discussions  Avith  men,  Avhich  she  managed  Avith  great  judgment. 
Her  family  cares  seldom  permitted  her  to  accompany  her  husband 
in  his  tours  through  the  Aullages.  But  she  was  ahvays  desirous 
to  go  out  with  him  when  she  could.  The  common  disease  of  the 
climate,  however,  suddenly  brought  her  to  a pause  in  her  benev- 
olent career.  For  a few  months  liefore  her  sickness,  we  are  told, 
her  health  had  been  unusually  good,  and  her  iirospects  of  laboring 
long  and  successfully  in  Arracan  Avere  neA^er  fairer.  Her  illness 
was  short  and  fatal.  She  died  April  28th,  1843,  at  the  age  of 
thirty  years,  seA^en  months  and  four  days. 

“ If  life  be  not  in  length  of  clays, 

In  silvered  locks,  and  farrowed  brow, 

But  living  to  the  Saviour’s  praise. 

How  feAV  have  lived  so  long  as  thou. 

“ Though  earth  may  boast  one  gem  the  less. 

May  not  even  heaven  the  richer  be? 

And  mjriads  on  thy  footsteps  press 
To  share  thy  bless’d  eternity?” 

Such  of  our  readers  as  have  traced  the  steps  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


THE  ABANDONMENT  OF  ARRACAN. 


353 


Comstock,  both  ending  their  career  so  early,  will  naturally 
inquire  whether  the  ^^six  men  for  Arracan,”  for  whom  Mr.  Comstock 
called  so  earnestly,  responded  to  the  call,  and  what  befell  the  mis- 
sion after  these  lamented  young  missionaries  went  to  their  home 
in  glory.  In  1845,  after  tlie  death  of  Mr.  Comstock,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Stilson  were  the  only  missionaries  left  in  the  entire  province. 
Kine  years  passed  before  the  last  of  the  six  men  desired  could 
come  to  the  rescue.  Eight  other  missionaries  and  their  wives 
subsequently  came  and  occupied  this  field.  Rev.  Lovell  Ingalls 
and  his  wife  came  to  their  help  in  1846  j Rev.  J.  S.  Beecher  and 
his  wife  in  1847  j Rev.  C.  C.  Moore  and  his  wife  in  1848  j Rev. 
Harvey  M.  Campbell  and  his  wife,  also  Rev.  Harvey  E.  Knapp 
and  his  wife,  in  1850 ; Rev.  A.  T.  Rose  and  his  wife  in  1853  } the 
Rev.  A.  B.  Satterlee  and  his  wife,  also  Rev.  H.  L.  Yan  Meter  and 
his  wife,  in  1855. 

Messrs.  Kincaid  and  Abbott,  driven  from  their  stations  in 
Biirmah  Proper  in  1840,  had  repaired  to  Arracan,  a part  of 
British  India,  the  former  settling  in  Akyab  and  the  latter  in 
Sandoway.  But  their  labors  were  chiefly  given  to  the  Karens 
who  had  fled  to  them  from  Burmah  Proper.  Some  notice  of 
their  exertions  and  successes  will  be  found  in  our  account  of  the 
Karens.  The  work  of  evangelization  gradually  centered  at 
Sandoway,  so  that  from  1849  the  progress  of  the  work  in  Arracan 
was  for  several  years  reported  under  that  name.  At  length  the 
centre  of  the  mission  was  removed  southward  across  the  moun- 
tains and  fixed  in  the  district  of  Bassein.  Thus  the  name  of 
Arracan,  once  the  brightest  hope  of  American  Baptists,  ceased 
to  be  mentioned  in  the  annual  records  of  our  missions.  But  we 
were  not  the  first  to  retire  from  that  pestilential  field.  As  far 
back  as  1837,  Rev.  J.  C.  Fink,  of  the  Serampore  Ba^^tist  Mission- 
ary Society,  retreated  from  the  same  ground.  He  had  labored 
at  Akyab  and  Ramree,  and  not  without  some  success  ; for  when, 
in  1840,  Messrs.  Kincaid  and  Abbott  went  to  Akyab,  they  found 


THE  HTOHY  OE  HAPTIHT  MISSIONS. 


tliere  n iiativo-  clinrcli  of  tUirto(‘n  iTiomhors,  all  of  whom,  save 
one,  had  heeii  l)aptiz(‘d  five-aml-twenty  years  Ixdore. 

Tlie  lamentation  is  that  Arracan  lias  now  no  missionary  j in 
other  words,  the  conquests  of  the  ll(‘d(‘(‘m(w  are  sweeping  onward 
over  otlier  regions.  IMany  a si)ot  now  silent  and  desolate  yed 
tells  of  a memorable  past,  and  remains  as  a monument  of  battles 
fought  and  won  for  the  Son  of  God. 

Note. — Recent  intelligence  shows  that  this  mission  has  been  revived. 
See  Appendix. 


Returning  from  a Sacrifice. 


i 


KO  THAH'A.— Ono  of  Judson's  First  Converts,  and  long  Pastor  of  a Native  Church  at  Rangoon- 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


MR.  VINTON  AND  THE  KEJIMENDINE  MISSION. 

A former  Controversy  about  the  Man.— His  going  to  the  Rescue  of  the  Karens 
at  Rangoon. — The  Reign  of  Terror  among  the  Karens. — Mr.  Kincaid’s 
Vindication  of  Mr.  Vinton. — Birth  and  Education  of  Mr.  Vinton. — Con- 
version and  Call. — Embarks  for  the  East. — A Revival  on  board  the  Ship. 
His  Methods  of  Missionary  Work. — Return  to  America. — The  Effect  of 
his  singing  Karen  Hymns. — Mrs.  Vinton  and  Ann  Bestor’s  Five-franc 
Piece. — Frank's  Chapel. — The  Vinton  Memorial. — Mr.  Vinton’s  Exer- 
tions during  the  Famine  in  Burmah. — Buys  a Ship-load  of  Rice. — 
Adventures  on  the  Pony  and  the  Elephant. — Sickens  of  the  Jungle 
Fever  and  Dies  on  his  return  to  Kemmendine. — Dr.  Warren’s  views  of 
the  Uses  of  Corporate  Poverty. — Late  events  Justify  the  Wisdom  of  Mr. 
Vinton. — The  Karens  pray  for  Freedom. — What  Great  Britain  owes  to 
American  Baptist  Missionaries. 

MANY  Papists  of  this  generatiou  Justus  H.  Yintoii  is 
remembered  as  a kind  of  figure-head  to  an  ecclesiastical 
man-of-war.  They  kuow  little  or  nothing’  about  the  character  of 
the  man  or  his  career  as  a missionary^  and  least  of  all^  perhaps, 
concerning’  the  occasion  of  the  annual  contention  in  which  his 
name  was  so  often  mentioned.  They  recollect  that  a certain 
delegation  was  sent  out  to  Burmah,  clothed  with  authority  from 
the  Missionary  Union  to  inquire  into  the  facts  of  some  cases  of 
insubordination  among  the  missionaries.  They  recollect  that  a 
council  was  held  at  Maulmain,  in  which  the  delegation  took  a 
leading  part.  It  will  be  remembered  that  Mr.  Vinton  was  charged 
with  assuming  too  much  responsibility  in  removing  from  Maulmain 
to  llangoon  at  the  time  of  the  breaking  out  of  the  second  Bunn  an 
war  in  1852.  In  the  sight  of  all  theological  martinets  this  was  an 
unpardonable  offense  j for  they  would  fain,  I dare  say,  concur 
with  those  expositors  on  the  sixth  verse  of  Jude  who  think  that 
the  reason  why  Satan  and  his  angelic  followers  Avere  cast  out  of 


350 


THE  STORY  OE  HAPTJST  MISSIONS. 


lieavcii  was  that  they  left  the  i)osts  whicli  liad  been  assif^nied 
them  by  the  Almighty. 

But  facts  gradually  came  to  light  which  fully  justified  Mr. 
Vinton  in  flying  tollangoon  in  order  to  assist  Mr.  Kincaid  in  tin* 
relief  of  the  Christian  KarenSj  who  were  being  slaughtered  as 
being  the  secret  friends  of  the  British  invaders^ — and  it  was 
true  that  they  had  long  been  i)raying  and  hoping  that  tin*, 
English  would  come  and  rescue  them  from  the  wrongs  and 
opjwessions  they  had  suffered  from  the  Burmans.  When  Mr. 
Kincaid  sent  for  Mr.  Vinton,  every  Karen  village  within  fifty 
miles  of  Bangoon  had  been  burnt j and  five  thousand  Karen 
refugees  were  living  in  carts,  and  under  trees,  within  seven 
miles  of  the  same  city.  Their  standing  crops  were  bui  iied,  and 
their  stores  of  rice  were  either  seized  or  destroyed.  The  Bur- 
mans  had  tortured  and  killed  men,  women  and  children,  with 
ingenious  brutality  and  unspeakable  cruelty.  Two  iiatiye 
jireachers  had  been  crucified.  Some  men  had  been  slowly  cut 
to  pieces,  joint  by  joint,  or  limb  by  limb,  through  successive 
daysj  others  had  been  fastened  to  crosses,  and  then  set  adrift 
upon  rafts,  in  order  that  they  might  be  tantalized  to  death  by 
the  sight  of  cooling  waters.  Disease  and  starvation  were  daily 
thinning  the  multitude  of  homeless  Karens,  among  whom  were 
the  members  of  seA^enteen  native  Baptist  churches. 

In  going  to  the  help  of  Mr.  Kincaid,  lie  went  to  administer  to 
the  necessities  and  miseries  of  these  flocks,  thus  exposed  to 
slaughter.  His  fellow  missionaries  in  Maulmain  all  joined  their 
A^oices  to  that  of  Mr.  Kincaid,  urging  him  to  fly  to  the  relief  of 
these  Auctims  of  revenge  and  madness.  When  Mr.  Vinton 
reached  Bangoon  he  found  the  Burmese  part  of  the  city  in 
ruins.  He  and  Mr.  Kincaid  obtained  permission  of  the  British 
(commander  to  occupy  tAVo  deserted  monasteries  as  hospitals  for 
th(i  Karens.  Tliese  monasteries  AA^ere  soon  filled,  AA^hile  many  of 
them  cam])ed  out  under  the  trees  on  the  slope  in  front  of  the 


RELIEVINO  PERSECUTED  KARENS. 


357 


great  pagoda,  Shway  Dagong.  They  brought  witli  them  a 
great  variety  of  diseases  j and  ou  the  arrival  of  Mrs.  Vinton, 
six  weeks  later,  a hospital  for  cases  of  sinall-pox  was  built  close  • 
to  their  own  house,  ^^so  that  they  could  better  care  for  the 
I)atients  who  needed  them  most.’^  As  none  but  the  Vintons  and 
the  Kincaids  could  understand  the  language  of  the  Karens,  or 
had  much  sympathy  with  their  sufferings,  they  were  called  to 
an  amount  of  exertion  and  toil  such  as  they  had  never  known 
before.  Besides  their  min- 
istrations in  the  hospitals, 
they  frequently  visited  the 
thousands  of  families  that 
were  encamped  near  the 
city.  On  inquiry,  they 
learned  the  fate  of  the 
missing  Karen  disciples. 

Many  had  fallen  by  the 
dagger  of  the  Burmau  or 
been  sold  into  slavery. 

Others  had  been  driven  at 
the  point  of  the  spear  into 
the  front  ranks  to  fight 
against  the  British ; a 
number  of  these  had  been 
killed,  and  upon  their 
breasts  had  been  found  copies  of  the  Gospels  or  fragments  of 
other  Scripture.  Later,  came  to  Kangoon  those  who  had  se- 
creted themselves  in  their  native  mountains  and  jungles, 
subsisting  upon  roots  and  such  game  as  they  could  trap. 

These  missionaries  also  found  i)lenty  of  evangelistic  work  to 
do.  The  hearts  of  the  people,’^  says  Mr.  Kincaid^  were  soft- 
ened like  wax.  The  arm  of  the  Lord  was  made  bare,  and  the 
Gospel  wrought  mightily  upon  the  people.  We  had  a Pente- 


Rev.  Justus  H.  Vinion. 


.358 


THE  STOIIY  OE  EAPTIHT  MJS8JONS. 


costal  season  almost  every  we(‘k,  j)i(‘a(;liinj,^  daily  and  every  eve- 
ning^ male  and  female  ])rayer  meetings  every  week;  baptizing 
converts  every  Sabbatli.”  Mr.  A'inton  was  not  tlie  man  to  wait 
six  montlis  for  a formal  permission  from  lloston  before  joining 
]\Ir.  Kincaid  at  this  great  crisis  in  tlie  affairs  of  a ])eoi)le  who 
had  been  so  ready  to  receive  tlie  Kingdom  of  (lod. 

Mr.  Kincaid^  in  his  vindication,  jmblished  in  1857,  thus  comes 
to  the  defense  of  his  fellow-laborer:  ^M)id  ^]\rr.  Yiiiton  go  to 
llangoon  on  his  own  resiionsibility ^ ? One  thousand  Karen 
Christians  ealled  him  to  ^come  over  and  hel])  them.’  Humanity, 
with  imploring  voice,  called  him;  above  all,  the  Providence  of 
God,  in  clear  and  distinct  language,  called  him  to  the  work. 
Dare  he  sit  still,  and  say  to  these  suffering  Karens,  and  to 
weeping  humanity,  and,  above  all,  to  the  Providence  of  God, 
^Let  me  first  go  and  obtain  permission  from  those  who  claim 
dictatorial  power  over  me’  ? Dare  he  so  insult  the  Providence  of 
God,  and  mock  the  entreaties  of  God’s  suffering  people!  Shall 
we  say  that  he  is  a hireling^  and  careth  not  for  the  torn  and  scat- 
tered dock.  Did  ^Mr.  Vinton  go  to  Itaugoou  on  Ids  own 
responsibility’!  Shame!  shame!  on  such  gross  and  fabulous 
statements.  Kever,  since  the  day  that  Paul  was  called  into 
Macedonia,  has  there  been  a clearer  case  of  duty  to  go  in  the 
name  of  Christ.  Had  it  been  1113^  case,  under  similar  circum- 
stances, no  opposition  on  the  part  of  man  would  have  been 
regarded  as  of  the  slightest  moment.  I would  have  brushed  it 
as  a cobweb  from  1113^  path.  AVhat  power  is  that  which  thrusts 
itself  between  the  ambassador  of  Christ  in  a heathen  land  and 
the  God  of  Missions!  What  power  is  that  which  claims  to  keep 
the  consciences  of  men  who  are  planting  churches  on  heathen 
shores ! ” 

The  subject  of  this  eloquent  vindication  was  born  in  Wil- 
lington,  Connecticut,  February  17,  18()(>.  At  the  age  of  ten  he 
was  converted,  and  united  with  the  Dai)tist  church  at  Ashford, 


ITINERATINa  AMONG  THE  KARENS. 


359 


Connecticut.  Four  years  later  came  liis  inward  solemn  call  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry.  His  struggles  with  conscience  were 
painful,  and  for  a time  awakened  the  fears  of  his  mother.  Not 
knowing  the  cause  of  his  despondency,  she  inquired  what  the 
matter  was.  He  answered:  Mother,  woe  he  unto  me  if  I 
preach  not  the  Gospel.”  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  entered  the 
Institution  at  Hamilton,  New  York.  While  a student  he 
l)reached  in  destitute  fields,  and  partly  supported  himself  hy 
teaching  schools.  On  Ai)ril  9,  1834,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Calista  Holman,  to  whose  memory  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Calista  Y.  Luther,  has  paid  so  valuable  a tribute  in  the  attractive 
volume,  to  which  we  are  much  indebted,  entitled  The  Yintons 
and  the  Karens.” 

They  sailed  for  Burmah  in  July,  1834,  in  company  with  the 
Wades,  the  Howards,  the  Deans  and  the  Osgoods.  Religious 
services  were  held  on  board,  in  which  Mr.  Yiutoii  aimed  at  the 
conversion  of  the  officers  and  crew.  As  the  result  of  the  divine 
blessing  on  the  prayers  and  the  sermons,  the  captain,  the 
steward,  the  super-cargo,  and  a number  of  sailors,  were  brought 
to  rejoice  in  their  Redeemer. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yinton  landed  in  Maulmaiii  in  December,  1834. 
By  studying  Karen  for  a year  at  Hamilton,  and  during  the 
voyage,  they  had  become  sufficiently  familiar  with  the  language 
to  enable  them  to  commence  work  within  a week  of  their  arrival. 
At  first  they  travelled  together,  but  they  received  so  many  invi- 
tations from  distant  villages  that  they  found  that  they  could 
not  accept  them  unless  they  separated.  Each,  therefore,  took  a 
band  of  native  Christians,  and  Avent  from  village  to  village, 
preaching  the  good  news  of  salvation.  After  a fair  trial  of  this 
plan,  they  adopted  it,  and,  for  nearly  a quarter  of  a century, 
pursued  it  in  their  expeditions  among  the  Karens. 

From  the  time  of  his  arrival  until  1848,  Mr.  Yintoifs  labors 
were  chiefly  given  to  the  Karens  and  Burmans  of  the  district  of 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


m) 

Maiilmaiii,  witli  occiisioiail  visits  to  Ranf»()oii  and  Tavoy.  Wlnai 
confined  to  the  city  durin^^  tlie  rains,  li(‘.  lal)or(‘d  amonj^  tiie 
I>ritish  soldiers,  or  work(‘d  n])on  Ids  ('oinnientary,  orliis  transla- 
lation  of  the  N^ew  Testaineiit  into  tlie  Karen.  One  rainy  season 
he  distributcal  eight  thousand  tracts  in  six  weeks.  He  Avas 
instriiinental  in  the  conversion  of  many  soldiers,  and  oflicers  not 
a lew. 

l>y  reason  of  ill  health,  Mrs.  Vinton  returned  to  vVmericai  in 
1848,  accom])anied  by  ]Mr.  Vinton,  Avho  was  now  needed  at  home 
for  the  i^nri)ose  of  helping  to  re-kindle  the  exjiiring  (mthusiasin 
of  the  Haptists  in  behalf  of  ndssions.  The  income  of  th(‘. 
IMissionary  Union  was  so  reduced,  that  in  1840  the  Board  dis- 
cussed the  question  of  relinquishing  some  of  their  ndssions. 
There  was  a dehciency  of  forty  thousand  dollars,  and  this  Avent 
on  increasing  from  year  to  year.  ]\Ir.  Vinton  traA^elled  among 
the  churches,  making  addresses  and  singing  in  the  Karen  the 

Kock  of  Ages,”  and  The  Missionary’s  Call.”  As  a singer  his 
popularity  Avas  A^ery  great.  He  had  tested  the  effects  of  his 
sacred  songs  while  a student  holding  meetings  in  destitute 
places.  Once,  during  a vacation,  he  Avent  into  a i)arish  in 
Connecticut  where  i^ublic  Avorship  A\ms  totally  neglected.  He 
went  to  the  x>l‘^ce  and  gave  out  an  appointment  to  preach. 
When  the  hour  of  serAUce  came  he  found  himself  alone.  He  sat 
doAvn  on  the  church  steps  and  began  to  sing;  soon  a crowd 
gathered,  and  Avere  invited  into  the  church.  He  i^reached  so 
ferA^ently  that  a large  number  were  couAUcted,  and  a reAuval 
commenced  A\diich  went  through  the  whole  community.  Eaxu 
in  the  jungles  of  Burinah,  as  his  daughter  Calista  tells  us,  ‘^his 
rich,  full  Amice  won  the  heart  of  many  a Avild  Ixaren;  and  thou- 
sands of  redeemed  souls  in  glory  to-day  could  testify  that  Mr. 
Sankey  Avas  not  the  lirst  aaTio  eAmr  thought  of  ^ singing  the 
Cosi)el.’” 

The  result  of  his  ai)peals  and  songs  Avas  to  add  new  fuel  and 


“ THE  CONTENTS  OF  THE  TOE  FOR  THE  HEATHEN.’^  oOl 

lire  to  missionary  zeal,  and  to  induce  the  sending  out  of  fresh 
missionaries  to  the  missions  in  Asia.  Mrs.  Vinton  was  likewise 
vesy  successful  in  colleqting  funds  to  build  a chapel  in  the  Karen 
Mission  Comi)Ound  at  Maulmain.  The  story  of  the  little  live- 
franc  piece  which  grew  to  be  a chapel,  through  the  humble  con- 
tribution of  poor  Mary  Ann  Bestor,  is  familiar  to  many  of  our 
readers.  A live-franc  piece  had  been  given  to  the  poor  sister 
with  which  to  purchase  a warm  dress  for  winter.  Desiring  to 
contribute  something  to  the  cause  of  missions,  and  yet  fearing 
that  if  her  gift  were  known  she  would  be  blamed,  she  concealed 
it  in  the  toe  of  a pair  of  stockings  which  she  had  knit,  and  sent 
them  to  Mrs.  Vinton  with  this  message  : The  contents  of  the 

toe  are  for  the  heathen.”  When,  in  her  travels  through  the 
United  States,  the  incidents  of  this  gift  were  told  by  Mrs.  Vinton, 
many  donations,  large  and  small,  were  added  to  it,  designated 
for  Frank’s  Chapel.  There  was  so  much  fun  mixed  up  with  this 
particular  contagion  of  beneficence,  that  we  question  whether  it 
was  giving  with  simplicity.”  Eom  xii,  8.  We  do  not  write 
this  croakingly,  but  the  doubt  crosses  the  mind  like  the  shadow 
of  a bird  on  the  wing.  Yet,  after  all,  the  chapel  was  not  to  be 
built  in  the  Kewton  ” compound  at  Maulmain.  Duty  soon 
called  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vinton  to  Eaugoon,  and  so  the  donations 
l)rovidentially  went  to  build  the  church  at  Kemmendine — a 
beautiful  suburb  of  Eangoon,  on  a bold  natural  terrace  over- 
looking the  river.  The  land  on  which  it  is  built  was  given  by 
Lord  Dalhousie,  the  Governor-general  of  India.  It  is  a large 
brick  edifice,  and  is  now  known  as  the  Vinton  Memorial,” 
although  while  he  lived  it  was  always  called  Frank’s  Chapel.” 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  imstilence  was  followed  by  famine. 
The  land  had  been  so  desolated  by  pillage  and  fire  that  not  only 
the  Karens  but  even  their  Burman  adversaries  were  dying  of 
starvation.  Eice  sold  for  six  or  seven  times  the  common  i)rice, 
and  thousands  of  Karens,  robbed  of  all  their  money,  had  eaten 


THE  STORY  OF  RAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


:}G2 

tlicir  last  meal  of  rie.e  and  were  redneed  to  live  on  wild  roots  aiid 
herbs.  As  the  Karens  liad  learned  to  look  to  Mr.  Vinton  for 
healin;^  in  time  of  sickness,  so  th(‘y  now  Avent  to  him  for  som(‘, 
relief  from  staiwation.  lie  j^ave  away  the  little  store  he  had 
laid  lip  for  his  school,  and  this  1(m1  to  the  rejiort  that  rii^e  Avas  to 
be  had  at  Teacher  Vinton’s.  AVhen  he  had  out  the  last 

bushel  of  this  grain  he  had  in  store,  he  Avmit  doAvn  to  the  ri(;(‘- 
merchants  of  the  city  and  said  : AVill  you  trust  me  for  a ship- 
load of  rice  % 1 cannot  ])ay  you  noAv,  and  I do  not  knoAv  Avdum  I 

can  i)ay  you  5 for  1 haA^e  recei\Td  no  remittance  from  America  for 
more  than  a year.  If  you  aa  ill  let  me  liaA^e  it,  I A\ill  pay  you  as 
soon  as  I am  able.”  They  answered : Mr.  A'inton,  take  all  you 

Avant.  You  can  liaA^e  a dozen  cargoes  if  you  Avish.”  Thereii])OTi 
he  tilled  his  granaries  and  outbuildings.  Some  of  his  friends 
were  alarmed,  and  said  : Mr.  Vinton,  you  are  ruining  yourself. 

You  do  not  knoAv  the  names  of  one-half  the  ])eople  to  Avhom  you 
are  ghdiig  this.  IIoav  do  you  exjiect  to  get  your  pay?”  Ilis 
ausAA  er  was  : God  Avill  see  to  that.”  Kor  Avas  he  mistaken. 

The  Karens  still  remember  him  as  their  benefactor,  and  many  a 
time  Avlien  his  name  is  mentioned  they  say,  ^^Ile  saved  our  lives.” 

In  his  inland  tours,  Mr.  Vinton  usually  rode  either  an  elephant 
or  a pony.  His  account  of  the  sagacity  of  the  former  confirms 
the  reports  of  other  missionaries.  One  day,  while  resting  at 
noon  in  a Karen  village  and  reading  his  Greek  Testament,  he 
called  to  one  of  his  attendants  to  bring  him  some  water.  His 
elephant,  standing  near,  heard  the  order,  and,  unobserved  by 
Mr.  Vinton,  gravely  stalked  away  to  the  Aillage  tank,  and  seizing 
a basin  filled  it  Avitli  Avater;  and,  coming  back,  poured  it  upon 
^Ir.  Vinton’s  head,  thus  jiuttiug  an  unexpected  end  to  his  studies! 
And  in  passing  through  theAAmods,  this  elephant  AAmuld  clear  the 
jiath  of  all  such  OA^erhanging  boughs  as  might  strike  and  pull 
off  his  rider.  The  i)ony  Avas  less  cautious  in  iiassing  through 
the  entangling  jungle.  On  more  than  one  occasion,  AAdien  he 


DEATH  OF  MR.  VmTOX. 


30J 


came  to  a low  liaugiiig  creeper  or  trailing  viiie^  he  would  drop 
his  ears  and  walk  througlp  while  his  rider^  who  perhax)s  Avas  at 
that  moment  reading  the  Greek  text  concrning  the  Apocalyx)tic 
angel  flying  through  the  midst  of  lieaAxm,  Avoidd  all  of  a sudden 
find  himself  lying  on  his  hack,  and  a switch  tail  disax)pearing  in 
the  leafiige  of  the  wilderness. 


Elephant  Travel. 

After  a preaching  tour  for  a month  among  the  Karen  villages, 
he  returned  to  Kangoon,  in  March,  1858,  complaining  of  being 
very  tired.  As  his  pony’s  hack  aatis  sore  he  had  walked  more  than 
commonly;  and  he  had  heen  pioneering  through  an  unhealthy 
region,  never  before  visited  by  a missionary,  among  the  mount- 
ains west  of  Shway  Gyeen.  Having  surveyed  the  field,  he 
selected  central  points  for  the  location  of  six  native  preachers, 
who  were  afterwards  abundantly  blessed  in  their  work.  But  the 
head  of  the  Kemmendine  mission  brought  back  with  him  the 
26 


304 


THE  STOEY  07^'  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


jungle  leverj  Avlii(4i  in  four  days  assumed  a dangerous  form, 
lie  died  March  31st,  1858.  vV  few  minut(‘S  Ixddi’e  lie  exjiired, 
the  doctor  asked  him  how  he  felt,  lli^,  answered,  A little 
stronger.”  It  Avas  the  o])inion  of  Mrs.  Vinton  that  he  did  not 
think  of  dying  until  he  opened  his  eyes  in  glory. 

Ills  daughter  is  of  the  opinion  that  his  heart  had  heeii  slowly 
breaking  under  the  misconstructions  of  good  men;  that  it  was 
impossible  that  a soul  so  sensitive  and  so  tenacious  of  its  friend- 
ships could  2)ass  though  the  scenes  of  1854  and  1855,  and  the 
sundering  of  old  ties,  without  receiving  a mortal  Avound.  IMr. 
Vinton  refused  to  take  any  active  part  in  his  own  defence,  but 
he,  along  Avith  Eev.  Messrs.  Brayton,  Hose,  Beecher,  BroAvii  and 
Harris,  had  withdrawn  from  the  Missionary  Union,  on  account  of 
the  action  of  the  unsuccessful  Deputation,”  AAdiich  AA^e  have 
already  mentioned,  and  the  subsequent  action  of  the  Board  of 
the  Union  indorsing  the  action  of  the  ^‘Deputation.” 

We  do  not  recall  those  unhapjiy  events  from  any  loA^e  of 
contention,  or  from  the  vain-glory  of  another  Uncle  Toby, 
rehearsing  with  his  crutch  the  siege  of  Xainur,  at  which  he  Avas 
Avounded,  but  with  the  hope  that  the  next  generation  of  Baptists 
may  to  AAmrned  by  our  errors,  negligences  and  misdoings.  Yet 
after  all,  the  action  of  the  Board  at  Boston  Avas,  it  now  ajipears, 
less  uiiAvise  than  it  probably  Avould  have  been  had  not  the  society 
been  held  in  check  by  a blessed  debt.  The -recent  language  of 
ItOAx  Dr.  J.  (x.  Warren,  one  of  the  former  Corresponding  Secre- 
taries of  the  Society,  and  perfectly  acquainted  Avith  eA^ery  stage 
of  this  controversy,  is  of  too  much  value  to  lie  sleeping  in  the 
breast  of  the  Watchman: 

^Mt  was  a God  send,”  says  he,  ^Ghat  the  Missionary  Union 
was  lieaAuly  in  debt  from  1850  to  1858.  A large  available  fund 
might  have  been  drawn  ui)on,  to  chastise  the  home-workers  and 
missionaries  alike,  and  that,  Avithout  the  existence  of  a settled, 
perverse  piirjiose  on  the  part  of  the  managers  as  a Avhole.  A 


YINTON  VINDICATED  BY  EVENTS.  3()5 

few  higli-toned  law-aud-order  men  miglit  Lave  found  ways  to 
carry  tLeir  own  points^  verily  tliinking  tliat  tidelity  to  their 
trusts  compelled  them  to  do  so.  Some  of  us  rememher  how 
much  we  heard  then  about  the  reciprocal  relations  of  employers 
and  employees,  and  the  importance  of  keeping  those  relations 
distinctly  marked.” 

The  time  happily  came  when  it  was  found  that  all,  both  here 
and  there,  were  engaged  in  a common  work,  all  emi)loyers  and 
all  employees,  each  class  with  distinct  duties  assigned  to  it  by 
the  churches  and  the  God  of  the  churches, — the  sole  source  of 
supply,  whether  of  men  or  money, — and  that  mutual  watch-care, 
mutual  supervision,  mutual  help,  mutual  love  and  confidence,  are 
the  only  proper  terms  to  give  expression  to  the  relations  existing 
between  the  several  actors.  It  is  to  be  hoiied  that  we  have 
learned  lessons  that  will  live  till  some  of  some  of  us,  old  heads, 
are  off  the  stage,  if  no  longer.  The  debt  at  Serampore  is  also 
instructive.  It  is  cause  of  rejoicing  that  events  have  justified 
the  wisdom  of  Messrs.  Yinton,  Kincaid  and  their  recusant 
brethren.  The  daughter  and  son-in-law  of  the  Vintons  have 
been  long  and  profitably  employed  at  home,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Missionary  Union.  Mrs.  Luther  says:  ^^The  present 
wise,  temperate  and  enlightened  policy  of  the  Missionary  Union, 
Avhich  has  borne  such  wonderful  fruits  during  the  past  few  years, 
is  far  more  aggressive  than  the  measures  which  Justus  Yinton 
contemplated,  and  for  attempting  which  he  was  so  severely 
censured  by  some  of  his  brethren  of  that  day.”  There  is  a 
far-sightedness  in  the  soul  which  is  fired  and  uplifted  by  the 
Divine  Si)irit,  to  which  the  wisdom  that  comes  of  learning,  of 
business  and  of  common  sense  cannot  attain.  Such  a soul, 
mounting  to  great  height  on  the  wings  of  faith  and  charity,  and 
guided  by  the  far-sighted  eye  of  hope,  is  God  Almighty’s  carrier- 
pigeon.  Whirlwinds  and  storm-clouds  may  cross  its  mysterious 
path,  but  it  knows  and  finds  unfailingly  its  swift  way  home. 


I’lIE  STOKY  OF  FA  PI' I ST  MfSSIONS. 


(iiejit  Ihitain  ()Wt‘.s  iimcli  to  tlu*.  AiiKMicaii  r>aj)tist  iiiissionaiios 
for  pr(‘i)ariiif?  tli(3  way  for  lior  ooiKjiu'sts  in  liiirinali,  and  notably 
to  our  missionaries  to  tlui  Karcms.  Ibdbre.  tlu^  mission  was 
removed  from  Maulmain  to  lian^’oon,  on(3  day,  we  ar(3  told,  ^Irs. 
Vinton  Avas  startled  by  tlie  (piestion:  Mamma,  is  it  wron^  to 
pray  for  war  ? ” Wliy  ? ” was  the  eautious  rejdy.  Uee.anse  av(* 
are  tired  of  being  liuiited  like  Avild  beasts;  of  b(‘ing  oblig(*d  to 
Avorsbip  (lod  by  niglit,  ami  in  tlie  forc'st,  not  dai  ing  to  sjx'ak  of 
flesus,  exeei)t  in  u Avldsper.  ()  Mamma!  may  Ave  not  jnay  that 
the  Eitglish  may  eome  and  take  aAvay  our  eoiintry,  so  that  av(‘ 
may  Avorsliip  (lod  in  freedom,  and  Avitliont  fear?”  ^‘Yes,  yon 
may,”  slie  ansAvered ; and,  from  tliat  day,  tliis  one  ])etition  made 
a ])art  of  almost  eA^ery  prayer  tliat  Avent  u])  trom  linndreds 
of  (diristian  Karens.  And  they  eontidently  exjieeted  that  tlieir 
lirayer  AAuinld  be  answercMl. 

Tlie  Karens  AAere,  it  will  be  remembered,  living  in  a state  of 
almost  slaAdsli  snbjeetion  to  the  Ibirmans,  and  as  tlie  former  had 
been  taught  by  their  priests  and  ])ro])hets  the  doetrine  of  non- 
resistanee,  the  Ibirmans,  on  the  hmst  proA^oeation,  took  adAmii- 
tage  of  their  jieace  xnineiides  to  slaughter  them  in  the  most 
(*oAA  ardly  and  diabolical  Avay.  They  aa  ere  forbidden  to  read,  and 
the  Karen  disciples  could  neither  possess  nor  distriluite  parts  of 
the  Kew  Testaimuit  without  keeiiiug  tliem  concealed  from  the 
reach  of  their  persecutors.  As  late  as  the  year  1851,  the  year 
the  second  iiiAasion  of  the  British  commenced,  the  Burmese 
Viceroy  of  llangoon  told  Mr.  Kincaid  that  he  Avouhl  instantly 
shoot  the  first  Karen  Avhom  he  found  able  to  read. 

AVhen,  therefore,  four  British  AA^ar  steamers  appeared  before 
Bangoon,  tAAU)  or  three  Karens,  Avho  seemed  mere  loungers,  but 
had  daily  Avatched  on  the  old  ])ier  for  the  coming  of  their 
avengers  and  liberators,  stole  out  of  the  city  under  cover  of 
night,  and,  making  for  the  jungles,  they  ])assed  rapidly  along 
jiatlis  knoAvn’only  by  themseha's,  from  one  Karen  village  to 


BRITAIN’S  DEBT  TO  AMERICAN  MISSIONS. 


3G7 


another^  arousing  tlie  liead  men,  and  wariung  tlie  liandets  scat- 
tered among  the  mountains.  Many  of  these  oppressed  people 
were,  as  we  have  seen,  driven  at  the  point  of  the  spear  into  the 
Burman  ranks  to  figlit  against  their  deliverers.  But  we  are  told 
that  not  a bullet  from  a Karen  musket  ever  struck  a British 
soldier.  The  Karens  either  fired  into  the  air  and  deserted  in  a 
body  to  the  enemy,  or  else  fell,  i)ierced  by  the  bullets  of  the  men 
for  whose  coming  they  had  so  long  prayed  and  waited. 

As  in  Hindustan  Baptists  had  saved  the  British  from  general 
revolt  and  massacre,  so  in  Burmah  they  brought  the  wild  moun- 
tain tribes  (ever  the  most  dilticult  to  conquer)  into  subjection  to 
the  religion  of  Christ,  and  so  made  them  the  first  to  welcome 
and  the  most  serviceable  in  establishing,  in  a ]mrt  of  Burmah, 
English  law  and  liberty. 


Indru,  King  of  Minor  Brahmin  Deities 


CHAPTER  XXXm. 


MRS.  VINTOX  AND  THE  KARENS. 


A very  sick  girl  liaptized  for  the  Dead. — Her  Unexpected  Jlecovery. — 
Exertions  to  obtain  an  Education. — Excels  in  the  Study  of  Languages  — 
Prepares  for  Missionary  Service.— IJirth-place  and  fnrtlier  account  of 
her  Sickness. — Goes  to  Mr.  Wade’s  Scliool  at  Hamilton. — On  Landing  in 
Bnrniah  commences  Work  at  once.— Her  JMethods  of  Ministering  to 
Soul  and  Body.— Perils  among  Bobbers  and  d'igers. — Anecdote  about 
the  Hopefulness  of  the  Vinton  Family. — Visits  England  and  America. — 
Jieturn  and  Death. — Mrs.  Vinton  Visitations  of  her  Diocese. — Mrs. 
Vinton’s  Vision  of  a Tree  Booted  in  the  Skies. 


YjYlIIS  TS  our  sister’s  first  cominuiiioii,  and  ])rol)al)ly  it 


¥rm  will  be  her  last.  We  now  receive  her  into  the  church 
iiiilitaiit:  she  will  soon  he  in  the  church  triuini)haut.”  8uch 
were  the  words  of  Elder  Grow,  of  West  Woodstock,  Connecticut, 
to  the  church,  as  he  gave  the  hand  of  felloAVship  to  a very  sick 
girl  of  eighteen,  who  was  about  to  receive  the  Lord’s  Hupper, 
administered  at  her  own  earnest  recpiest.  Expecting  to  die  soon, 
she  had  just  been  baptized.  On  a cold  day  in  March,  she  was 
carried  in  a sleigh  to  the  water’s  edge,  and,  supported  by  the 
Elder  on  the  one  side  and  a deacon  on  the  other,  she  entered  the 
water  and  was  baptized.  The  service  seemed  to  her  friends  like 
a funeral.  But  she  began  to  recover  from  that  day  j and  the 
next  morning  she  arose  from  her  bed  without  assistance,  for  the 
lirst  time  in  more  than  two  years.  Her  physician,  not  a Baf^tist, 
cheerfully  adds  his  testimony  to  the  thct  that  her  recovery  dated 
from  the  time  of  her  baptism.  We  need  scarcely  add  that 
l)a])tism  Avas  not  designed  to  be  a healing  ordinance. 

After  b(‘ing  tliiis  unexpectedly  restored  to  health,  she  inquired 
Avitli  prayer  and  self-examination  in  AvhatAvay  she  could  pass  her 


CALTSTA  HOLMAN’S  CONSECRATION. 


,3G0 


life  to  the  best  purpose  5 the  result  a\ms  that  she  resolved  to 
devote  herself  to  the  v ork  of  foreign  iiiissious.  As  her  father 
could  not  afford  to  send  her  to  aii  acadeniy^  she  employed  herself 
ill  teaching  5 and  when  she  had  earned  a little  nioney^  she  spent 
it  in  going  to  school  and  then  returned  to  teaching.  Thus  by  her 
own  exertions  she  made  a very  superior  preparation  for  a mis- 
sionary life.  Having  a faculty  of  readily  acquiring  languages^ 
she  was  so  well  acquainted 
with  Latiiq  Greek  and  He- 
brew at  the  time  of  her 
marriage  that  her  husband, 
although  Avell  educated  for 
the  Gospel  ministry,  found 
her  far  in  advance  of  him- 
self in  the  knowledge  of 
those  tongues. 

Calista  Holman  was  born 
in  Union,  Connecticut,  on 
the  19th  of  xViiril,  1S07. 

She  had  been  very  active 
and  energetic  as  a child, 
but  ill  her  sixteenth  year 
she  was  attacked  by  an  ill- 
ness which  reduced  her  to 
helplessness.  She  was  unable  to  rise  from  her  bed  without 
help,  and  left  her  room  only  when  she  was  carried  in  a chair. 
The  Holy  Spirit  was  pleased  to  make  her  affliction  a means  of 
grace.  Elder  Grow  says : I was  invited  to  visit  her.  She 

was  brought  in  a chair  into  room  where  I was,  to  relate  her  ex- 
perience. Such  an  experience  I never  heard  before  nor  since. 
Her  mother  asked  me  if  it  would  not  injure  her  to  be  baptized. 
I answered,  ^ Just  according  to  her  faitli.^  She  herself  believed  it 
to  be  her  duty,  and  requested  me  to  baptize  her.” 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


;57() 

(Iroiii^-  l)}H;k  to  tlio  ])oiiit  wli(*r(i  Miss  llolinaii  is  ])ro])jiriiif( 
lierseir  Tor  inissionaiy  work,  we  find  tluit  slie  r(*])iiire(l  to 
Ilaiiiiltoii  for  tlie  ])uri)ose  of  stndyinj^  tlie  Karen  lan^oia;,^e 
under  the  instrnction  of  Mr.  AVade,  assist(‘d  hy  a native*, 
eonvert,  Avho  liad  foi-nied  a elass,  a ni(*nd)er  of  whi(*.li  was  Justus 
II.  Vinton.  Tliis  school  existed  for  one*,  year  only,  Avhen  Mr.  AVade 
hronght  it  to  a close,  and  she  a^^ain  tnrn(*d  h(‘r  thonj^hts  towards 
Bnrinah.  About  tliis  time,  in  1<S34,  Mr.  Vinton  and  Miss  Holman 
were  married;  and  three  months  lat(‘r,  in  Jnly  of  the  same  year, 
they  set  sail  for  India  in  comi)any  with  ei^ht  or  nine  other 
missionaries. 

Within  a week  after  her  arrival  she  joined  her  husband  in 
travelling  from  village  to  village,  ])reaehing  the  (xosju*!  to  those 
who  had  never  heard  it  before.  They  had  studied  the  language 
for  only  a year  and  about  four  months,  but,  being  aeeom])anied 
by  a native  assistant,  they  went  forwaid  with  (^onlidene.e  and 
mueh  usefulness. 

When  both  had  acquired  a better  knowledge  of  the  language, 
and  of  the  vast  destitution,  they  resolved  to  go  forth  separately 
and  so  answer  twice  as  many  calls  as  before.  Mrs.  Vinton,  we 
are  told,  would  start  in  her  little  boat,  accompanied  by  a few  of 
her  scdiool-girls,  and  spend  the  entire  dry  season  in  travelling 
from  village  to  village  along  the  rivers,  telling  in  her  own  tender, 
Avomaidy  way  the  story  of  redemption  to  the  crowds  who  gathered 
around  her.  To  this  work  she  joined  the  ministration  to  the  sick, 
so  needful  among  a people  who  had  no  correct  ideas  concerning 
the  human  frame  and  its  diseases ; to  it  she  also  joined  the 
rejietition  of  the  maxim  so  necessary  to  observe  in  a hot  climate, 
that  “Cleanliness  is  akin  to  godliness.” 

Th(‘se  exjieditions  were  not  unattended  with  danger.  Several 
times,  as  she  notes,  a tiger  had  come  and  taken  cattle  from 
und(‘r  the  o])en  native  house  in  which  she  Avas  sleeping,  and  but 
foi-  the  hand  ol  Uod  the  beast  of  prey  might  luiA^e  leai)ed  upon 


MIRTH  VS.  MELANCHOLY. 


371 


the  veranda  and  taken  one  of  the  nnconscions  sleepers.  In  one 


village  slie  visited^  tigers  had  heconie  so  hold  throngli  hunger 
that  they  wonld  go  np  a ladder  ten  feet  high^  seize  a man  in  the 
lionse  and  carry  him  off.  The  nation^  heing  often  in  a state  of 
revolution,  was  as  often  infested  with  rol)hers,  who  roamed  al)ont 
attacking  defenceless  boats  and  villages,  in  order  to  carry  oft* 
women  and  children  into  slavery.  This  peril  made  the  villagers 
so  timid  that  the  ap- 
proach of  a stranger 
was  the  signal  for  es- 
cape to  their  houses 
or  into  the  jungles 
beyond  them.  A 
ladder  or  notched 


sti(*k  being  the  usual 
means  of  entrance  to 
their  homes,  the  na- 
tive women  woidd 
no  sooner  catch  a 
glimpse  of  Mrs.  A"in- 
ton,  tlian  they  woidd 
retreat  to  their  lion- 
ses  and  pull  np  the 
ladders  after  them. 

IVIrs.  Vinton,  in  spite  of  her  courage  and  iierseverance,  had 
spells  of  melancholy,  and  was,  in  general,  far  less  hopeful  than 
her  husband.  Tlieir  gifted  daughter,  Mrs.  Luther,  lias  illustrated 
this  difference  lietween  the  two  in  a very  jilayful  and  vivid 
manner.  Sometimes  she  would  imagine  that  disease  of  the  liver, 
that  curse  of  India,  had  made  her  its  victim,  and  after  putting 
her  house  in  order  and  arranging  everything  for  the  last  time, 
she  Avould  go  into  the  study  and  talk  over  the  in*obability  of  her 
death,  and  the  necessity  of  having  all  liusiness  in  readiness  for 


An  Unwelcome  Visitor. 


372 


THE  STORY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


that  solemn  event.  lie,  liowev(*r,  would  Inn^iliinoly  sny:  ^‘My 
dear,  it  is  not  your  liver  that  is  aheet(‘d;  it  is  your  hrain. 
Depend  n])on  it,  the  tronl)l(‘.  is  there.”  l>y  some.  ])l(‘nsantiy,  or 
other  diversion,  he  Avonld  drive  away  the  darkness,  nnd  so  brin^,^ 
lier  to  laugh  at  her  own  gloomy  delusions.  She  used  to  tell  a 
story  to  confirm  her  saying  that  ‘‘a  Vinton  nevcir  can  see 
trouble  ahead.” 

^‘]Mr.  Vinton  and  his  sister  jMiranda  would  jdan  an  exiiedition 
on  horseback.  1 would  say,  ^Why!  there  is  no  use  in  sending 
for  the  i)onies;  it  is  just  going  to  rain.’  ‘Oh,  no!’  Miranda  would 
say;  ‘look  at  the  blue  sky,’ — pointing  to  a little  break  in  the 
clouds  away  in  a direction  precisely  ojiposite  to  that  from  which 
the  storm  was  ai)i)roaching.  I would  lead  her  around  to  the 
other  side  of  the  house,  and  show  her  the  heavy,  black  clouds 
coming  up  from  the  south-west,  boding  a jierfect  downfall. 
‘Yes,  yes!’  she  would  say,  ‘ that  looks  like  rain  by-and-by,  but 
there  is  time  enough  for  us  to  get  our  ride  before  the  storm. 
Besides,  it  may  blow  over.  What  do  you  think,  brother  ? ’ ‘Oh, 
yes!  we’ll  go,  by  all  means.  It  doesn’t  look  near  so  black 
as  it  did.  Put  on  your  habit,  and  we’ll  be  oft*  and  home  again 
before  it  rains.’  Before  the  riding  habit  could  be  donned,  the 
wind  would  be  blowing  a hurricane,  and  the  rain  coming  down 
in  torrents ; but  those  two  would  appear  as  unconcerned  as  if  it 
were  all  a part  ot  their  plan.  If  I said,  ‘ You  see  1 was  right 
about  the  rain,’  Mr.  Vinton  would  answer,  ‘ Yes,  my  dear,  you 
are  always  right;  but  wait  a moment.  This  storm  will  be  over 
soon,  and  then  our  ride  will  be  all  the  more  pleasant  for  the 
rain.’  Yet  I could  see  that  it  had  set  in  for  a storm  that  would 
last  all  niglit.  The  only  satisfaction  I ever  received  was,  ‘ Well, 
Miranda,  it  will  be  all  the  brighter  to-morrow,  and  we  will  take 
a longer  ride  tlien.’  ” 

After  an  absence  from  their  native  land  for  fourteen  years, 
i\Ir.  and  i\Irs.  Vinton  returned  in  1818.  It  was  during  this  visit 

4 


Mils.  VINTON  IN  AMERICA. 


373 


tliat  Mrs.  Vinton  collected  money  for  ^‘Frank’s  Chapel,”  the 
story  of  which,  although  equally  pathetic  and  amusing,  is  too 
long  for  a i)lace  in  this  volume.  After  an  absence  of  about  two 
years,  we  find  them  again  in  their  missionary  field,  and  Mrs. 
Vinton  was  about  to  erect  “ Frank’s  Chapel,”  at  the  Karen 
mission-compound  in  Maiilmain,  when  she,  with  her  husband, 
was  unexpectedly  called  to  transfer  her  field  to  Ilangoon.  Our 
sketch  of  Mr.  Vinton  will  afford  an  adequate  account  of  her 
employments  and  trials  in  that  scene  of  discord,  confusion  and 
misery. 

Iji  1858  she  was  left  a widow,  but  continued  the  mission  work 
among  the  Karens  with  unabated  zeal.  She  continued  her 
exertions  four  years  longer,  when  her  sickness,  and  that  of  her 
daughter  Calista,  demanded  that  she  should  again  return  to 
America.  They  embarked  accordingly  in  October,  18G2.  On 
their  way  they  passed  some  time  visiting  among  their  friends  in 
England.  iVmong  others,  Mrs.  Vinton  visited  Mr.  George 
Muller,  of  Bristol.  In  his  orphan  house,  and  other  benevo- 
lent operations,  she  took  a deep  interest.  After  Mr.  Vinton 
resigned  his  connection  with  the  Missionary  Union,  he  and  his 
fellow  recusants  lived  much  more  by  faith  than  they  had  done 
previously.  Indeed,  they  were  compelled  in  a great  measure  to 
confine  their  requests  for  daily  bread  to  God  only.  And  relief, 
as  they  received  it  in  answer  to  prayer,  as  narrated  by  them, 
reads  very  much  like  Miiller’s  ‘‘Life  of  Trust,”  or  “Sinner 
Saved”  Huntington’s  “Bank  of  Faith.” 

In  due  season  Mrs.  Vinton  returned  to  Burmah,  where  she 
was  now  cheered  by  the  presence  and  co-operation  of  her  son 
Brainerd,  and  afterwards  of  her  daughter  Calista,  who  returned 
from  America  as  the  wife  of  the  Bev.  E.  M.  Luther.  By-the-by, 
these  two  missionaries  last  mentioned  were  ultimately  compelled 
to  return  to  America  by  reason  of  ill-health.  Mr.  Luther  settled 
at  Bennington,  Vermont,  whence  his  wife,  possessed  of  much  of 


THE  STORY  OE  liARTIST  MISSIONS. 


;J74 

the  adviMituroiis  s])iiit  of  h(*i‘  in()fli(‘r,  visi<(‘(l  many  of  the 
villai>c‘s  and  (dti(*s  ol'  N(*\v  hhi‘;iand,  addn'ssinj^-  nn^din^s  of  tin* 
I>a})tist  sisterhood  on  tin*  sidijc'cd  of  missions.  Slie  is  nowdoinj^ 
a similar  work  in  lh‘iinsylvania  and  otln‘r  Middl(‘.  Stat(*s.  We 
may  add,  tliat  it  is  trom  h(‘r  fas(*jnatin<^  little  volume,  ‘‘Tin* 
Vintoiis  and  the  Karens,”  that  we  have  drawn  whatev(‘r  is  most 
readable  and  most  memorable  in  this  oiitlim*,  of'  the  eJiaraeter  of 
]\rrs.  Vinton. 

Little  remains  for  ns  but  to  bid  ]\Irs.  Vinton  a final  far(*w(dl. 
During-  her  last  sickness  h(‘r  fiiends  would,  at  times,  si)(‘ak  to 
her  of  her  ])ossible  ree.ovcny.  Jler  uniform  r(*])ly  was,  “No,  no! 
]\Iy  Avork  is  done  i I must  go.  I cannot  any  longer  stay  away 
from  the  bright  scenes  whi(;h  have  awaited  me  so  long.  I am 
no  longer  needed  here.  And  now  I must  rest.”  On  the  18th  of 
December,  18(14,  a bright  and  b(‘autiful  morning,  at  (*l(*ven 
o’clock,  she  gently,  iieacefully  passed  away. 

The  best  thing  we  have  met  with  in  her  memoirs,  is  her  own 
account  of  a timely,  signiticant  and  very  encouraging  dream. 
We  have,  in  our  recollections  of  Dr.  Kincaid  and  iAlr.  Viiitou, 
meutioued  the  effects  of  the ‘M)e])utatiou ” and  The  council  at 
.Alaulmain.  She  had  gone  to  sleep  with  her  mind  full  of  anxious 
t'orebodiugs  caused  by  the  action  of  the  Deputation.  It  seemed 
to  her  as  if  nothing  was  left  for  her  and  her  husband  to  do; 
except  to  relinquish  the  mission,  and  either  bury  themselves  in 
the  trackless  Avildernesses  of  the  Karennee,  or,  worse  than  this, 
to  return  to  America. 

She  dreamed  that  she  stood  before  a mighty  tree,  shapely  and 
beautiful,  with  wide  - spreading  branches.  While  she  stood 
gazing  at  it,  a party  of  men  came,  and,  Avith  stern  determination, 
attacdced  the  noble  trunk  AAuth  axes,  saying  to  each  other,  “ Let 
us  cut  it  doAvn!”  The  Avork  of  destruction  AA^eiit  on,  until  the 
trunk  Avas  lUMii-ly  seAXU-ed,  AAdien  all  except  one  Avithdrew,  and 
stood  at  a little  distance  to  AArntch  its  fall.  The  last  fcAV  strokes 


A PROPHETIC  DREAM. 


375 


were  given,  and  tlie  trunk  was  severed ; but,  to  the  astonishment 
of  all  lookers-on  (and  of  the  dreamer)  the  tree  did  not  fall. 
While  she  was  wondering  at  this,  and  looking  upwards,  a voice 
was  heard  saying:  The  tree  is  rooted  in  the  shies.  It  cannot 
fall.  It  is  rooted  in  the  shies Then  she  saw  that  the  niiper 
1) ranches  were  hnried  in  the  elonds.  And  ever  after  she  com- 
forted herself  with  this  vision,  and  the  words  that  explained  it. 


Vishnu  on  his  Serpent  Couch, 


CHAPTER  XXX IV. 


THE  KAllENS  OF  THE  GOLDEN  CHERSONESE. 

The  Ophir  of  the  Ancients. — Hebrew  Ori<^in  of  tlie  Karens. — Traditions. — 
Language. — The  Karen  Prophet  and  his  Sealed  Book. — The  Karens  did 
not  Worsliip  Idols. — Dr.  Kincaid’s  Testimony. — The  Prophets,  Priests 
and  Elders. — Davis’  Pain-killer. — The  Sacrifice  of  Roosters. — Divination. 
A Hog  Tearing  up  the  Sacred  Book. — Traces  of  Fetichism. — Dr.  Judson 
originated  the  Work  among  the  Karens. — Ko-thah-Byu. — Wade  and 
Mason. — Exodus  of  the  Karens  to  Arracan. — Revival. — Women’s  Woik 
among  Them. — Abbott  and  Sandoway. — Henthada. — Shwaygyeen. — Red 
Karens. — Dr.  Mason's  Triumphal  Excursion. 

TcITllE  KARENS  of  Iiidiii  are  tribes  iiiliabitiiig  the  inoiiiitaiiis 
iAU  and  liills  of  a region  extending  from  Thibet  on  the  nortli  to 
the  Isthmus  of  Kraw  on  the  south,  and  from  the  Chinese  Sea  on 
the  east  to  the  Bay  of  Bengal  on  the  west.  This  part  of  the 
world  is  now  called  Farther  India;  in  the  time  of  Ptolemy  (an 
Alexandrian  geographer  of  the  second  century)  it  Avas  termed 
the  Golden  Chersonesiis,  aaTucIi  included  India  beyond  the 
Ganges.  According  to  Josephus  (Ant. viii.  G,  § 4),  this  was  the 
Ophir  Avhence  Solomon  imported  gold,  silver,  ivory,  aiies  and 
peacocks.  By  the  Avay,  ]VIax  IMliller,  Avho  has  very  unwisely 
neglected  the  study  of  Hebrew,  has  hastily  asserted  that  the 
names  for  apes,  peacocks,  etc.,  are  Sanskrit  Avords  transferred  to 
the  IlebreAV.  But  this  he  has  not  been  able  to  prove ; on  the 
contrary,  it  has  been  demonstrated  that  the  HebreAv  word  Kopli 
Avas  used  in  Egypt  to  signify  a kind  of  ape  as  early  as  the  reign 
of  the  AvidoAv  of  Thotmes  II.,  at  or  before  the  time  of  the  Exodus; 
so  that,  in  spite  of  Professor  Miiller,  the  Avord  may  huA^e  been 
employed  by  Noah  in  the  ark  and  by  Abraham  before  he  left 
Meso])otamia. 


HEBREW  ORIGIN  OF  THE  KARENS. 


377 


Wc  concur,  liowever,  with  Max  Muller  that  Ophir  was  a place 
ill  India.  The  Greek  word  Souiihir,  used  by  the  Septuagint 
translators  for  Ophir,  was  understood  to  signify  India.  The 
ancient  Hindus  gave  the  name  to  a region  which  corresponds 
with  the  modern  Pegu.  The  river  IMaubee  signifies  in  the  Pali 
“The  river  of  gold,”  and  Shwaygyeen  means  literally  “The  gold 
siftings.”  The  decision  of  this  question  is  curiously  connected 
with  the  fact,  which  has  been  established  almost  beyond  contra- 
diction, that  the  Karens  are  of  Hebrew  origin.  Eev.  Hr.  IMason, 
of  Burmah,  and  Hr.  Macgowan,  of  China,  have  maintained  this 
position  by  showing  that  many  of  their  traditions  are  not  of 
Christian  or  Mahometan  or  pagan  origin,  but  are  chiefly  from  the 
Old  Testament.  The  latter  (long  a resident  in  China)  very 
justly  contends  that  the  absence  of  circumcision  and  the  use  of 
swine’s  flesh  among  these  tribes  do  not  militate  against  the 
hypothesis  of  their  Hebrew  origin.  The  Jews  in  China  have 
found  the  rite  and  prohibition  very  burdensome,  and  so  much 
condemned  by  the  Chinese  that  they  seem  quite  willing  to  dis- 
card them  altogether. 

It  is  also  pretty  well  established  they  were  the  first  or  aborig- 
inal inhabitants  of  parts  of  Burmah.  They  have,  many  of  them, 
the  tradition  that  they  came  originally  from  the  North;  but  as 
they  have  undeniably  long  associated  with  people  of  Mongolian 
origin,  who,  like  themselves,  were  driven  to  the  mountains  for 
security,  this  tradition  would  naturally  grow  out  of  the  simil- 
arity of  some  of  their  words,  customs  and  superstitions  to  those 
of  the  northern  tribes  of  the  Mongolian  race.  But  the  more 
probable  view  is  that  their  forefathers  came  from  Palestine  by 
sea,  and  were  engaged  in  the  commerce  that  was  established  with 
Farther  India  by  Solomon  of  Jerusalem  and  Hiram  of  Tyre.  The 
Jews  had  colonies  in  China  long  before  the  Christian  era,  and 
they  were  likely  to  have  still  more  flourishing  ones  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  at  the  great  seaports  at  which 


THE  BTORY  OF  liAPTlST  MISSIONS. 


they  could  h(‘nr  from  home  oiic.e  in  three  years.  And  wlien  tle^y 
were  dispossessed  of  their  maritime  hoim^s,  and  driven  to  tlie 
mountains^  they  entertained  tin*.  ]K)i)e  wld(*li  nltimatidy  hec.ame. 
a tradition,  that  their  deliverers  were  to  come  by  sea,  not  hy 
land. 

There  are  many  thinf>s  amon^^  these  tribes  to  nmiind  one  of 
their  maritime  origin.  In  listeninjj^  to  their  traditions,  one  s(‘(‘ms 
to  be  givin^4'  ear  to  sea-shells  that  still  mnrmnr  of  tlnn'r  native* 
waters.  8au-(»^iiala,  in  an  address  to  the  Governor-t General  of 
India  (whiedi  lay  iinjiiiblished  till  1870),  gives  one  of  the  tradi- 
tions in  these  words:  ^Klreat  Kuler!  The  ancestors  of  the 
Karens  charged  their  ])osterity  thus: — ^Childi’en  and  grand- 
children ! if  the  thing  comes  by  land,  Aveep;  if  by  Avater,  laugh; 
it  will  not  come  in  our  days,  but  it  Avill  come  in  yours.  If  it 
come  first  by  Avater,  you  Avill  be  able  to  take  breath;  but  if  first 
by  land,  you  Avill  not  find  a sjiot  to  dAAell  in.’”  Should  Ave  set 
aside  the  theory  that  the  ancestors  of  these  tribes  came  from 
Palestine  by  Avay  of  the  sea  as  early  as  the  time  of  Solomon,  aa^c 
could  adoi)t  the  hyi)othesis  that  they  Avere  at  a later  day  carried 
into  Egypt,  and  thence,  folloAving  the  line  of  commerce  betAveen 
Egypt  and  India,  they  sought  in  the  Chersonesus  a place  of 
refuge  and  traffic*.  Or  they  may  have  gone  eastward  along  the 
])ath  made  by  Darius,  Avhen  lie  carried  his  conquests  to  the 
Indus,  and  CAuni  Alexander,  a hundred  and  forty  years  later, 
Avheii  he  advanced  across  the  Ibinjaub  to  the  riAxr  Sutlej.  By 
either  of  these  roads  they  would  be  brought  to  the  Himalayas, 
and  along  this  highway  they  could  liaA^e  easily  reached  the 
mountains  of  Burmah. 

The  Jews  made  their  appearance  in  China ‘during  the  Han  Dy- 
nasty, as  early  as  200  B.  C.,  only  a hundred  and  twenty-six  years 
after  Alexander’s  expedition  to  India.  The  Mongolian  families, 
that  ])robably  tied  before  the  raAmges  of  Genghis  Khan  and  Kulai 
Khan,  into  the  mountains  of  Burmah,  brought  Avith  them  those 


JEWS  AND  KARENS  NO  JOKERS. 


379 


rites  of  Sliamaiiisiii  to  Avliicli  tlie  Hebrew  families  were  partly 
induced  to  conform.  At  what  period  the  Karens  were  driven  to 
the  mountains  of  Bnrmah  and  confined  to  them,  we  cannot 
determine.  Whether  Mongolian  or  Karen  clans  first  became 
the  inhabitants  of  the  high  rocks  is  not  a question  of  present 
urgency.  Certain  it  is  that  the  Hebrew  faith  of  the  latter  has 
been  corrupted  to  some  extent  by  the  superstitions  of  the  former. 

One  evidence  that  these  tribes  are  the  children  of  Abraham  is 
apparently  trivial,  and,  yet  it  is  of  no  small  importance.  It  is 
the  inability  of  the  Jew  to  laugh  heartily  and  to  appreciate 
the  playfulness  of  humor.  The  average  Karen  is  so  devoid  of 
humor  as  to  be  unable  to  appreciate  a joke  of  any  kind.  The 
only  exception  to  this  observation  we  have  ever  found  is  in  the 
narrative  of  Mr.  0’Riley\s  adventures  among  the  Ked  Karens, 
or  the  tribes  inhabiting  Karennee,  whom  Dr.  Dean  considers  a 
fragment  of  the  Chinese  family  of  nations.  As  none  of  the 
females  had  never  seen  a white  foreigner,  they  were  at  first 
frightened  at  him,  and  their  fear  was  followed  by  loud  laughter. 
Our  Hiberian  author  gives  this  as  a proof  of  their  abject  bar- 
barism. But  we  have  known  very  highly  cultivated  people 
whose  groundless  terror  ended  in  a hysterical  laugh.  We 
therefore  still  wait  for  proof  that  the  typical  Karen  has  any 
genuine  humor.  If  any  such  commodity  be  found  any  where 
among  them,  it  must  be  attributed  to  an  intermarriage  with  the 
Chinese  or  the  Shans.  There  is  occasionally  a sad  and  crippled 
attempt  at  wit  in  the  writings  of  Heine,  but  of  real  humor 
there  is  none.  He  has  been  cited  as  a witness  in  behalf  of  the 
possibility  of  humor  in  a Jew;  but  to  cite  him  is  not  fair  play; 
for  he  was  of  Hebrew  parentage  only  on  his  father’s  side. 

There  is  one  thing  we  have  discovered  which  looks  like  some 
of  those  rabbinical  inventions  which  have  a ludicrous  side, 
although,  those  old  HebreAV  teachers,  in  their  awful  gravity, 
probably  did  not  detect  it.  It  is  their  tradition  respecting 
27 


380 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


cursing  a man  without  cause:  sucli  im])recation,  we  are  told, 
will  roam  about  in  search  of  the  jierson  to  whom  it  ai)i)lies; 
and  if  unsuccessful,  the  Lord  of  land  and  sea,  the  (lod  of 
heaven  and  earth,  is  dis])leased,  and  S9.ys  to  the  curse,  ‘‘There 
is  110  reason  why  thou  shouldst  hit  this  man;  he  has  done  no 
evil;  go  hack  to  the  man  that  sent  thee.’^ 

AVe  may  here  say  that  we  began  to  investigate  the  origin  of 
the  Karens  with  a deep  conviction  that  they  jirobably  were  not 
of  Jewish  nationality.  There  have  been  so  many  futile  attempts 
to  show  that  remnants  of  the  Lost  Tribes  have  been  discovered 
in  Kestoria,  Africa  and  South  America  (and  where  not?),  that  we 
considered  it  highly  improbable  that  these  mountain  tribes  were 
the  children  of  Abraham.  But  stubborn  facts  have  by  slow 
degrees  gained  the  day.  AYe  are  not  suriirised,  therefore,  that 
Bev.  L)r.  Alason  should  liave  said,  iii  his  last  years,  “Their 
Jewish  origin  was  doubted  Avhen  I first  i)ro])ounded  the  theory, 
but  I think  it  veiy  generally  accepted  now.”  The  Chinese  mis- 
sionaries, who  are  best  situated  to  judge  of  the  probabilities  of 
the  case,  very  generally  adopt  his  views. 

These  mountain  tribes  speak  a language  radically  the  same, 
although  it  is  divided  into  many  dialects.  The  Bed  Karens 
appear  to  have  the  most  doubtful  claim  to  belong  to  this  race. 
They  have  lost,  if  they  ever  had,  the  name  of  Jehovah,  while 
the  Sgau  Karens  have  kept  it  in  memory.  The  latter  pronounce 
it  Yivali  or  Yuicalij  while  the  former  call  the  Supreme  Being 
Eapay.  Some  of  these  clans,  it  would  seem,  must  formerly  have 
had  commercial  intercourse  with  the  Miautse,  or  hill-tribes  of 
China. 

As  was  natural  to  a people  of  Hebrew  memories  and  anticipa- 
tions, there  grew  up  a iiersuasion  that  their  lost  book  of  religion 
wonhl  some  day  be  restored  to  them  by  a man  coming  to  them 
from  the  AY(‘st.  This  traditional  ex])ectation  rendered  them 
(piick  to  seize  any  })lausible  bait.  And  accordingly,  about 


PRAYER-BOOK  FOUND  AMONG  THE  KARENS. 


381 


twelve  years  before  Mr.  Boardmau’s  arrival,  a Mahometan,  or,  as 
others  say,  an  Englishman,  had  left  in  the  hands  of  one  of  their 
own  prophets  a book,  which  was  to  be  considered  as  sacred. 
Gflie  Karen  i)rophet,  ignorant  of  its  contents,  carefully  wrapped 
it  in  muslin,  and  enclosed  it  in  a basket  made  of  reeds,  which 
was  then  covered  over  with  pitch.  He,  and  all  the  people  of  his 
village,  firmly  believed  that  a teacher  would  yet  come  and  ex- 
plain the  contents  of  the  mysterious  volume.  The  honesty  of 
this  Gentile  seer  is  proved  by  his  conduct  as  soon  as  he  heard 
that  Mr.  Boardman  had  arrived  at  Tavoy.  He  came  with  the 
chief  of  his  tribe  to  the  missionary,  to  obtain  his  opinion 
respecting  the  character  of  the  book.  As  they  had  not  brought 
the  mysterious  object  of  their  veneration  with  them,  Mr.  Board- 
man  proposed  that  they  should  return  to  their,  village  and  bring 
him  the  book  itself,  that  he  might  look  into  it  and  judge  of  its 
contents.  After  some  days  the  prophet  returned  bearing  the 
mysterious  volume  and  followed  by  a numerous  train. 

All  seemed  to  think  that  salvation  hung  on  the  decision  of  Mr. 
Boardman,  and  were  wrought  up  to  a pitch  of  very  excited 
expectation.  On  unrolling  the  muslin  and  taking  out  an  old, 
tattered,  worn  out  volume,  the  prophet  crept  forward  and  rever- 
ently presented  it  to  the  missionary.  It  proved  to  be  the 
Episcopal  Prayer-Book,  bound  up  with  the  Psalms,  i^riuted  at 
Oxford,  England.  The  prophet,, an  old  man,  on  hearing  Mr. 
Boardman’s  decision  of  the  character  of  the  book,  considered 
that  his  office  was  at  an  end  j and,  at  the  suggestion  of  one  of 
the  native  Christians,  he  disrobed  himself  of  his  prophetical 
dress  and  gave  ui)  the  heavy  cudgel  or  wand  which  he  had  so 
long  borne  as  the  symbol  of  his  sacred  vocation. 

Very  remarkable  it  is  that  these  tribes  should  have  so  long 
resisted  all  temptations  to  worship  the  images  of  the  nations  by 
which  they  are  surrounded.  An  eloquent  passage  in  one  of  Mr. 
Kincaid’s  addresses  sets  this  fact  in  an  advantageous  light : 


THE  STOUY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


;5sii 

^^AVlieii  .ViiK'ric.Ji  was  iiiliabitcd  only  by  sav^a^cs,  aial  oiir  ances- 
tors in  Jbitain  and  (boinany  were  dwcdlin^  in  tli(i  indest  tents 
or  lints,  elotlied  willi  tlie  skins  of  beasts,  and  in  dark  forests  of 
oak  ])ra(dieing  tlie  most  cruel  and  revoltin^^  forms  of  li(‘atlu‘nisin, 
the  Karens  stood  lirm  on  the  great  truth  of  one  et(*rnal  (lod,  tlie 
Creator  of  all  things  ami  tlie  only  l i^litfnl  objiud  of  adoration. 
From  age  to  age  they  ehanted  songs  of  praise  to  Jehovah,  and 
looked,  as  their  songs  directed,  towards  the  setting  sun,  Avhem^e 
white  men  were  to  come  with  the  good  hoolc  and  teach  them  the 
Avorship  of  the  living  (lod.  Buddhism,  elaiming  to  embody  all 
seieiiee  and  literature,  .and  all  that  pmtains  to  the  physical  and 
moral  Avorld — propounding  a system  of  morals  admirably  adajitiMl 
to  (;arry  the  uuderstaiidiiig,  while  it  fosbos  the  ])ride  and  arro- 
gance and  sellishuess,  so  deeply  seated  in  fallen  hnmanity — 
reaehiiig  back  in  its  revelations  through  illimitable  ages,  and 
obscurely  depiiding  other  Avorlds  and  systems,  and  gods  I’ising 
and  passing  away  forever — snrroniiding  itself  with  pagodas  and 
shrines,  and  temples  and  iiriests,  as  imposing  as  pagan  Itome, 
and  liaAing  a ritual  as  gorgeous  as  Ivome  jiapal — has  failed  to 
gain  an  ascendancy  over  the  Karen  race.  Arliitrary  power, 
surrounded  by  imperial  pomp  and  splendor,  has  neither  aAved 
nor  seduced  tlieiii  from  their  simple  faith.  The  preservation 
of  this  Avidely- scattered  people  from  the  degrading  heathenism 
Avhich  darkens  every  part  of  this  Amst  continent,  is  a great  and 
unfathomable  mystery  of  (lod’s  iirovidence.  They  have  seen  the 
})rondest  monuments  of  heathenism  rise  around  them — many 
of  them  glittering  in  the  sun  like  mountains  of  gold,  and  in 
their  construction  tasking  the  energies  of  an  euiiure;  still  they 
chanted  their  unAvritten  songs,  and  looked  toAAurd  the  setting 
sun  for  the  Avhite  man  to  bring  the  luomised  book  of  JehoAuih. 
Th(‘y  liaA'e  seen  royal  families  rise  and  fall,  age  after  age,  and 
yet  their  faith  1ms  iieAun*  failed  them.’^ 

The  sacned  jiersons  among  the  Karens  are  prophets  andjiriests. 


KAHEN  SUPERSTITIONS  AND  CEREMONIES. 


3S3 


The  propliets,  or  Weis^  utter  onieles  which  are  coiiiiiiuiiicuted  to 
them  while  they  are  in  a state  of  eestacy.  Wlieii  one  is  ap- 
Xiroached  by  a coiisulter,  Ids  first  object  is  to  throw  himself  into 
a trance.  He  writhes  his  body  and  limbs,  rolls  himself  on  the 
ground,  and  often  foams  at  the  mouth  in  the  violence  of  his 
paroxysms.  When  he  is  satisfied  with  his  condition  he  becomes 
calm,  and  makes  the  i)rophetic  announcement.  They  do  not 
favor  any  form  of  witchcraft,  although  they  profess  to  see  the 
departed  souls  of  mortals,  and  to  have  x)ower  to  call  them 
back  to  this  world,  thus  restoring  the  dead  to  life.  They 
also  profess  to  have  eyes  to  see  spirits  that  are  to  others 
invisible,  to  tell  what  they  are  doing,  and  even  to  go  to  Ilades, 
and  there  converse  with  the  sx)irits  of  the  dead.  In  the  life  of 
]\Irs.  Helen  ]\I.  Mason,  there  is  a notice  of  one  of  these  proidiets 
whom  the  Kev.  Dr.  ]\Iason  met  among  the  Pwo  Karens.  In  one 
of  the  Christian  grove  meetings,  he  began  to  mutter  and  sing, 
and  fell  down  amongst  the  x)eople  as  if  in  a fit.  He  was  carried 
into  a house,  where,  after  the  service,  the  missionary  found  him 
singing,  with  his  wife  holding  a light  beside  him;  for  she  said 
without  the  light  he  would  certainly  die.  He  and  his  wife  were 
afterwards  converted,  as  was  the  proxhiet  who  had  the  custody  of 
the  mysterious  book. 

The  xiriests  are  called  Boolxhalis.  Kot  xiretending  to  x>roxihetic 
Xiowers,  they  are  chiefly  emx)loyed  to  take  the  direction  of  relig- 
ious ceremonies,  and  to  prejside  as  masters  of  sacred  feasts. 
They  offer  ux)  the  fowls,  hogs,  oxen  or  buffaloes,  and  X)resent 
the  oblations  of  rice  or  other  vegetables.  Curiously  enough, 
among  the  Bewes,  women  are  x>i‘iestesses ; men  being  strictly 
forbidden  to  take  any  x)art  in  the  sacrifices. 

The  Blder^s  office  is  rather  civil  than  religious,  and  yet  he 
takes  a x)‘Ti’t  in  the  Avorshix)  of  ancestors,  and  is  the  interxireter 
of  the  common  or  unwritten  laws  relating  to  religion  as  well  as 
domestic  and  tribal  concerns.  ]\rore  than  this,  he  maintains  a 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


,‘>S  I 


reverence  for  ancient  traditions,  and  is  ex])ecte(l  to  teacili  tlie 
young  people  to  do  good  and  avoid  evil,  according  to  liis  bar- 
barous notions  of  morality.  village,”  says  J)r.  JMason, 

^Avitlioiit  an  elder  wonld  be  like  a i)arisli  in  England  witliont  a 
clergyman.”  In  divination  by  the  bones  of  fowls,  the  elder  is 
master  of  the  ceremonies  and  is  the  recognized  interj)i‘et(‘r  of  tin*, 
aiignry. 

The  use  of  medicine  Avas  nnknoAvn  among  tlnmi  until  onr 
missionaries  taught  it.  Jielieving  that  malignant  demons  are 
the  cause  of  all  diseases,  th(‘y  thought  that  tln'y  w(‘re  r(*dnced 
to  the  necessity  of  offering  sacrifices  to  them  in  the  hope  of 
remoAdng  their  Avrath.  Some  of  the  more  barbarous  Jvai-mis 
formerly  utilized  some  of  onr  medicines  in  a Avoefnl  Avay.  J)r. 
^Mason  heard  of  one  tribe  that  used  Terry  ])avis’  Pain-ldUer  as  an 
ingredient  in  the  mannfactnre  of  gnn])OAvd(*r. 

The  common  barn-door  foAvl  is  by  some  tribes  of  the  Xanms 
connected  Avitli  certain  superstitions  customs.  The  same  Avas 
true  of  many  nations  of  anticpiity.  The  Persians,  Greeks  and 
Tomans  used  it  for  the  purposes  of  divination.  It  AAms  a chanti- 
cleer that  assured  Themistocles  of  his  victory  oA^er  Xerxes, 
iniluenced  the  decision  of  Tomulus  in  choosing  the  site  of  Tome, 
and  insi)ired  Xiiina  Pompilius.  He  A^Tls  offered  nj)  in  sacrifice  to 
^Psculapius  by  those  who  had  been  cured  by  him;  and  catii 
Socrates,  though  so  Avanting  in  rcA^erence  to  the  gods  of  Greece, 
and  about  to  die  of  poison,  requested  that  one  of  these  fowls  be 
offered  to  the  god  of  the  healing  art.  In  China  and  Japan  he  is 
also  held  in  a maimer  sacred.  The  Karens  x)r‘Tctise  a kind  of 
divination  liy  the  bones  of  fowls.  Once  a year  a national 
festiA^al  is  held  among  the  Bewe  tribe,  of  AAdiich  this  species 
of  divination  is  a most  imiiortant  part.  The  fowl  is  killed,  and 
bh)od  from  its  bleeding  head  is  dropped  on  the  forehead  of  the 
oldest  man  of  the  family.  The  forehead  of  each  elder  is  to  be 
smear(‘d  Avith  the  blood  of  a seiiarate  foAvl.  Then  the  priest 


KAKEN  KITES  AND  SUPERSTITIONS. 


385 


{BooJchah)  addresses  certain  words  to  tlie  elder  of  the  family 
and  to  the  fowl,  and  good  or  evil  is  prognosticated.  It  is  called 
the  foAvl  of  Moklar  or  Indra,  it  being  thought  to  be  the  favorite 
bird  of  this  ancient  Aryan  god. 

llev.  Dr.  Mason  and  Mr.  O’ltiley  quote  the  folloAving  legend 
about  this  superstitious  regard  for  the  barn-door  fowl : In  ancient 
times  God  gave  the  Chinese  a book  of  paper,  the  Burmese  a book 
of  i)alm-leaf  and  the  Karens  a book  of  skin  or  parchment,  each 
containing  His  written  law.  The  former  nations  took  care  of 
their  books  and  diligently  studied  them,  but  the  Karens  did  not 
sufficiently  value  their  copy ; and  leaving  it  in  an  insecure  place, 
a hog  tore  it  into  fragments,  which  were  afterwards  picked  up 
by  the  fowls.  They  came  to  the  conclusion  that  as  the  fowls  had 
eaten  up  their  book  they  must  necessarily  contain  all  the  knowl- 
edge that  it  contained.  Hence  fowls  came  to  be  recognized  as 
the  depositaries  of  the  lost  hxAV,  and  have  ever  since  been  con- 
sulted through  the  medium  of  their  bones.  This  kind  of 
superstition  obtains  among  the  Miau-tze  or  hill  tribes  of  China, 
who  in  many  i)oints  resemble  the  Karens.  Very  probably  the 
worshii)  of  ancestors,  which  once  prevailed  among  some  of  the 
Karen  tribes,  goes  to  shoAV  that  the  latter  are  of  Mongolian 
origin. 

Among  theBewes  Mr.  Mason  found  a sort  fetichism  according 
to  which  either  good  or  evil  beings,  and  hence  miraculous  poAvers, 
were  believed  to  inhabit  certain  stones.  Mr.  Cross  also  found 
that  some  belie\"ed  in  a Karen  Ceres  or  goddess  of  the  harA^est. 
Ko  images  of  her  Avere  Avorshix^ped.  She  Avas  an  invisible  sprite 
or  fairy,  who  Avas  supposed  to  sit  on  a stumx)  and  watch  the 
groAving  corn.  Offerings  were  made  to  her  in  a little  house  built 
for  her  residence,  in  which  tv/o  strings  are  put,  in  order  that  she 
may  bind  the  La  or  departed  soul  that  may  enter  the  field. 

Dr.  Judson  was  the  first  to  consider  the  Karens  as  among  the 
lieople  whose  conA^ersion  he  was  to  seek.  Soon  after  his  arriA^al 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


38(> 


ai  Jtaiif^ooM  lie  saw  small  jiartiiis  of  tliem  jiass  liis  iesi(l(‘iic.(‘-. 
^MVlio  are  these  iiaiuired  h(\  He  was  told  that  tlM*y  w(‘n5 
called  Karcais,  that  they  were  wild  m(*n,  s(‘ld()m  (ait(‘red  a town, 
and  shrunk  from  intercourse  with  Jiurmaiis.  I>ut  his  (‘ariu^st 
imiuiries  about  them  awakened  an  interest  in  the  minds  of  some 
of  the  Ibirmese  converts.  J)urin,L,^  the  Jbirmese  war  oiui  of  tlu^ 
eoiiverts,  finding  a ])Oor  Karen  bond-servant  at  Kangoon,  jiaid  his 
debt  and  thus  became  .according  to  law  his  temiiorary  mastin'. 
At  Amherst  on  Sunday,  Ajuil  liLM,  1<SU7,  two  days  Ixdbre  the 
death  of  his  little  ]\raria,  J)r.  Judson  had  three  new  imiuirers, 
among  viiom  was  this  bond-servant — Ko  Thah-byu,  who  was 
])redestined  to  become  the  ^Mvaren  ^Vpostle”  of  whom  we  else- 
where give  some  ])articulars  of  great  interest  and  jirolit. 

The  mission  to  Tavoy  was  the  most  suc.ci'ssl'ul  in  rinu^hing  the 
Karims.  At  lirst  two  natives  were  sent  from  village  to  village 
reading  and  exidaining  the  (tosiiel,  while  Ko  Thah-byu  went 
everywhere  xireaching  the  kingdom  of  (iod.  ]\Ir.  ^lasoii  was 
busy  going  from  Aullage  to  village  distributing  parts  of  Scrip- 
ture. The  result  was  that  at  tiie  close  of  1833,  less  than  three 
years  after  the  death  of  ]\Ir.  Boardmaii,  one  hundred  eighty-seven 
Karens  had  been  baptized.  Dr.  Wade  arrived  at  Tavoy  in  1835, 
and  reduced  the  language  to  writing;  and  a iiriuting  press  was 
established  there  in  1837. 

In  1857  Dr.  Mason  returned  to  Touugoo.  Two  additional  tribes 
of  Karens,  the  Bgliais  and  the  Pakus,  at  this  time  received  the 
Gospel.  In  the  beginning  of  1858  twenty-seven  villages  of  Bghais 
had  received  Christian  preachers  and  teachers.  The  missions  of 
which  Toungoo  is  the  centre  have  Dvo  associations.  One  of 
these,  the  Baku  Association,  at  its  meeting  in  187G  reported 
messengers  from  sixty  churches,  including  a membership  of  more 
than  two  thousand  Karens. 

In  1881  there  were  connected  with  the  mission  at  Toungoo  110 
chinches,  with  a immilxu'shij)  of  5,001. 


GOSPEL  TRIUMPHS  AMONG  THE  KARENS. 


3S7 


The  mission  in  Arracaii,  it  will  be  remembered,  be^an  at  an 
early  day  to  evangelize  the  Karens  of  the  neighboring  monn- 
tains.  In  1835  Mr.  Comstock  gained  access  to  a tribe  called  the 
Khyeus,  a branch  of  this  people.  The  missionary  exertions  of 
Messrs.  Kincaid  and  Abbott  in  Arracan  were  tit  first  chiefly 
directed  to  the  Karens  who  came  to  them  over  the  mountains 
from  Bnrmah  Proper.  When  they  first  entered  Arracan,  in  1840, 
they  considered  it  as  a land  of  temporary  retreat  from  despotisno 


School  for  Karen  Girls,  Toungoo. 

but  the  former  went  to  Akyab,  to  labor  among  the  native  Arra- 
canese  5 the  latter  to  Sandoway,  where  he  could  communicate 
with  the  Karens  who  lived  eastward  beyond  the  mountains.  At 
Akyab  Mr.  Kincaid  was  for  a time  much  occipiied  in  rallying  the 
church  planted  there  many  years  before  by  Mr.  Pink.  In  1841 
he  visited  Chet-za,  the  famous  mountain  chief,  and  his  Keinmee 
villages.  Soon  after,  IMr.  Kincaid  was  obliged  to  return  tempo- 
rarily to  his  native  land.  As  for  Mr.  Abbott,  as  soon  as  he 
arrived  at  Sandoway  he  sent  two  of  his  native  assistants  lieyond 


THE  S'l'onv  OF  EAP'l'lST  MISSIONS. 


;}88 

tlio  inouutains  to  iiilorin  the  Kanais  who  liad  known  liiin  at 
llangoon  of  his  whereabouts,  and  to  invite  tliem  to  visit  liim- 
Accordingly  many  of  the  assistants  and  tlieir  converts  cairn*, 
across  the  mountains  to  Sandoway.  The  i)asses  between  the 
British  jirovince  and  Indeiiendent  Burmali  were  guardcMl  with 
jealous  care;  yet  large  numbers  of  Karens,  familiar  with  every 
path  and  in  the  habit  of  tracing  them  by  night,  visited  Mr. 
Abbott.  Some  of  these  he  bai)tized;  in  1841  he  baptized  one 
hundred  and  iiiuety-three.  About  fifty  others  remained  to 
pursue  studies  preparatory  for  the  ministry  or  for  teaching.  In 
1842  he  visited  the  Karen  villages  scattered  along  the  eastern 
frontier  of  Arracaii,  and  during  an  absence  of  only  thirty-one 
days  he  baptized  two  hundred  and  seventy-nine.  These  had 
been  converted  and  instructed  by  three  native  assistants  with 
whom  he  was  well  acquainted.  Within  the  period  of  live  years 
after  his  arrival  at  Sandoway,  Mr.  Abbott,  or  his  native  assist- 
ants, baptized  more  than  three  thousand.  In  the  single  year 
1844,  he  and  his  assistants  baptized  two  thousand  and  thirty-nine. 
In  four  months  of  that  year,  in  Pantawau  district,  two  native 
preachers  baptized  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty. 

This  revival  had  been  iireceded  by  persecution  and  mortal 
sickness.  During  the  Winter  and  Spring  of  1843  the  Christian 
Karens  were  driven  from  Burmali  Proper  by  threats  of  imiiris- 
oninent  and  enormous  fines  for  worshipping  God  and  imblicly 
studying  the  Scriptures.  Indeed,  many  were  seized,  beaten, 
chained,  imiirisoned  and  robbed  of  their  entire  possessions. 
31  ore  than  two  bundred  families  fled  to  Sandoway  for  refuge 
from  the  storm  of  persecution.  The  acting  British  Commissioner 
of  the  2>rovince  srqiiilied  them  Avith  food,  alloAving  them  a year 
in  Avhich  to  make  their  iiayments,  without  interest.  The  same 
year  the  cholera  prevailed  in  Arracan  to  such  an  extent  that 
several  villages  were  nearly  depoiiulated.  In  three  of  these, 
e.hurches  had  been  established.  The  Karen  refugees  also  suf- 
fercMl  severely  from  this  Asiatic  scourge. 


TRIALS  AND  TRIUMPHS  OF  KAREN  CONYERTS. 


389 


The  retiections  of  Professor  Gammell  on  the  calamities  that 
visited  these  Karen  Christians  are  Avell  AYorthy  of  a i)lace  in  this 
volume.  “ Seldom,’^  says  lie,  do  the  checkered  pages  of  mis- 
sionary history  record  a more  aflecting  instance  of  persecution 
for  conscience’s  sake,  than  that  which  was  thus  visited  on  these 
simple-hearted  Christian  Karens.  Hunted  down  like  birds  upon 
their  own  mountains,  beaten  with  stripes,  loaded  with  chains 
and  shut  up  in  prisons,  their  infant  faith  was  subjected  to  trials 
which  that  of  Christians  even  in  the  most  favored  lands  might 
not  always  endure  unharmed.  Yet  they  wavered  not.  They 
abandoned  their  villages  and  their  cultivated  fields.  They 
sacrificed  their  property,  they  gave  up  their  country,  and 
perilled  their  lives  j but  they  would  not  resign  the  faith  and 
doctrine  whose  power  they  had  experienced.  They  Avould  still 
worship  God,  even  though  they  Avere  obliged  to  do  it  beneath 
another  sky  and  in  a strange  land.  Their  ultimate  fate  lends  a 
still  darker  line  to  their  sufierings.  In  the  Summer  after  their 
arriATil,  just  as  they  had  become  settled  in  their  new  Aullages  and 
were  beginning  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  freedom  they  had  so 
dearly  Avon,  the  cholera  began  to  waste  the  country,  and  hurried 
these  emigrant  Karens  by  hundreds  to  the  grave.  In  the  panic 
Avhich  it  created  many  fled  across  the  mountains,  back  to  the 
persecuting  land  which  they  had  left;  while  many  more,  uncared 
for  and  unknown,  perished  in  the  jungle,  Auctims  of  the  pestilence 
they  sought  to  escape.” 

But  dark  as  Avas  this  night  of  their  affliction,  such  Karens  as 
lived  through  it  saw  that  it  was  followed  by  a matchless  morn- 
ing. If,  before,  they  had  doubted  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  ( and 
they  had  seen  much  to  shake  their  Aveak  faith  in  Him),  they 
could  certainly  find  no  cause  to  doubt  it  any  longer.  The  revival 
that  folloAved  Avas  without  a parallel  in  the  history  of  Protestant 
missions,  and  tidings  of  it  Avent  all  over  the  Christian  Avorld,  like 
angel  \mises  proclaiming  victory!  \ 


300 


THE  STORY  OF  ]}A1*T1ST  MISSIONS. 


Ill  1810,  tlie  Saiidoway  mission  roportod  tliat  livo  llionsaiid 
Karens  liad  l)(‘en  baptized.  Tluaci  wei(‘/  lour  inissionaries  and 
forty-four  native  assistants  laboring  in  tliis  jiroinisinj^  li(*ld.  “ It 
is  wortliy  of  remark,”  says  Jtev.  Dr.  S.  F.  Smitli,  “that  tlui  first 
dis(*i})le  baptized  in  Sandoway,  in  181.‘5,  was  (;oiivert(‘d  tlirouj»li 
tlie  instrumentality  of  Mrs.  Abbott.  In  tlie  wliol(‘.  liistory  of 
missions,  woman’s  work  lias  held  a pla(;e  of  distin^uisli(*d  honor. 
Women  have  often  been  the  ])ioneers  both  in  jiropajj^atinj^  and 
aeeeptin^i*-  the  (losixO.  It  has  been  so  from  tlui  b(‘^•innin^^  The 
station  at  Chunierah,  oiiee  the  seat  of  a nourishing  ehiirch  of 
ninety-one  members  in  the  days  of  Dr.  Judson,  never  had  a male 
missionaiy.  A brave  sister,  ]\Iiss  Cummings,  lived  and  labored 
there  alone,  and  gathered  jewels  for  Christ’s  erown,  and  died; 
and,  though  the  ehureh  was  afterwards  seattered  by  the  re- 
moval of  its  members,  the  rc(;ord  of  her  work  is  in  the  histor}" 
of  missions,  and  is  registered  on  high.  The  Durman  catechism, 
l)re])ared  by  ]\Irs.  »Iudson  and  translated  into  Siamese,  was  the 
lieginning  of  the  work  in  Siam.  The  lirst  (convert  baptized  in 
Amherst,  consecrated  as  the  scene  of  the  death  of  iMrs.  Judson, 
was  a Burman  woman,  in  Ajiril,  1827.  The  first  baptism  in 
(Mninection  with  the  Shan  mission,  was  a Burman  woman.  So 
it  was  in  the  early  days  of  Christianity.  The  church  in  Samaria 
grew,  under  God,  out  of  the  Avarm-hearted  zeal  of  the  woman  at 
the  well  of  Sychar.  The  church  in  Philippi,  the  first  on  the 
continent  of  Europe,  counted  Lydia  of  Thyatira  as  its  first 
member. 

From  Sandoway,  the  chief  seat  of  this  mission  was  afterwards 
removed  to  Bassein,  a district  inhabited,  in  j^iart,  by  some  84,000 
Karens.  In  the  year  1848  there  were  more  than  4000  baptized 
Karens  in  connection  Avitli  this  mission.  In  18GG  there  were 
among  the  Pwo  Karens  of  this  district  more  than  forty  Christian 
villages,  Avith  a population  of  eleven  hundred  avoAA  ed  disciples 
of  Chi  ist.  Their  churches  are  noAV  self-sui)])orting ; and  they 


KAREN  LIBERALITY  AND  INDEPENDENCE. 


391 


have  commeneed  a foreign  mission  among  the  Ka-Ivliyens,  a 
lieople  dwelling  a tlioiisaiid  miles  away. 

The  mission  in  Ileiithada  is  ehiehy  Karen.  The  Knrman 
department  of  that  district  was  long  since  almost  totally  eclipsed 
by  the  glory  of  the  Karen  department.  According  to  the  report 
of  1878,  there  were  1790  Karen  converts,  and  only  254  Biirman 
disciples.  The  labors  of  the  Kev.  B.  O.  Thomas  at  Ilenthada 
are  worthy  of  a larger  space  in  the  records  of  onr  missions  than 


Karen  Normal  SrIionI,  Toungon, 


has  ever  been  awarded  to  them.  These  churches,  by  the  way, 
have  been  trained  to  systematic  beneficence.  The  Kev.  I).  A. 
AV.  Smith  shows  the  effect  of  this  custom  in  the  following  haiipy 
parallelism:  There  is  no  creaking  to  the  door  which  is  in  con- 
stant use,  nor  will  tliere  be  any  croaking  among  those  Avho 
habitually  give.” 

The  Shwaygyeen  mission  is  likewise  Karen.  It  was  commenced 
in  1853  by  Kev.  Xorman  Harris.  ]\lrs.  Harris  died  during  the 
first  year  of  her  residence  among  this  people;  and  the  second 
]Mrs.  Harris,  formerly  Miss  Miranda  Vinton,  died  in  1856.  Mr. 


302 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  TvTlSSIONS. 


Harris,  iptiiriiiiig  to  tlic  Uint(‘(l  Stat(*s  in  1801,  was  roijiiostod  l)y 
his  Karen  (liscii)les  to  return  to  them,  and  nearly  a liiindred  dol- 
lars sent  him  to  help  ])ay  his  i)assaj,^e.  These  Karens  hav(i 
refused  ‘^grants  in  aid,”  or  ^(overnment  allowance's  to  sn])port 
their  schools.  They  say,  with  ^o)od  sense,  ^‘if  Ave  (*.at  our  oAvn 
rice,  Ave  shall  relish  it  the  better,  and  haA^e  no  one  to  comjOain 
of  ns.”  According  to  the  report  of  1884,  there  were  1012  chur(;h 
mend)ers  ainon*^  the  ShAva}\ij^yeens. 

The  Ked  Karens,  or  Kayas of  Karennec'.,  in  TJi)])er  Jiurmah, 
liaAO  but  lately  be^^un  to  receiAO  the  (losi)el.  Dr.  ]\Iason  visib'd 
them  in  1850,  and  aatis  the  first  missionary  that  Avas  CA^er  amon^ 
this  people.  He  translated  and  luinted  a cateehism  in  th(*ir  lan- 
guage, and  had  assistants  and  schools  among  them.  In  1875  it 
was  reported  that  elcAon  Kaya  coiiAorts  had  been  bajitized.  At 
the  meeting  of  the  rakii  Association  in  1870,  a missionary  to  the 
Ked  Karens  Avas  ordained.  ]\Iessrs.  Vinton  and  Hunker,  Avhen 
they  visited  this  people,  AAore  hospitably  Acelcomed,  and  encour- 
aged to  persevere  in  their  efforts  to  coiiAort  them. 

The  accounts  we  haAO  receiAod  about  the  character  of  the 
Kayas  are  somewhat  contradictory.  Dr.  ^Mason  says  that,  in 
spite  of  all  the  saAmgeness  that  is  imputed  to  them,  they  are  by 
far  the  most  ciAu'lizedof  all  these  mountain  tribes.  They  make 
both  a siiirituous  and  a fermented  liquor,  and  yet  Dr.  ]Mason  did 
not  see  any  intoxicated  Kaya;  Avhile  drunken  Shans,  AAdiose 
religion  strictly  forbids  the  use  of  such  drinks,  passed  the  jdace 
of  his  sojourn  daily.  A considerable  part  of  the  xiopulation  he 
found  to  lie  slaves ; Init  slavery  here,  it  seems,  exists  in  its  mild- 
est form.  He  saw  very  little  difference  betAveen  master  and 
slave.  He  found  them  civil  and  good-natured,  and  questioned 
the  truth  of  the  stories  told  of  their  ferocity.  On  the  other  side, 
Messrs.  O’Hiley  and  McMahon,  British  Commissioners  AAdio  have 
traAT'lled  among  the  Kayas,  concur  in  rexiresenting  them  as  unre- 
lenting in  their  ferocity,  imxndsively  and  saAmgel}'  cruel,  as 
totnlly  disi'egarding  life  in  the  absence  of  any  controlling  i)OAA'er, 


THE  RED  KARENS  OR  KAYAS. 


393 


and  marked  by  such  a lack  of  mutual  good  faith  as  to  contradict 
the  proverb,  there  is  honor  among  thieves.”  Aside  from  their 
not  being  cannibals,  these  writers  deny  that  they  are  more  civil- 
ized than  the  most  barbarous  tribes  of  Africa.  Such  is  the  con- 
flict of  evidence  in  this  case,  that  we  must  have  more  testimony 
before  we  can  arrive  at  proof. 

While  waiting  for  fresh  witnesses,  we  may  gain  some  collateral 
light  from  the  beliefs  and  customs  of  the  Kayas.  As  for 
betrothals,  the  lied  Karens  never  betroth  their  children  during 
infancy.  In  this  they  difler  from  many  of  the  other  tribes. 
They  believe,  it  seems,  that  i^arties  who  marry  do  so  in  accord- 
ance with  an  engagement  into  which  their  spirits  enter  in  the 
presence  of  God  before  they  were  born.  As  for  funerals,  unlike 
some  of  the  other  Karen  tribes  who  burn  their  dead,  they  bury 
the  mortal  remains  in  a grave  six  or  seven  feet  deep,  over  which 
a miniature  house  is  erected.  When,  however,  a chief  dies,  he  is 
buried  with  the  utmost  secrecy j for  the  Red  Karens  have  a tra- 
dition that  if  the  Shans  or  Burmese  succeed  iu  securing  the  head 
of  a deceased  chief,  they  will  be  able  to  conquer  the  Kareiinee 
nation  and  reduce  it  to  slavery. 

They  have  a tradition  that  they  were  once  a kingdom  having 
a capital  called  Hotalay,  or  the  ^^gold  and  silver  city.”  The  site 
of  this  city  is  supposed  to  have  been  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
ancient  Pagan  capital  of  Burmali.  Colonel  McMahon  thinks  it 
identical  with  JMien,  the  city  of  golden  and  silver  towers,  which 
is  mentioned  by  INIarco  Polo.  The  tradition  further  relates  that 
the  Burmans  destroyed  their  capital  with  all  their  cities  and  vil- 
lages, and  drove  them  out  of  the  land  along  with  certain  Chinese 
and  Western  foreigners  who  resided  among  them. 

Dr.  INIason  reported  that  in  1868  there  were  among  the  Karens 
sixty-six  native  ordained  pastors  and  evangelists,  three  hundred 
and  forty-six  unordained  native  preachers,  three  hundred  and 
sixty  native  churches,  with  a membershix)  of  twenty  thousand. 
Ui)on  13r.  Mason’s  return  to  Toungoo  in  1857,  he  says:  ^^My 


TJIK  STORY  OR  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


;}‘)4 

course  lias  been  lik(‘v  a 1 riiiiiiplial  ])i(KU‘ssioii.  * * I 

stand  oil  tli(‘S(‘.  inouiitaiii  to])s  in  (!liristiaii  villa <^<*s,  and  s(‘(‘.  now 
two,  and  anon  tlir(‘c,  and  llnni  five  otlnn-  (;lnsteis  of*  ( yliristian 
lialiitations,  T l‘i‘(d  like  tli(‘.  (,>neen  of  Sli(*l)a,  wImmi  sIm*  said,  ‘Tin*, 
half  was  not  told  nn*.’  \V(*r(‘.  tli(‘-  ^Missionary  Union  fo  heitonn*. 

bankrniit,  and  all  the  niissionari(‘s  to  return  home,  work  would 
go  on  without  our  aid,  as  certainly  as  the  dawn  in(a-(‘as(*s  to  tli(‘. 
perfect  day.”  A writer  in  the  ]\radras  Observe}'  of  India  stat(‘d 
that  in  October,  L8(>8,  a genthmian  not  in  syinpatliy  with  tluj 
IJaptists,  but  a great  traveller,  performing  his  Journeys  on  foot 
through  JJurmah,  said  that  at  one  time,  while  amongst  tliesii 
Karen  districts,  ^Mie  found  himself  for  sevimteivn  successive, 
nights,  at  the  end  of  his  day’s  journey  through  the  forests,  in  a 
native  Christian  village.” 

One  cannot  trace  the  marvmllous  triumphs  of  a ])ure  Cospid 
among  these  and  other  mountain  tribes,  without  fc^eling  that 
there  is  no  jioetical  extravagance  in  the  Avoids  of  Jsaiah,  Avlnm 
he  exclaims:  IIoav  beautiful  u[)ou  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of 
him  that  bringeth  good  tidings;”  and  no  exaggeration  in  the 
words  of  CoAA'per  Avheii  he  predicts  that  mountain  tops  shall 

'’‘From  distant  mountains  catch  the  hying  joy.*’ 


Hindu  Conception  of  the  Universe. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


KEV.  DR.  FRANCIS  MASON. 

Birth-place  and  Early  Experiences. — Self  Education. — Travelling  through 
the  United  States. — At  Canton,  Mass. — First  and  Second  Marriage. — 
Goes  out  to  Tavoy. — Baptizes  Thirty-four  Karens. — The  Dying  Board- 
man. — Shooting  the  Falls  of  the  Tenasserim. — ^The  Scenery  of  Tavoy. — 
A Karen  Village  Described. — The  Mission  Cemetery  at  Tavoy. — His  Life 
of  Ko  'riiah-byu. — A Tribe  which  Tattoo  the  Faces  of  Girls. — Compiles 
a Karen  Bible. — Studies  Natural  History. — Dr.  Mason’s  Character. — 
Later  Accounts  from  Toungoo. 

THE  year  1799,  the  same  in  which  William  Carey  com- 
'llt  inenced  his  mission  at  Serampore,  there  came  into  York,  one 
of  the  oldest  cities  of  Europe,  a little  boy  who  has  since  become 
of  considerable  note,  Kev.  Francis  Mason,  D.  D.,  M.  11.  A.  S. 
His  parents  were  poor,  and  the  earliest  thing  he  conld  remember 
was  a bar  across  the  cottage  window,  which  kept  him  from  crawl- 
ing out  into  a gentleman’s  garden.  His  grandfather  was  the 
founder  and  i)astor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  York.  His  father 
became  heir  to  an  estate  worth  a thousand  dollars  a yearj  but  he 
was  too  poor  to  commence  the  expensive  law-suit  necessary  to 
obtain  the  property.  He  was  brought  up  to  the  trade  of  shoe- 
making, and  while  following  this  calling  was  brought  into  the 
company  of  a very  brutal  class  of  workingmen.  Tims,  one  of 
the  journeymen  with  whom  he  worked  at  Hull,  though  his  wife 
was  a very  quiet,  sober  woman,  used  to  boast  of  his  striking  her 
once  with  his  fist  on  one  side  of  the  head  and  as  she  reeled  and 
was  about  to  fall  he  struck  her  another  blow  on  the  other  side 
and  she  stood  erect  again.  He  so  nicely  balanced  the  blows  that 
they  neutralized  each  other.  Francis’  father  was  a preacher, 

an  advocate  of  Beform,  and  addressed  with  much  eloquence  out- 
28 


'I'lIK  STORY  OR  RAl’TIST  MISSIONS. 


door  ])oliti(nd  inoetin^^s.  1I(‘.  onoo  trit'd  to  intioduco  written 
serinoiiSj  but  Ids  Iu‘ur(u\s  (U‘i(Ml  them  down  ns  e-old  j)nddin^.” 

Youn<>^  Mason’s  lovo  for  matlieinatie.s  was  Ji\vak(‘n(Ml  by  an  old 
book  he  opened  at  n book-stall  at  Hull.  Ib*,  w(mt  lionie  and 
begged  Ids  mother  to  buy  it  for  1dm,  and  in  t\vo  \va‘(*ks  sh(‘,  s;iv(‘d 
enough  money  to  puredmse  the  book.  Ib'.  aft(‘rwards  master(‘d 
Enel  id  and  made  considerable  progress  in  the  higlnn*  inathe.- 
matics.  In  1818  he  came  over  to  Philadelphia,  and  from  that 
city  went  to  Cincinnati,  still  working  at  his  trade.  In  18U1  we 
find  him  in  St.  Louis,  where  he  remains  till  1821.  Then  he  takes 
np  his  ^Mvit  and  boodle”  and  descends  the  Mississippi  to  New 
Orleans.  Thence  he  sails  for  Poston,  where  he  arrives  in  1821. 
At  llandolph,  Massachusetts,  he  meets  a Paptist  minister  Avho, 
in  a i)rivate  interview^  in  1825,  convinces  him  of  his  personal 
need  of  a Saviour.  IMarrying  the  same  year,  he  settles  as  a 
shoemaker  at  Canton,  a inannfactnring  village  fourteen  miles 
southwest  of  Poston.  He  obtained  a good  hope  in  1820,  and  in 
the  year  following  he  was  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel.  While 
])nrsning  liis  theological  studies  at  NewTon,  his  wife,  who  had 
been  the  instrument  of  liis  conversion,  sickened  and  diedi  In 
1830  be  married  ]\Iiss  Helen  M.  Griggs,  of  Prookline,  Massa- 
clinsetts,  and  with  her  embarked  for  Pnrmali  on  the  20th  of 
May.  His  fellow  voyagers  were  Eev.  E.  Kincaid  and  his  wife. 

At  the  outset  of  his  missionary  career,  it  was  his  lot  to  become 
a conspicuous  figure  in  a scene  of  general  and  memorable  inter- 
est, the  baptism  of  thirty-four  Karens  in  the  presence  of  the 
dying  Poardman,  wiio  had  been  carried  on  a cot-bed  to  the 
banks  of  the  river  wiiere  Mr.  Mason  administered  the  ordinance. 
The  latter  had  arrived  in  November,  1830,  and  had  accompanied 
Poardman  on  his  last  tour  among  the  Karens.  In  January  of 
the  year  following  Mr,  Poardman  commenced  another  tour,  in 
fulfillment  of  a promise  he  had  made  to  the  Karens.  He  wt\s  so 
fe(d)l(‘,  howTiver,  that  he  had  to  be  carried  on  a bed,  and  at  the 


PERILOUS  ADVENTURE  ON  A RAFT. 


;3!)7 

end  of  his  journey,  on  the  third  day,  lie  was  manifestly  sinking. 
But  he  could  not  consent  to  return  until  the  candidates  for 
baptism  were  examined  and  he  saw  the  ordinance  administered. 
As  Mr.  Mason  and  other  friends  were  about  setting  out  to  carry 
him  in  a boat  back  to  Tavoy,  he  passed  peacefully  to  his  reward. 

Within  the  limits  of  the  province  of  Tavoy  are  about  fifty 
villages,  and  it  was  Mr.  Mason’s  business  for  the  first  two  years 
to  walk  through  all  parts  of  the  country  with  a native  assistant, 
dropping  a word  of 
exhortation,  a tract, 
or  some  part  of  Scrip- 
ture in  the  midst  of 
every  Burmese  family 
in  Tavoy. 

Mr.  Mason  after- 
wards extended  his 
travels  to  the  Karen 
villages  in  Mergui, 
where  as  yet  there 
had  been  no  mission- 
ary. In  the  prosecu- 
tion of  these  labors 
he  often  went  out  to 
sea  in  an  open  boat, 
and  was  repeatedly 
stranded.  He  likewise  labored  much  on  the  river  Tenasserim, 
which  he  traced  from  near  its  mouth  to  its  source  in  the  highest 
mountain  of  Tavoy.  This  river  has  numerous  rapids,  on  des- 
cending which  his  party  usually  took  their  baggage  off  the  rafts 
and  carried  it  down  to  the  foot  of  the  falls  by  land,  sending  the 
rafts  over  empty.  Weary  of  this  process,  they  once  tried  the 
experiment  of  going  over  without  unloading,  but  when  they 
got  among  the  rocks  and  foaming  waters,  the  raft  rolled  over 


:m 


TTIK  STOllY  OF  liAF'l’IST  MISSIONS. 


u])-si(le-(l()Wii,  }iii(l  threw  tlieni  all  olt.  Ilowevaa-,  they  (contrived 
to  seize  the  l)anil)0()s,  and  were  all  e.arried  down  into  the  dee]> 
eddies  below.  As  they  had  taken  the  i)ree.antion  to  tie  on  nil 
the  baggage,  nothing  was  lost.  They  did  not  make  this  exjxM  i- 
inent  a seeond  tiin(‘. 

The  seenery  of  Tavoy  is  jnueh  admired,  by  reason  of  tin*, 
variety  of  hill  and  dale  which  (jontinnally  pleases  th(‘,  (‘.ye  of  the 
trav^eller.  The  mountain  streams  are  now  ra])id,  and  now  shal- 
low. At  one  time  you  hear  the  (piiet  murmur  of  the  brook, 
again  it  is  the  wail  or  iwolonged  plaint  of  easeades,  making 
their  way  among  obstriieting  ro(‘ks.  Somewhere  in  his  writings. 
Dr.  ^lason  (compares  them  to  young  daughters  of  Niagara  erying 
after  their  mother.  Another  novelty  of  this  region  is  the  situa- 
tion of  some  of  the  Karen  villages.  One  of  these  was  Palow, 
whieh  Dr.  Mason  found  very  ditfieult  of  access.  It  is  literally 
embosomed  in  inountains,  Avhieh  have  but  a single  narrow  gorge, 
through  whieh  foams  and  mars  a wild  torrent.  The  easiest  way 
to  it  is  by  crossing  two  lotty  spurs  of  the  range,  following  up  the 
course  of  one  stream  and  descending  by  another  that  is  a tribu- 
tary of  the  Palaw  river,  and  falls  into  it  a few  miles  below  the 
village.  The  stream  you  ascend,  often  falls  in  cascades  of  more 
than  tilty  feet  at  a single  leap.  In  going  around  these  cascades, 
your  i>atli  is  from  rock  to  rock,  like  ascending  the  steps  of 
a tower.  At  the  highest  point  is  a level  space  or  piece  of 
table -land,  covered  with  an  impenetrable  under-growth,  so 
that  you  now  tind  no  possible  path  but  through  the  waters 
of  the  stream,  which  is  often  several  feet  deep.  When  you 
begin  to  descend  on  the  other  side  of  the  mountain,  you  are 
in  the  utmost  danger  of  stumbling  and  falling  at  almost  every 
ste]).  The  missionary  seldom  goes  down  these  mouidain  sides 
without  recxdving  a variety  of  bruises.  But  when,  Ave  are 
told,  the  highland  vale  is  reached  where  the  Avild  Karens, 
like  the  horid)ills,  havm  i)erched  their  nests,  a scene  of  sur- 


DR.  MASON  AS  A NATURALIST  AND  A LINGUIST. 


oOO 


l)assiiig  graiKleiir  and  beauty  is  presented,  wliere  the  lover 
of  rural  sights  and  sounds  may  have  his  soul  flooded  with  the 
melody  of  nature  5 melody  piped  from  the  jutting  rocks  that 
frown  above  him,  down  to  the  springing  crinum  at  his  feet. 

I)r.  Mason  was  a naturalist,  and  not  a few  of  his  descriptions 
of  the  scenery  of  Tavoy  and  Burinah  can  only  be  understood  by 
such  readers  as  are  acquainted  with  several  branches  of  natural 
science.  We  give  one  example,  which  is  a part  of  his  account  of 
the  trees  that  adorn  the  mission  cemetery  at  Tavoy,  where  rest 
the  mortal  remains  of  his  second  wife  and  of  Mr.  Boardman: 

‘^The  grove  of  large  trees  looming  up  in  the  centre  are  mcsuras 
— sacred  with  the  Buddhists,  for  they  believe  that  Aremataya,  the 
next  Buddha,  will  enter  the  divine  life  while  musing  beneath  its 
hallowed  shades.  The  flower  of  the  mesura  is  large,  resembling 
the  rock  rose,  and  is  very  fragrant.  * * * The  grandees  of 

Ava  are  said  to  stuft‘  their  pillows  with  dried  anthers  of  the 
flowers  on  account  of  their  fragrance.  * * The  delicious 

odor  of  their  blossoms  gave  them  a place  in  the  quiver  of  Cam- 
adeva  or  the  Hindu  god  of  love.”  ^ 

Mr.  Mason  learned  a language  with  great  ease.  He  mastered 
the  Sgau  Karen  and  the  Pwo  Karen  j he  afterwards  wrote  a 
grammar  of  the  two  dialects  for  the  use  of  the  missionaries. 
For  a few  years  he  taught  a theological  school  at  Tavoy,  for  the 
Karen  preachers.  He  usually  employed  the  rainy  season  either 
in  teaching  or  in  translating,  while  the  dry  season  was  occupied 
in  travelling  and  preaching  among  the  Karen  villages.  In  1837, 
he  published  Matthew’s  Gospel  in  Karen.  In  preaching  excur- 
sions, he  was  sometimes  accomiianied  by  Ko  Thah-byu,  the  first 
Karen  convert,  of  whom  we  shall  elsewhere  give  a particular 
account.  Mr.  Mason  wrote  a memoir  of  the  Karen  Apostle. 

1.  The  festival  of  Cania  or  Camadeva,  was  formerly  celebrated  every 
Spring  by  the  Hindu  women  of  Udepoor,  witli  peculiar  enthusiasm.  One 
of  their  hymns  adores  him  as  the  god  of  gods.  See  the  hymn  beginning, 
“ Hail,  god  of  the  flowery  bow!  ” 


100 


TIIK  «TOUY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Tlie  l)()ok  liad  a coiisidcnible  sale.  ()n(‘.  edition  was  exliansted 
in  India,  aiiotlier  in  Anierieji*,  while  the  learned  Professor  llenf^'- 
stenber^^  translated  it  into  (bn’inan.  Tli(‘.  histoiy  of  tlie  Jiritish 
edition  of  this  little  book  shows  how  ])nblish<ns  sonudimes 
hearken  to  the  ealninniators  of  authors.  The  Ijondon  Traet 
Society  brought  it  out,  and  it  was  sellin<;’  all  ov(*r  tin*  JJritish 
Empire,  when  some  one  told  the  eommittee  of  the  Society 
privately  that  the  statements  in  the  book  could  not  be  de])end(*d 
upon;  so  they  ceased  to  iinblish  it.  Put,”  says  Mr.  Mason, 
u every  statement  of  facts  is  nnqnestionabh^.  IMost  of  tin;  work 
was  read  in  mannseript  by  my  associates  in  Tavoy  and  a])])rov(‘d 
before  it  was  jiut  to  jiress.  If  such  an  nnfonnded  reiiort  was  in- 
tended to  injure  the  author,  it  was  a signal  failure;  Ixicanse  the 
book  was  a decided  success,  and  if  not  true,  then  it  establishes  my 
eharaeter  as  a Avriter  of  fiction;  and  a successful  writer  of  liction 
usually  stands  higher  in  the  republic  of  letters  than  a Avriter  of 
truth.” 

Xorth  of  Prome  are  settled  a good  many  of  a singular  tribe, 
the  Khyens,  Avho  tattoo  the  faces  of  their  girls.  AVhile  in  TaA^oy, 
Mr.  Mason  baptized  the  first  of  that  tribe.  AVhile  visiting  some 
of  the  Karen  Aullages  he  found  it  eonvenient  to  go  out  to  sea 
and  then  turn  into  some  of  the  small  riA^ers  that  descend  from 
the  mountains.  AVhen  on  these  excursions  he  sometimes  found 
encamped  at  the  mouths  of  the  streams  parties  of  Sellings,  the 
Karens  of  the  Sea,  who  live  in  their  boats.  They  are  distinct 
from  the  other  tribes  of  India,  and  are  of  the  same  race  as  the 
Sandwiiih  Islanders. 

In  184(3  ]\Irs.  Mason  died,  and  he  sent  his  tAvo  little  girls  to 
America.  Sickness  soon  after  compelled  him  to  think  of  aban- 
doning his  mission.  Put  after  a Amyage  to  Serampore  his  health 
AV'as  so  far  restored  that  he  AA^ent  back  as  far  as  ]\raulniain,  and 
eommeiKjed  the  translation  of  the  Old  Testament  into  the  Karen 
language.  Jle  had  already,  in  1843,  translated  the  Avhole  Kcav 
Testament. 


TRANSLATION  OF  THE  BIBLE  INTO  KAREN. 


401 


III  1847  he  was  inarried,  hy  Dr.  Jiidsoii,  to  Mrs.  Ellen  Huntly 
Bullard,  AvidoAV  of  Rev.  E.  Bullard,  and  daughter  of  Rev.  S. 
Iluutly,  of  Kew  Hampshire.  She  was  a lady  of  many  aeeom- 
idishmeuts  and  great  industry.  Two  of  tlie  steel  engravings  in 
the  attraetive  memoir  of  his  second  wife,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Mason, 
were  engraved  from  drawings  made  hy  her  pencil.  She  was 
afterwards  much  blamed  for  teaching  the  Karens  her  own  pecu- 
liar views,  and  so  leading  a number  of  the  churches  into  heresy. 
She  is  now  residing  in  Rangoon.  For  a time.  Dr.  Mason,  blinded 
by  his  partiality,  Avas  unable  to  detect  any  dangerous  errors  in 
her  teachings  j but  in  1870  his  eyes  were  opened,  and  he  began  to 
oppose  the  extravagant  opinions  of  his  wife.  Now  using  his 
influence  to  heal  the  divisions  which  had  so  long  afflicted  the 
Karen  churches,  he  Avas  permitted  to  see  many  of  them  forsaking 
false  doctrines,  and  returning  to  unity  and  concord. 

In  1853  he  completed  his  translation  of  the  Avhole  Bible  in  the 
Sgaii  Karen.  For  the  last  six  years  this  great  Avork  had  absorbed 
all  his  time  and  strength.  When  this  Bible  was  published  it  Avas 
highly  approved  by  competent  critics;  yet,  after  all,  his  own 
opinion  Avas  that  it  needed  reAusion,  and  to  this  end  he  suggested 
the  appointment  of  a committee  of  missionaries  to  reAuse  the 
translation  for  a new  edition,  and  thus  make  it  the  translation  of 
the  mission,  and  not  of  Dr.  Mason.  This  advice  shoAvs  at  once 
his  humility  and  his  round-about  common  sense. 

Mr.  Mason  had  now  been  tAveuty  years  in  the  missionary  field. 
He  had  of  late  years  been  in  poor  health,  and  it  was  not  unfre- 
quently  Avhile  lying  on  a sick  bed  that  he  had  been  able  to  carry 
forward  the  translation  of  the  Bible.  Attacked  with  dangerous 
sickness,  in  1854  he  embarked  for  his  native  land.  He  left  the 
mission  in  Toungoo  to  the  pastoral  care  of  Sau  Quala,  a native 
preacher  who  had  been  converted  by  the  first  sermon  of  Ko  Thah- 
l>yu. 

After  an  absence  of  three  years,  in  1857,  Mr.  and  JMrs.  Mason 


4()li 


THE  STORY  OF  RARTIST  MISSIONS. 


returned  to  Touugoo.  Jle  trav(‘ll(‘d  ainoii^  tlie.  Kiinuis  on  tlu*. 
baek  of  an  ele])liaiit,  attended  by  groni).s  of  tlui  nativ(‘.Sj  from 
twenty  to  fifty,  to  dig  a footing  for  the  elei)liants  on  tlie  steep 
sides  of  the  inonntains,  or  to  ent  paths  for  tliem  through  the 
t)amboo-thickets.  Growing  weary,  liowev(‘r,  of  s(‘eing  liim  mov(‘, 
so  slowly,  they  made  for  him  a bamboo  ])alankeen,  in  whie.h  th(‘y 
carried  him  from  village  to  village.  At  hmgth  he  s(dtl(‘d  among 
the  Bghais  Karens.  After  making  himself  aeipiainted  with  the 
language,  he  translated  and  printed  IMatthew,  Genesis,  the 
Psalms,  and  a few  of  the  minor  Epistles.  In  1850  he  visited  tlni 
lied  Karens,  being  the  lirst  missionary  that  had  ever  trodden 
their  soil.  He  translated  a cateehism  into  their  dialect. 

It  was  his  opinion,  as  we  state  more  fully  elsewh(*r(‘,  that  the 
Karens  were  the  descendants  of  a colony  of  Jews  Avho  had, 
before  the  Christian  era,  been  driven  from  China,  lie  fonml 
that  their  traditions  were  exclusively  of  Hebrew  origin.  More 
recent  research  has  confirmed  his  theory. 

Dr.  jMason’s  diversion,  while  on  his  preaching  tours,  was  the 
study  of  the  natural  history  of  the  regions  through  which  In* 
passed.  When  he  encamped  for  the  night,  or  was  detained  by 
partial  sickness,  his  Karen  friends  would  bring  to  him  specimens 
of  the  birds,  fish,  insects  and  plants  which  belonged  to  the 
vicinity.  Out  of  these  and  similar  studies,  occasionally  pursued, 
grew  a very  instructive  volume  on  ‘^Burmah,  its  People  and 
Katural  Productions.”  He  was  ever  making  new  attainments ; 
he  was  beyond  sixty  when  he  learned  the  art  of  printing  and 
taught  the  Karens  to  print.  He  taught  his  disciples  to  turn  off 
])rinter’s  work  equal  to  that  of  the  Bengal  Asiatic  Society.  The 
works  of  seienee  and  art  which  he  prepared  and  printed,  show 
his  concern  for  the  intelligence  as  well  as  the  piety  of  the  Karens. 

llldiealth  at  length  laid  him  aside  from  service,  and  he  died 
among  the  Karens,  March  3d,  1874,  aged  nearly  seventy -five 
years. 


THE  VITALITY  OF  GOSPEL  SEED. 


403 


111  liis  autobiograplij^,  The  Story  of  a AYorkiiigman’s  Life,” 
etc.,  lie  states  a fact  vTiicli  ought  to  teacli  young  ministers  to 
labor  and  to  wait,  or  rather  to  labor  so  diligently  that  work  shall 
leave  but  little  leisure  for  waiting.  Observing  that  God  has  put 
great  vitality  in  seeds,  and  that,  after  a forest  has  been  cleared  of 
large  trees,  young  plants  spring  up  of  a widely  different  species, 
from  seeds  that  lay  in  the  earth  for  many  years,  he  cites  a case 
showing  an  analogous  vitality  in  the  words  of  Scripture.  A 
native  Karen  was  baptized  at  Prome  in  18G0,  While  Mr. 
Boardman  was  preaching  in  Tavoy,  this  native,  who  then  resided 
there,  gave  not  the  slightest  indication  that  he  was  a believer  j 
and  yet,  after  ]\Ir.  Boardman  has  been  dead  more  than  thirty 
years,  he  comes  forward  and  confesses  that  he  believed  the 
Gospel  when  he  heard  it  from  his  lips. 

A striking  parallel  might  be  drawn  between  the  life  of  Francis 
Mason  and  that  of  William  Carey.  We  can  only  call  attention 
to  one  point  of  resemblance.  Like  Carey  he  was  always  looking 
towards  the  regions  bej^ond.”  And  this  was  equally  true  of 
his  intellectual  progress  and  his  adventures  into  new  and  remote 
missionary  fields.  That  passion  for  advancing  which  caused  the 
Germans  to  call  Blucher  Marshal  Forwards  ” fired  the  soul  of 
Mason  with  an  unquenchable  and  steady  glow.  If  at  any  stage 
of  his  career  sickness  or  other  necessity  occasioned  delay,  no 
sooner  did  he  regain  his  liberty  than  he  redoubled  his  activity 
and  push.  In  this  respect  he  was  like  the  river  Tenasserim,  the 
course  of  which  he  was  the  first  to  delineate  : after  it  has  been 
retarded  in  its  wider  and  almost  level  channel  across  some  plain, 
it  makes  all  haste  to  plunge  headlong  down  the  rocks,  as  if  to 
redeem  its  character  from  the  least  suspicion  of  its  being  a 
motionless  lake. 

The  history  of  the  Toungoo  mission  since  the  death  of  Dr. 
Mason  will  now  be  briefly  given.  In  1875  ]Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cushing 
returned  to  the  United  States  by  reason  of  ill  health.  During 


4(4 


THE  SJ’OIIY  OF  ]}AFT18T  MISSIONS. 


tlieir  jilKSoiK^e  two  Slinn  ])rea(*4iors,  siM*akiii^^  tlu*.  liiiiiiiaM  laii- 
visit(Ml  among-  the  villages  Touiigoo.  In  this  (‘xpedi- 
tion  they  met  one  ehief  who  commanded  his  j)eoj)le  to  asseird)le 
at  the  zayat  to  hear  the  tidings  of  salvation.  Tlni  ])(*o])le  came 
aecordinglyj  and  for  iminy  days  the  zayat  was  thronged  with 
attentive  heai-ers.  In  the  year  following,  one  liiindred  and  forty 
Ihirmaii  villages  Avere  visited.  Among  these,  nijieteeii  villages 
Avere  found  destitute  of  a Kyoung,  or  house  for  the  jn  iests  of 
(luatama.  In  187()  ]\Ir.  Criimh  (*.ame  to  i-(‘-infoi-(a‘.  the  Karen 
department  of  serAd(‘e.  The  AVomaifs  iVIissionary  Society  also 
sent  additional  teacheis  for  the  Toungoo  schools.  There  are 
now  (1884)  connected  Avith  the  Karen  departments  of  the 
Toungoo  mission,  Kev.  K.  1>.  Cross,  1).  1).,  and  AAdfe,  and  i\Iiss 
F.  E.  rainier,  lalioring  among  the  Pakus;  l^eA^  A.  Bunker  and 
Avife,  IMiss  LI.  K.  Eastman  and  .Aliss  E.  O.  Ambrose,  among  the 
Bghais;  Bev.  A.  Y.  B.  Crumb  and  AAife,  aiuong  the  Bed  Karens. 

In  the  Baku  department  tliere  are  sixty-three  churches  and 
2,5G4  members ; in  the  Bghai  department  there  are  sevent^^-seA^en 
churches  and  2,500  members. 

In  the  Avork  of  cA'angelization,  the  Bed  Karens  received 
their  first  native  preacher  from  the  Baku  department.  In  187G 
the  Baku  Association  ordained  a missionary  for  Karennee. 
There  are  now  fiA^e  or  six  native  preachers  travelling  through  this 
Avild  region.  Like  the  negroes  of  Africa,  the  Bed  Karens  believe 
in  Avitchcraft.  One  of  the  native  preachers,  Bebboo  by  name, 
has  been  drix^en  out  of  Karennee  because  it  has  come  to  be 
beliewed  that  he  is  the  chief  of  those  who  are  lAOSsessed  with 
eAul  spirits.  Those  Avho  are  condemned  for  witchcraft  are  shot. 
One  of  the  conx^erts,  accused  of  witchcraft,  was  shot  at  three 
times  AAdiile  fleeing  from  Karennee.  lie  aatis  comiielled  to  leave 
his  family  among  his  enemies,  AAdiere  they  are  liable  to  be  sold  as 
slaves,  or  shot. 

Dr.  Cross  says  that  the  largest  association  he  ever  attended 


RECENT  PROGRESS  AT  TOUNGOO. 


405 


was  tlie  Pakii  Association,  wliicli  was  licld  at  the  village  of 
Klila,  February  Cth,  1884.  He  never  saw  so  many  Karens 
together  on  any  occasion  before.  The  people  were  remarkably 
well  dressed,  orderly  and  quiet.  It  cost  the  church  in  Khla,  to 
feed  the  people  who  were  present,  about  980  rupees.  They  had 
prepared  seven  buifaloes,  besides  a great  number  of  bullocks,  to 
be  slaughtered;  but  when  some  messengers  heard  of  this,  they 
objected  that  it  was  dangerous  to  partake  freely  of  such  food 
where  so  many  were  present.  The  association,  therefore,  voted 
to  thank  the  Khla  people,  and  ask  them  not  to  slaughter  the 
buffaloes.  The  church  in  Khla  then  cheerfully  provided  other 
food.  All  the  Ked  Karen  churches  beyond  the  British  frontier 
belong  to  this  association. 

They  are  a branch  of  the  Chinese  family.  ^^This,”  says  Dr. 
Dean,  of  the  Chinese  Mission,  should  encourage  us  to  prosecute 
the  work  till  the  laborers  from  the  western  frontiers  of  China 
shall  meet  those  who  entered  by  the  south  and  east,  to  shake 
hands  on  the  interior  plains  or  western  mountains  of  the  empire, 
and  mingle  their  songs  of  triumph  to  our  Emmanuel.’^ 

So  much  for  the  Karen  department  of  Toungoo.  As  for  the 
Burman  department,  one  of  the  omens  of  hope  is  found  in  the 
decay  of  the  monastic  schools,  which  are  being  superseded  by 
the  schools  sui)ported  by  missions  and  by  tlie  government.  Kev. 
E.  H.  Eveleth  more  than  once  mentions  the  difficulties  which  he 
encounters.  “It  is,”  says  he,  “much  like  forcing  a sailing- 
vessel  through  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  against  a head  wind.” 
Thus  writes  he  in  1883;  in  1884  he  says:  “We  have  worked  old 
mines,  and  have  done  some  prospecting  in  new  ones;  but  the 
ore  is  not  yet  fully  separated  from  the  soil,  and,  to  the  eye  of 
the  faithless,  we  may  appear  to  have  expended  our  strength  for 
naught.  Yet,  to  the  miners,  there  have  been  hopefid  glisteniugs 
in  the  dark  here  and  there.” 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 


JIRS.  II.  .M.  G.  MASON. 


Her  visits  to  the  INIission  Cemetery  ut  'J'avoy. — From  Brookline,  Massachu- 
setts.— The  Kevival  in  Boston. — Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Farwell,  of  Cambridge. 
Miss  Griggs  Marries  Mr.  JSIason. — Goes  out  to  Tavoy. — Tlie  Karen  I*ro- 
phet. — Her  Description  of  Burmese  Votaries  of  Gautama. — 'J’he  Deatli 
of  Gautama  as  Described  in  Burmese  Books. — Mode  of  Travelling  among 
the  Karens. — Parting  with  her  Children. — Married  and  Single  Mission- 
aries.— A Native  Dorcas. — Mrs.  Mason’s  Sickness  and  Death. — Her  Pe- 
culiar Qualities. 


HEX  Mrs.  Mason  readied  Tavoj^  ]\Ir.  Ijoardinaii’s  mortal 
reniaiiis  liad  been  laid  to  rest  in  a s])ot  once  sacred  to 
Gnatamaj  in  the  shade  of  the  fragrant  Caniadeva.  Hut  his 
widow  loved  to  aceompany  JMrs.  Mason  to  that  bower  where  she 
showed  her  a vacant  space  next  to  her  husband’s  tomb,  for  her 
own  final  resting  place.  But  the  narrow  space  is  still  vacant  and 
is  destined  to  be  vacant  forever.  She  was  to  be  buried  upon 

The  Hock  of  the  Sea.”  She  also  showed  Mrs.  Mason  the 
little  bamboo  hut  which  Mr.  Boardman  had  erected  and  fitted 
u})  with  a table,  a chair,  a Bible  and  a hymn-book — a cell  of 
prayer  where  he  daily  retired  and  prayed  into  existence  the 
Karen  mission.. 

In  later  years  Mrs.  Mason,  herself  a mourner,  laid  there  under 
the  green  turf  her  Henry  and  her  Stella,  and  there  she  spent 
dajvs  of  fasting  and  praj^er.  There  she  took  her  little  Lucy  Ann, 
and  other  children  with  her,  on  their  birthday,  to  pray  for  and 
with  them. 

])uriiig  the  first  three  years  of  her  residence  at  Tavoy  she  was 
blessed  witli  the  comiianionship  of  IMrs.  Boardman,  but  when 
tlie  latter  left  for  Maulmain  the  mission  house  was  for  a season 


REMARKABLE  ANSWER  TO  PRAYER,  407 

almost  as  lonely  as  the  mission  cemetery.  Lncy  Ann,”  ^vrites 
she,  has  scarcely  smiled  since  little  George  left  ns,”  As  Mr. 
Mason  was  often  absent  in  his  tours  among  the  Karens,  she 
knew  many  lonesome  hours.  Hence  she  many  a time  resorted 
to  the  mortuary  bower  for  communion  with  God  5 and  there  she 
was  hiially  laid  to  rest.  It  was  meet  that  where  she  had  so 
often  agonized  in  prayer,  she  should  be  composed  to  her  quiet 
sleep.” 

Helen  Maria  Griggs  was  born  in  Brookline,  near  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts, December  22, 180G,— the  birthplace  of  Mrs.  Comstock. 
She  was  baptized  and  joined  the  Baptist  church  in  Koxbury, 
August  11th,  1822,  the  Bai)tist  church  in  Brookline  not  having 
been  formed  until  1828.  She  was  converted,  it  would  appear,  in 
answer  to  the  prayers  of  her  pious  mother  at  a time  when  her 
daughter  was  very  sick.  Feeling  an  indescribable  anxiety  that 
her  Helen’s  life  might  be  spared,  she  begged  the  Lord  to  make 
her  a new  creature,  and  at  the  same  time  gave  her  to  Jesus 
unreservedly  5 so  that  when  her  daughter  told  her  that  ifc  was  her 
duty  to  go  to  labor  among  the  Burmese,  much  as  she  loved  her 
she  dared  not  object ; For,”  said  she,  I felt  that  the  Lord  had 
raised  you  from  a sick  bed  and  enabled  you  to  hope  in  his 
mercy ; and  to  Him  it  was  your  duty  to  consecrate  your  days.” 
A curious  instance  of  way  the  peace  of  God  imsses  understand- 
ing is  given  in  one  of  her  mother’s  letters  to  her  : About  the 

time  of  a revival  in  Charles  Street  church,  Boston,  S and 

E Avere  for  a time  a heavy  burden  upon  my  mind  j but  one 

Sunday,  Avhile  listening  to  a sermon  from  Dr.  Sharp,  these 
painful  feelings  suddenly  left  me,  and  never  returned.  For  more 
than  a year  I was  unable  to  account  for  the  change,  but  Avhen 

S related  her  experience  to  the  church,  she  remarked  that 

the  first  gleam  of  hope  which  she  felt  was  on  that  very  day^  while 
hearing  Dr.  Sharp’s  discourse ! ” 

Miss  Griggs  was  of  the  large  Griggs  family  in  Brookline, 


408 


THE  STOKY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


^lass.  It  is  of  Eii^lisli  desodit,  and  lias  olfslioots  in  Illinois. 
Of  this  family  wore  the  late  wile  of  ]h‘V.  Dr.  Maroon,  and  the 
late  wife  of  Deaeon  (diase,  of  lioston.  Mr.  (iri^fi^s,  the  Chicaj^o 
])nl)lisher,  is  of  the  same  stock. 

When  J\Iiss  Ori^^JiS  offered  her  services  to  the  Jhiard,  she 
intended  to  go  out  to  India  unmarried  and  alon(‘.  As  at  that 
time  no  maiden  lady  liad  been  sent  out,  the  abstract  (jnestion 
of  sending  lier,  or  any  other  maiden  lady,  had  first  to  be  dis- 
cussed in  tlie  meetings  of  the  Hoard.  True,  i\Irs.  White  had 
before  gone  to  India  in  the  family  of  jVlr.  llongh,  lint  she  was  a 
widow.  However,  the  question  was  decided  in  her  favor,  and  on 
the  14th  of  December,  1829,  she  appeared  before  the  Hoard  for 
examination,  and  she  was  accepted  as  a missionary.  Francis 
Mason,  then  a student  at  Xewton,  had  often  met  her  at  the  resi- 
dence of  Deacon  Farwell,  in  Cambridge,  whose  obscure  back 
parlor  became  a place  of  resort  for  many  Christian  workers,  who 
found  in  the  sympathy  and  generosity  of  the  deacon  and  his 
wife  a timely  and  abundant  co-operation.  Among  those  who  occa- 
sionally visited  Mrs.  Farwell,  to  assist  her  in  carrying  forward 
her  endless  projects  for  doing  good,  were  four  young  ladies,  all  of 
whom  afterwards  became  missionaries  in  Hurmah  ; among  these 
was  the  subject  of  our  cabinet  sketch.  After  a courtship  of 
about  five  months,  Mr.  Mason  and  Miss  Griggs  were  married 
May  23,  1830,  and  embarked  the  next  day.  Another  missionary 
couple  sailed  with  them — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kincaid.  After  a voyage 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  days  they  landed  at  Calcutta. 
After  reaching  Maulmain  Mrs.  Mason  was  so  unwell  as  to  render 
it  inexpedient  for  her  to  go  forward  to  Tavoy.  But  the  sickness 
of  ]Mr.  Hoardman,  which  had  hastened  JMr.  Mason’s  deiiarture 
from  America,  now  required  him  to  proceed  to  his  assistance 
witliout  delay.  During  Mr.  IMason’s  absence  she  received  the 
sad  intelligence  of  Mr.  Hoardman’s  death,*  and  forthwith  wrote 
to  him  the  following  Avords:  Your  introduction  to  the  mission 


A KAREN  ‘^PROPHET”  A FORERUNNER  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  400 

work  will,  1 imagine,  leave  an  impression  upon  your  mind  never 
to  l)e  effaced.  Your  visit  to  the  jungle  must  liave  surpassed  in 
interest  any  previous  event  in  jmur  life.  Were  you  not  disposed 
to  cry  out,  as  you  stood  by  brother  Boardman  when  dying, 
^My  father,  my  father ! the  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horsemen 
thereof'?’  For  it  seems  to  me  his  dying  at  mid-day  in  the 
field  must  have  been  to  you  more  like  a translation  than  dying 
does  under  ordinary  circumstances.” 

'The  Karens  were  now  as  a held  of  golden  grain  waving  a wel- 
come to  the  sickle.  Messrs.  Boardman  and  Mason  found  the  way 
among  the  Karens  prepared  for  them  by  the  forerunner  who  was 
afterwards,  in  the  Memoirs  of  Mr.  Boardman,  very  unjustly 
described  as  ^hrii  old  sorcerer.”  i He  was,  in  fiict,  a Gentile 
proi)het,  such  as  were  formerly  found  the  world  over.  Having 
been  thrown  into  jail  at  Tavoy  on  the  charge  of  ‘Spraying  and 
teaching  others  to  pray  for  the  arrival  of  the  white  foreigners,” 
he  was  one  day  visited  by  an  Englishman  (possibly  connected 
with  some  trading  vessel ),  who  put  into  his  hands  a book  which 
he  could  not  read,  saying : “ Take  this  book  and  observe  its  pre- 
cepts.” It  was  a copy  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  with  the 
Psalms,  printed  at  Oxford.  Totally  ignorant  was  this  English- 
man of  the  fact  that  there  had  long  been  among  the  Karens  the 
tradition  that  the  ‘^Book  of  God”  would  be  brought  to  them  by 
the  white  foreigners.”  He  was  also  ignorant  of  the  fact  that 
this  Karen  prisoner  had  already  acquired  great  inffueuce  among 
the  Karens  of  Tavoy  and  Mergui  as  a religious  teacher,  assur- 
ing them  of  the  truth  of  the  tradition  above  - mentioned,  and, 
wherever  he  went,  assembling  his  followers  and  telling  them 
that  God  once  dwelt  among  them,  and  that  He  had  departed  to 
the  West,  but  that  He  Avould  return.  “When  God  returns,” 
said  he,  “the  dead  trees  will  blossom  again;  the  tigers  and  ser- 
pents will  become  tame;  there  will  be  no  distinction  between 


1.  We  here  give  Dr.  Mason’s  account  of  him. 


410 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


rich  and  poorj  and  universal  ])oace  will  hless  tlie  world.”  We 
relate  elsewhere  how  lie  preserved  tlui  inystcu'ions  hook ; how  it 
became  an  object  of  siiiierstitious  worshij),  and  how  this  ])rophet 
brought  it  to  Mr.  Boardinan.  We  Avish  heie  to  state  Avith 
emphasis  the  fact  that  this  Gentile  prophet  Avas  the  forerunner 
to  the  coiiAWsion  of  the  Karen  nation;  so  that,  wherever  ^Messrs. 
Boardinan  and  Mason  Avent,  the  cry  Avas  raised  and  sjiread 
throughout  eA^ery  Aullage : ^^The  Avhite  teacher  has  come!  The 
great  teacher  has  come  with  the  AVord  of  God!” 

Airs.  Alason’s  health  Avas  ahvays  imperfect,  but  Avhenever  her 
strength  iiermitted  she  took  a A^ery  active  ])art  in  the  Mission, 
more  particularly  in  the  schools.  When  she  entered  the  held 
there  Avere  but  three  jungle  schools  in  operation,  but  there  greAV 
up  in  later  years  tAvelve  schools.  All  of  these  Avere,  to  a great 
extent,  in  her  charge.  She  gaA^e  instruction  to  the  teachers, 
supplied  them  with  books,  pencils  and  all  necessary  articles. 
She  sometimes  Ausited  them  in  their  districts,  and  occasionally 
instructed  such  of  them  as  were  able  to  pass  some  time  at  Tavoy. 

Airs.  Alason  likewise  took  a lively  interest  in  her  husband’s 
eAmngelistic  work.  ^^One  morning,”  AATites  she,  went  aAvay 
about  sunrise  with  Lucy  Ann  [her  infant]  in  my  arms,  to  a tank 
back  of  the  town,  where  I Avitnessed  the  baptism  of  a Karen  man 
and  his  wife,  who  are  about  sixty  years  of  age ; and  subsequently 
tweh^e  others  were  baptized.” 

Some  of  her  observations  in  her  unpublished  correspondence 
are  full  of  light  respecting  the  nature  and  tendency  of  Buddhism. 

took  an  excursion,”  AATites  she,  ^^a  few  days  ago  along  a wind- 
ing path  in  a mango  orchard,  to  the  sacred  part  of  the  town.  I 
saAA^  tAvo  Avomen  Avorshipping  a colossal  image  of  Gautama. 
Before  them  four  lights  Avere  burning,  while  they  i^rayed  in  Pali 
[the  Latin  of  the  Buddhists].  AVhen  their  iirayer  was  ended 
they  rose  and  burst  into  a loud  laugh!”  In  another  letter  she 
says  that  as  she  Av^alked  out  one  evening,  she  saAV  four  women 


now  GAUTAMA  ENTERED  NIGBAN. 


411 


prostrate  before  a large  image  of  Gantama,  praying  with  all 
their  might  for  silk  dresses,  jewels  and  attendants. 

Among  her  unpiihlished  papers  we  find  the  following  narrative 
of  the  death  of  Gautama,  i translated  from  one  of  the  hundreds 
of  lives  of  the  Light  of  Asia  which  are  scattered  all  over  India: 
^^Kushina  is  celebrated  as  the  place  where  Gautama  entered 
I^'igban.  The  account  of  his  death  is  as  follows  : Knowing  that 
the  time  of  his  nigban  was  near,  he  retired  to  a mango  grove. 
A goldsmith  invited  him  to  a repast,  but  before  he  partook  he 
called  him  aside  and  said  to  him : ^ If  any  pork  is  to  be  served, 
let  it  be  served  to  me  only,  and  bury  the  remainder  of  the  dish 
in  the  earth.’  The  goldsmith  did  as  he  was  desired,  and,  having 
eaten  the  pork  in  the  presence  of  his  disciples,  he  soon  began  to 
feel  its  noxious  effects,  and  immediately  rei^aired  to  Eushina  to 
make  ready  for  his  departure.  He  there  said  to  his  discii:)les 
that  it  was  iu  his  i)ower  to  prolong  his  life  to  any  length  he 
chose,  by  going  to  certain  holy  places  and  permitting  himself  to 
be  entreated  to  live  longer.  But  these  places  were  distant,  and 
he  did  not  choose  to  go  to  them.  He  therefore  prepared  himself 
for  Kigban.  The  spot  he  chose  was  in  the  midst  of  four  splen- 
did Sal  trees,  on  the  banks  of  a beautiful  river.  Here,  after 
delivering  his  last  testament,  he  laid  himself  down  and  passed 
into  Kigban,  while  the  Devas  [ shining  ones  ] showered  upon  him 
thousands  of  odoriferous  flowers. 

Mrs.  Mason  acquired  such  a knowledge  of  the  Burmese  and 
Sgau  Karen  languages,  as  to  teach  and  write  in  both.  In 
travelling  among  the  Karens,  she  was  carried  in  a common 
chair  supported  by  bamboos,  from  which^she  was  once  precii^i- 
tated  on  the  rugged  sides  of  a mountain,  at  the  risk  of  her  life. 
Sometimes  she  found  that  the  mountain  paths  could  oidy  be 
followed  on  foot,  at  least  part  of  the  way.  In  one  of  these 

1.  For  a loan  of  these  pnpers  ^ve  nre  indebted  to  the  generosity  of  a 
worthy  daughter  of  Mrs.  Mason,  Mrs.  iSarah  Potter,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

29 


THE  STOllY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


excursions  she  Inid  to  walk  ii(‘arly  sevcni  miles,  tlirou;,di  an 
uneven  tract  of  mountain  woodland,  now  ]>assing  ov(‘r  u sti’eam 
with  no  crossin^]^  but  a,  lo^’,  and  now  up  the  st(‘e])  bank,  where 
she  kei)t  herself  er(‘ct  by  clin^in,i,^  to  th(‘.  gnarled  roots  that  Jut 
from  the  ground.  lu  some  of  these  (‘xcursions  sin;  was  accom- 
panied by  her  little  daughter,  who  was  borne  l)y  a native  in  a 
sack  swinging  behind  him. 

The  kind  and  heli)ful  wa^'s  of  the  Karen  converts  are  illus- 
trated by  many  an  incident  in  the  lives  of  ]\Ir.  and  ]\Irs.  Mason. 
Thus,  in  one  of  her  excursions  to  ryee-khya,  retard<‘d  by  head 
winds,  the  boat  did  not  reach  the  landing,  half  a mile  from  the 
village,  till  the  twelfth  hour  of  the  night.  ]\Irs.  ^Mason  therefore 
slept  on  board,  and  the  tirst  sight  that  met  her  eyes  in  the 
morning  was  more  than  a hundred  hapi)y  Christian  faces,  male 
and  female,  looking  down  upon  her  from  the  high  bank.  Xo 
sooner  was  the  signal  given  for  removal,  than  one  i)icked  ui)  a 
child,  another  a box,  a third  a bundle  of  bedding,  and  so  on. 
So  rapid  were  their  movements,  that  the  boat  was  emptied  all  at 
ouce,  as  if  by  magic.  Another  occasion  was  while  paying  a visit 
to  a little  Karen  church  that  had  been  gathered  by  a Karen, 
who,  being  able  to  read  Burmese,  had  obtained  a xiortion  of  the 
Scrix^ture  in  that  language,  and  had  met  every  Sunday  a number 
of  Karens,  his  own  x^eoxile,  in  whose  hearing  he  translated  the 
Scrix^tures  into  their  own  tongue.  ‘^They  did  everything  they 
could,”  says  she,  ‘^for  our  comfort.  Eice,  eggs,  fowls,  x)lantains, 
sweet  x>otatoes,  and  sugar-cane  were  x^iled  around  in 

votive  offerings.” 

Ever  intent  on  the  salvation  of  the  x^erishing,  many  of  the  x^ipils 
in  her  schools  were  converted  through  her  x)rayers  and  exhorta- 
tions. The  revivals  that  blessed  the  Karen  churches,  through 
the  ])reaching  of  Messrs.  Mason,  Kincaid  and  Yinton,  were 
oc(;asions  of  great  Joy  and  rejoicing  to  her.  But  sorrow  came. 
Her  greatest  sufferings  were  occasioned  by  the  of  x)iiHiiig 


MRS.  mason’s  parting  WITH  HER  CHILDREN. 


413 


with  lier  children.  “We  have  lieard,”  writes  slie,  “of  the  tor- 
tures of  the  Inquisition  j but  I do  not  know  that  any  could 
exceed  this  self-sacrifice.  When  I was  leaving  my  children, 
Lucy,  who  was  old  enough  to  understand  something  of  her  loss, 
clung  around  me,  saying,  ^ Other  little  girls  have  tlieir  mothers, 
and  I want  mine.’”  When  she  left  her  children  in  America  in 
1838,  few  had  obtained  any  knowledge  of  the  perils  of  trying  to 
educate  children  in  Burmah.  Consequently  the  calumniators  of 
Mrs.  Mason  and  other  missionary  martyrs  were  more  ignorant 
than  malicious.  Strange  as  it  now  seems,  it  was  necessary  to 
defend  her  in  the  newspapers  against  the  charge  of  having  “no 
more  affection  than  a Sandwich  Island  mother.”  But  when  ]Mrs. 
Comstock  iiarted  with  her  children  in  1842,  the  announcement 
was  made  in  the  public  i^rints  under  the  head  of  “The  iloble 
Mother.”  “ Such,”  exclaimed  Dr.  Mason,  “ was  the  change  in 
public  opinion  in  four  short  years 'r’  AYhatever  Mrs.  Mason 
may  have  lacked,  she  certaiidy  was  not  deficient  in  maternal 
affection.  Bead  a few  of  the  lines  she  addressed  to  her 
youngest  child  on  shipboard  during  her  return  voyage : 

“ Heaven  shield  thee,  tender  little  rose, 

As  thy  soft  beauties  spread ; 

And  temper  every  wind  that  blows 
To  thy  defenceless  head. 

“ Sweet  flow’ret!  might  the  storms  of  life. 

But  spend  their  wrath  on  me ; 

Glad  would  I bear  their  wildest  strife. 

And  smile  to  think  of  thee.” 

Then,  as  now,  was  discussed  the  still  open  question  whether 
missionaries  should  go  out  to  the  East  married  or  single  — a 
question  never  to  be  settled  beyond  further  debate,  for  the  simple 
reason  that  no  general  rule  as  to  the  matter  will  answer  to  every 
example.  Thus,  Miss  Miranda  Yinton  was  for  twelve  years  a 
very  efficient  maiden  missionary,  and  yet  concerning  her  Mrs. 
Mason  quotes  this  important  remark,  made  to  her  by  one  of  the 


THE  ST01?Y  OF  EAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


lU 

missionaries  of  ]\Iaulmaiii:  Miss  A^iiitoii  is  a j(‘W(‘l  to  tlie  mis- 
sion, but  it  is  not  every  jiious  iierson  that  is  jin'panMl  to  enduni 
alone  tlie  toils  and  trials  of  missionary  lib*.”  r]v(‘n  slui  aftcn*- 
wards  married.  As  for  single  men,  ^\i)  (jiiotii  a r(‘mark  Dr. 
jMaleom  made  to  liis  mother  on  his  return  from  his  travels  in 
India.  It  is  marked  by  that  admixture  of  (inaintm^ss  and 
common-sense  which  caused  the  Itev.  Doctor’s  words  to  be  so 
often  quoted  and  aiqdauded  in  conversation.  “ I have,”  writ(‘s 
his  mother,  ‘‘seen  Dr.  Malcom  since  his  return;  and  he  says 
that  ‘a  wife  is  as  necessary  to  a missionary  as  a candlestick  is  to 
a candle— to  hold  it  up,  and  keep  it  from  falling  down  or  m(*lting 
away.’  Surely,  then,  I ought  to  be  willing  that  you  should  labor 
in  so  great  and  good  a work.” 

Mrs.  Mason’s  example  of  benevolence  had  a powerful  influence 
on  her  Karen  disciples,  insomuch  that,  at  the  time  of  her  death, 
she  left  ill  many  a village  native  women  avIio,  in  their  more 
obscure  and  narroAv  lields,  Avere  patterns  of  Christian  charity. 
One  married  Avoman,  Kanghapo,  “Danghtm'  of  Goodness,”  Avas 
one  of  Mrs.  Mason’s  favorites,  avIio  shared  largely  in  her  instruc- 
tions. She  became  a woman  of  nncommon  energy  and  beneti- 
cence.  She  became  the  Dorcas  of  her  native  glen,  clothing  the 
naked,  feeding  the  hungry,  and  in  many  ways  befriending  the 
poor  and  the  afflicted.  And  she  proA^ed  true  the  Scripture,  that 
he  that  soweth  bountifully  shall  reap  bountifully.  “Passing 
through  the  iilace,”  says  Dr.  Mason,  “ some  ten  years  after  Mrs. 
3Iason’s  last  Ausit,  I found  her  dAvelling  on  the  declivity  of  the 
hill,  OA^erlooking  an  extensiA^e  garden  containing  almost  CA^ery 
Ifuit  tree  that  natives  value,  Avith  many  fine  floAA^ering  trees  and 
shrubs;  and  beside  it  the  murmuring  cascade  leaping  like  a 
])laying  fountain,  and  pouring  forth  its  eternal  harmony.  But 
Xaughapo  had  not  forgotten  the  source  of  these  comforts.  Her 
house  Avas  still  full  of  the  motherless,  the  sick  and  the  homeless. 
]\Iy  Burman  serAUiut  had  remarked  on  stopping,  ‘This  is  a pleas- 


AN  UNCOMMON  CHRISTIAN  CHARACTER. 


415 


ant  place — a fearfully  pleasant  place  ! ’ I took  occasion  to  say 
to  her  and  her  husband,  ‘If  God  were  to  call  you  from  your 
garden  to  the  grave,  would  you  not  feel  alarmed.’  ‘ No,  indeed,’ 
they  replied  5 Hve  do  not  consider  that  anything  we  have  is  our 
oivn.  All^  all,  is  God'^s  The  day  before  I left,  a Hindu  jieddler 
had  called  with  his  tempting  fabrics ; but  though  this  good 
woman  was  in  poor  habiliments,  yet  she  had  only  one  rupee  for 
l)urchases,  while,  on  the  following  morning  she,  with  her  family, 
put  thirteen  rupees  into  my  hands  for  the  mission  treasury.” 

As  a help  to  her  husband,  Mrs.  Mason  became  the  admiration 
of  all  her  acquaintance.  Was  he  to  make  a tour  to  the  jungles? 
She  prepared  everything  for  his  journey,  and  without  noise  or 
fuss,  so  that  he  was  often  surprised  to  find  his  entire  outfit  in 
readiness  at  a time  when  he  was  just  beginning  to  deliberate 
how  it  was  to  be  provided.  She  was  likewise  skilled  in  the 
difficult  art  of  obtaining  neatness  and  elegance  at  very  small 
expense.  But,  alas!  her  public  exertions,  joined  to  her  many 
domestic  avocations,  were  too  much  for  a constitution  that  was 
never  vigorous.  She  must  needs  do  everything.  In  one  of  her 
voyages  home  with  her  children,  she  refused  to  take  a servant 
with  her,  although  she  was  the  only  female  on  board.  We  need 
not  wonder  therefore,  when  we  are  told  that  she  did  not  die  of 
disease,  but  sheer  debility.  She  did  not  fully  consider  that  she 
ought  not  think  of  accomplishing  as  much  in  the  enervating 
climate  of  Burmah,  as  she  could  safely  have  done  in  her  native 
land.  In  her  last  sickness,  she  would  call  out  in  her  slumbers 
the  names  of  her  children  that  had  gone  before  her.  Calm  and 
unruffled  peace  pervaded  her  mind.  Once,  in  pain,  she  observed 
in  Hebrew,  ^‘Motli  taumoth,'^  (“Dying  thou  shalt  die”).  She 
desired  to  die  and  join  her  glorified  Bedeemer.  Once  she  said, 
“The  desire  to  depart  is  above  everything  else.”  Again,  she 
said,  “The  desire  to  depart  becomes  more  intense.”  Her  last 
words  to  the  Karens  were,  “ Tell  them  to  strive  to  get  to  heaven 5 


410 


TIIK  «TOJlY  OF  FAFTI8T  MISSIONS. 


tliat  the  kingdom  of  heaven  sufferetli  violence^  and  tli(‘  violent 
take  it  hy  force!”  ^‘Tell  tliein,”  she  continued,  stretching  out 
lier  poor,  withered  arm,  witli  an  enmgy  sucli  as  slie  manifested 
on  no  other  occasion,  and  in  tones  so  loud  and  sonorous  that  Dr. 
Mason  was  startled,  ^^Tell  them  to  lay  hold  on  eternal  hie.”  The 
Lord  came  to  Tavoy  and  took  her  to  Jlimself  Detoher  8th,  184(>. 

She  was  remarkable  for  mildness.  During  the  sixteen  years 
of  their  acquaintatice,  her  husband  never  once  saw  her  manifest 
any  anger.  Her  voice  was  ever  soft,  gentle  and  low. 

This  evenness  of  temper  is  usually  found  associated  with  the 
passive  and  negative  virtues,  in  those  who  are  wanting  in  courage 
and  clear  notions  of  what  is  just,  generous  and  noble.  How  is 
it  that  we  here  tind  it  in  combination  with  a keen  sense  of  right 
and  wrong,  Avitli  energy,  self-denial  and  greatness  of  mind  ? 
The  grace  that  was  sought  and  found  in  secret  prayer  explains 
the  mystery.  The  season  of  her  life  most  rich  in  spiritual 
blessings  was  one  when  she  took  only  al)out  half  of  the  usual 
amount  of  sleep,  and  knelt  so  often  and  so  long  that  her  knees 
were  blistered.  ‘‘Times  without  number,”  says  J)r.  IMason, 
“have  I awakened  in  the  silent  watches  of  the  night  and  found 
that  she  had  stolen  away  from  my  side,  and  was  holding  earn- 
est communion  with  God.  Her  silver  whispers,  her  bosom 
swelling  with  suppressed  ‘ groanings  that  cannot  be  uttered,’ 
would  awe  me  into  stillness,  lest  a motion  should  indicate  that 
her  hallowed  converse  with  the  Holy  One  was  observed.  She 
struggled  with  the  angel  of  the  covenant  and  prevailed  j he 
blessed  her,  and  she  dwelt  in  Beulah.” 

Mrs.  Mason  was  an  uncommon  Christain.  Her  honored  hus- 
band did  not  claim  for  her  that  she  was  the  best  of  Christians, 
or  that  she  was  better  than  a good  number  of  her  sisters  at  home 
and  abroad.  Only  she  was  not  such  a Christain  as  is  ordinarily 
Ibund  in  our  (jhurches. 


A MISSIONARY'S  GRAVE 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 


WADE,  BINNEY,  ABBOTT,  BEECHER  AND  CARPENTER. 

I. — Rev.  Dr.  Jonathan  Wade,  Missionary  to  the  Karens. — The  first  Hamil- 
ton Student. — Goes  out  to  Burmah  with  Mrs.  Judson. — ITeaehes  at  Maul- 
main.— At  Rangoon. — At  Mergui,  Wadeville. — Frequent  Changes  among 
Missionaries. — iNli*.  Wade’s  Burmese  and  Karen  School  at  Hamilton. — 

The  two  Native  Preachers  that  Visited  the  United  States. II, — Rev. 

Dr.  J.  G.  Binney,  the  Karen  Instructor. — A native  of  Boston. — Settled  in 
Georgia. — Goes  out  to  Burmah  as  an  Educator  of  the  Karens. — Presi- 
dent of  Columbian  College.— Transferred  to  Rangoon. — Enlarged  Insti- 
tution at  Kemmendine. — Returning  to  America,  Dies  and  is  Buried  at  Sea. 

III. — Rev.  Elisha  L.  Abbott  of  Sandoway. — Descent. — Arrival  in 

Burmah. — Follows  Ko  Thah-byu. — Marries  Miss  Gardner. — First  Tour.— 
Out-door  Service  at  Night.— Mau  Yay. — His  Character. — The  Young 
Chief  of  Kyootoo. — Persecution  of  the  Converts. — Jesuits  at  Work. — 
Mr.  Abbott's  Narrow  Field. — Finds  the  Karens  Migratory. — Persecution 
Tried  the  Souls  of  the  Converts. — School  for  Native  Preachers. — Impru- 
dent Exposure  of  Health. — Death  of  Mrs.  Abbott. — Mr.  Abbott’s  Return 
to  America. — Goes  Back  to  Bassein. — Final  Farewell  and  Return  Home. — 
His  Early  Death. — His  Eloquence  in  the  Karen  Language.— His  Advo- 
cacy ot  Self-support  and  its  Effects. IV, — Rev.  J.  Sidney  Beecher. — 

Place  of  his  Birth. — Education. — Proposes  to  go  West. — How  he  was 
Led  to  the  East. — Marriage. — Voyage  to  Burmah. — Accompanies  Mr. 
Abbott  on  a Six  Weeks’  Tour. — Driven  to  Sea  in  a Common  Boat. — His 
Labors  on  the  Coast  of  Arracan. — Persecution. — Sudden  Death  of  Mrs. 
Beecher. — Trial  for  Insubordination. — Why  he  went  to  Bassein. — Return 
to  America. — Joins  the  Free  Mission  Society. — Goes  Back  to  Bassein. — 
Sickness. — Sets  out  for  Home. — Dies  in  England.— His  Faith  in  Prayer, 

Dr.  Peck  and  the  Deputation. V. — Rev.  C.  H.  Carpenter. — Educated 

at  Harvard  and  Newton. — Goes  out  to  Rangoon  to  Assist  Dr.  Binney. — 
Transferred  to  Bassein. — Tour  to  Siam. — Sickness  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Car- 
penter.— Visits  the  United  States. — Goes  Back  as  President  of  the  Ran- 
goon College,  but  Returns  to  Bassein. — Returns  to  America  again  in  ISSO. 
— Bible  School  Wanted. — Need  of  Education. — Karens  Require  Leaders. 
— Ko  Bike’s  Predestination.— Camp  Meetings  in  the  Bassein  District. 

HE  Rev.  Jonathan  Wade,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  Otsego,  New 
York,  December,  lltli,  1708.  He  was  the  first  yonng  man 
that  applied  for  admission  at  the  Hamilton  Theological  Institn- 


418 


THE  STORY  OF  35AFTIST  MISSIONS. 


tion.  ITc  C()ini)let(‘(l  Ill's  (H)iirse  ill  18U1>.  He,  jiiid  liis  wifi* 

Aveiit  out  to  Buriiiah  in  (^oiiijiuiiy  witli  Mrs.  Ann  H.  Jndson,  in 
1828.  Unliaj)i)ily  they  nrrivod  at  Ihinj^oon  just  Ixd'ore  Unt  war 
betweoii  the  Burnians  and  tli(‘.  Kn^disli.  AVe  relatii  elsinviiere 
the  terrible  dangers  to  Avhieh  AFessrs.  AVhide  and  Ilongh  AV(‘r(‘. 
exposed^  on  the  appearenee  of  tli(‘.  Britisli  fle(‘t  Ixd'ore  tlint  city. 
AVlieiiBr.  Judson  establislnMl  liis  mission  at  Maulniain,  Mr.  nnd 
Airs.  AVade  also  settled  at  tliat  jihiee;  the  hitter,  along  Avith  Airs. 

Board  man,  establishing 
there  a school  for  girls. 

In  1827,  Air.  Wade 
preached  the  (iospel  in 
a zayat  situat(*d  about 
halt  a mile  south  of  tlie 
mission  house,  while  J)r. 
Judson  preached  in  aii- 
otlier  nearly  tAvo  miles 
and  a half  north  of  it, 
in  a populous  jiart  of 
the  city. 

In  the  Fall  of  • 1828 
Air.  and  Airs.  AVade 
made  excursions  into 
the  neighboring  villages 
to  diffuse  the  know- 

Rev.  Jonathan  Wade,  D D.  ledgO  Of  SalvatiOU ; he 

preaching  publicly  and  she  talking  about  Jesus  more  privately 
to  native  Avonien.  Early  in  1830  they  removed  to  Eangoon, 
Avhere  they  remained  scA^eral  months,  instructing  the  native 
l)r(‘achers.  Going  to  Ataulmain  on  a short  visit  in  Aindl,  he 
induct'd  J)r.  rindson  to  return  Avith  him.  After  remaining  in 
the  city  two  or  three  Avecks,  J)r.  Judson  resoUmd  to  go  up  the 
riv(*r  as  lar  as  Froinc.  An  account  of  his  reception  there  Aviil 


JONATHAN  WADE  AND  THE  KARENS. 


419 


be  found  in  tbe  sketch  of  Dr.  Jndson.  By  reason  of  Mr. 
Boardmaii’s  rapid  decline,  Mr.  Wade  returned  to  Maulmain  in 
August.  The  duties  \Yhich  devolved  upon  him  there  were  very 
arduous.  He  preached  six  times  in  Burmese  and  three  in 
English  every  week  j read  all  the  proof-sheets  and  corrected  all 
the  works  of  the  native  copyists,  besides  sni)erintending  the 
general  concerns  of  the  station.  At  this  juncture  he  was  greatly 
cheered  by  the  arrival  of  ^Messrs.  Kincaid  and  Mason. 

In  the  hope  of  restoring  ]\Irs.  Wade’s  health,  which  had  long 
been  declining,  a voyage  to  the  United  States  wtxs  projected,  and 
accordingly,  in  1831,  Mr.  and  Mrs  Wade  embarked  for  Calcutta. 
The  ship  was  overtaken  by  a succession  of  violent  gales,  which 
lasted  several  days  and  drove  them  into  a port  on  the  coast  of 
Arracan.  While  here  Mrs.  Wade’s  health  was  so  much  improved 
by  the  change  of  air  that  they  resolved  to  return  to  Maulmain, 
and,  by  the  advice  of  the  brethren,  went  to  reside  temporarily  at 
Mergui,  a city  situated  a hundred  and  fifty  miles  south  of 
Tavoy.  They  remained  here  about  six  months;  during  which 
time  five  persons  were  baptized  and  organized  into  a church. 
They  were  then  summoned  to  Rangoon  to  take  the  place  of  Mr. 
Jones,  who  now  removed  to  Siam. 

While  residing  at  Maulmain,  Mr.  Wade,  with  native  assistants, 
had  made  an  excursion  to  a place  about  eighty  miles  distant, 
and  had  for  the  first  time  baptized  some  Karens.  In  September, 
1831,  Dr.  Judson  visited  the  place  and,  finding  it  without  a name, 
temporarily  called  it  Wadeville.  He  baptized  twenty-two  in  the 
vicinity. 

In  1832,  Mr.  Wade,  having  once  more  gone  to  Maulmain  for 
medical  advice,  was  induced  to  remain  in  order  to  take  charge 
of  the  native  department.  Much  time  was  lost,”  says  Secretary 
Peck,  and  great  disadvantages  incurred  in  the  i)rosecution  of 
their  work,  by  the  frequent  necessity  they  were  under  of  remov- 
ing in  this  manner  from  place  to  ifiace.  But  so  small  was  their 


420 


THE  STORY  OF  liAPTlST  MISSIONS. 


iiuinber  tliat  tlay  w(‘r(‘.  <)bli^(*(l  to  j^o  wlioro  tli(*Jr  service's  were 
most  needed,  and  tliiis  many  l)nds  of  prondse  were  blighted  for 
want  of  the  tlie  eontiniml  cure  of  th(3  (iidtivator.’’  ]\Ir.  AVade 
now  occupied  himself  with  the  ])astoral  care  of  tlie  native 
clinrch  and  Avitli  translations  into  tlie  Karen  language*.  Ibit  the 
failure  of  his  health  ejompe'lled  him  to  leave?  his  wemk.  In  1832, 
he  suffered  from  ten  attae^ks  of  liver  ce)m])laint,  and  set  e)nt  lor 
the  Uniteel  States,  ae3e3om])anied  by  Airs.  AVaele*,  thre*e  children 
of  the  late  Dr.  Price,  and  two  native  eton verts,  e)ne  a Ibirman, 
the  other  a Karen.  The  year  1833  he  spent  at  Hamilton,  Xew 
A'ork,  in  the  instruction  e)f  intending  missionaries,  anel  re*-em- 
barkeel  for  Ibirmah  in  .Inly  1834,  inconii)aiiy  with  a reinfore;enient 
of  eleven  missionaries. 

The  two  native  coina*rts,  during  their  visit  to  the  United  States, 
found  time  to  make  a tour  to  the  South,  accompanied  by  the  Cor- 
responding  Secretary  of  the  General  Convention.  They  left  Xew 
York  in  Ai)ril,  1834,  for  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  Th(*y  then 
lu'oceeded  to  Augusta,  Ceorgia,  where  they  were  met  hy  the  Kev. 
Air.  .Tones,  of  the  Cherokee  Alission,  with  two  converts  of  that  tribe. 
II(*re  were  from  opposite  sides  of  the  glol)e  four  heathen  converts 
who  were  preachers  of  the  Gospel.  They  then  returned  north  as 
far  as  Hartford,  Connecticut.  In  the  course  of  their  journey, 
many  small  donations  were  made  to  Ko  Chet-thing,  designed  for 
his  own  personal  benelit.  But  just  before  embarking  for  Bur- 
mah,  he  requested  the  Treasurer  of  the  Board  to  exchange  this 
money  for  Spanish  dollars.  This  done,  he  exultingly  held  uj)  his 
purse,  and  said:  ^^This  no  Ko  Chet-thing’s  money;  this  Jesus 
Christ’s  money.”  He  bad  formed  a resolution,  which  on  his 
return  he  fubilled,  of  building  a zayat  with  it,  wherein  to  preach 
to  his  countrymen. 

A letter  from  Air.  AVade,  written  on  the  return  voyage,  contains 
some  notices  of  the  deportment  of  these  native  preachers,  which 
arc  vei  y satisfactoi  y.  The  Karen,”  says  he,  whom  you  know, 


LITEBARY  LABORS  OF  JONATHAN  WADE. 


421 


was  so  liiiaiblo,  steadfiist  and  zealous  in  doing’  good  while  in 
America^  that  we  might  almost  literally  say  that  he  was 
nublameahle  and  nnrebnkahle  before  God  and  manj  but  the 
grace  of  God  has  abounded  in  him  more  and  more.”  Of  the 
Bnrman,  Mouiig  Shway  Monug,  he  says:  ^^It  was  with  great 
satisfaction  that  I saw  him  coming  into  my  cabin  one  day,  with 
hnmility  and  penitence  depicted  on  his  conntenance,  and  heard 
him  voluntarily  acknowledge  how  unworthy  he  considered  him- 
self of  having  a place 
among  the  disciples  of 
Christ,  mentioning  in 
particular  his  ingrat- 
itude for  all  the  kind- 
ness which  we*  and 
Christians  in  America 
had  shown  him.” 

The  literary  labors 
of  Dr.  Wade  have 
been  of  the  greatest 
importance.  It  y i 
by  him  that  the  Kai 
en  dialects,  both  Sgan 
and  Pwo,  were  re- 

. . Moung  Shway  Moung. 

dnced  to  writing.  His 

Karen  Thesanrns,  a work  in  live  volumes,  is  a monument  to 
his  patient  study  and  knowledge  of  the  langnage.  To  the 
revision  of  this  great  work,  Dr.  Wade  gave  his  last  days  in  this 
world.  His  purpose  was  to  make  this  Thesanrns,  or  Lexicon, 
of  the  same  value  for  the  Karen  langnage  as  Dr.  Jndson’s 
Dictionary  is  for  the  Bnrman.  He  had  finished  the  words  under 
the  letter  O ; and,  six  days  before  his  death,  on  rising  to  the 
labors  of  another  morning,  he  called  for  his  slate,  that  he  might 
proceed  with  his  work,  preparing  his  material  with  great  care, 


422 


THE  STORY  OF  RAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


to  1)0  aftonyaids  coi)i(Ml  l)y  a Karen  assistant.  Mrs.  IJinney 
(in  wliose  family  lie  lived  after  tlie  death  of  .Mrs.  Wadci)  re- 
monstrated with  1dm,  sayin"  that  he  Avas  unahhi  to  labor,  lie 
yielded  to  her  remonstrances,  and  never  took  np  the  work  agjiin. 
He  had  spent  lifty-sevim  years  in  missionary  service. 

He  died  at  Jlangoon,  June  10,  1<S72,  of  cancer  on  the  lip,  at  the 
age  of  seventy  - three  years  and  six  months.  Such  Avas  his 
malady  that  for  months  he  looked  death  steadily  in  th<i  face. 
To  the  end  his  mind  renmined  clear,  and  it  Avas  Adgorons  till 
Avithin  a fcAV  days  of  his  departure.  In  seweral  diflerent  sta- 
tions and  in  diAxrse  departments  of  labor;  in  Kangoon,  ]\[anl- 
niain,  Manbee,  Matah,  Tavoy  and  other  jilaces,  he  toiled  Avith 
perseATnTince  in  his  Master’s  service  until  he  Avas  called  home  to 
heaA^en. 

II. 

The  Ilev^.  Joseiili  G.  Binney,  H.  I).,  was  a iiatiAX  of  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  Avliere  lie  Avas  born  December  1st,  1807.  After 
completing  his  collegiate  and  theological  studies  he  settled  in 
SaA^annah,  Georgia.  In  1843  he  was  appointed  by  the  General 
CoiiAxntion  to  go  out  as  a professor  in  the  new  theological  semi- 
nary for  the  Karens.  On  the  records  of  the  Convention  he  is 
mentioned  as  belonging  to  the  South.  Dr.  Binney  opened  the 
seminary  at  Maulmain  in  May,  1845.  Tbe  first  year  he  had 
thirteen  students,  all  natiA^e  preachers.  The  seminary  grew  in 
numbers  and  in  the  range  of  the  studies  pursued.  After  teach- 
ing about  five  years  he  was  obliged  to  return  to  America  on 
account  of  the  ill  health  of  ]Mrs.  Binney. i While  in  America  he 
serA^ed  for  a time  as  pastor  in  Elmira,  KeAV  York,  and  Augusta, 
Georgia.  lie  then  accepted  the  presidency  of  Columbian  College 
( noAV  UniAXwsity),  Washington,  D.  C.  He  resigned  this  office  in 
1858  and  returned  to  Burmah  next  year,  when  the  seminary  Avas 
removed  to  Kemmendine,  a district  in  the  city  of  Kangoon.  lie 

commenced  his  lectures  Avith  eighty  students.  The  seminary 

1.  Ibet  Appendix,  G. 


ELISHA  L.  ABBOTT  AND  THE  KABENS. 


423 


III. 


WHS  very  prosperous,  and  a eollegiate  department  was  added  to 
it.  The  labors  of  Dr.  Diuiiey  in  tlie  dilferent  departments,  joined 
to  the  preiiaration  of  nnmerons  text  books,  nndermiiied  his  eon- 
stitntion,  and  he  was  eom2)elled  to  Tetnrii  once  more  to  his  native 
laud.  His  short  sojonrn  here  seemed  partially  to  restore  his 
health,  and  he  there- 
fore, in  the  Fall  of 
1877,  set  out  to  re- 
turn to  his  favorite 
field  of  toil,  but  on 
reaching  the  Indian 
Ocean,  on  the  2Gth 
day  of  November,  he 
died  and  was  buried 
beneath  its  waves. 


Elisha  Litchfield 
Abbott,  the  Apostle 
to  the  Karens  of  Bas- 
sein,  was  born  in 
Cazenovia,  K.  Y.,  on 
October  23d,  1809. 

He  Avas  a descendant 
of  an  old  Yorkshire 
family.  Educated  at 
Hamilton,  he  em- 
barked for  Bur  mail 
in  1836  and  arrived  at  IManlmain  Eebrnary  10th,  1830.  He 
commenced  his  missionary  life  at  the  age  of  six  and  twenty. 
Soon  after  his  arrival  he  was  attacked  with  jungle  fever 
with  such  severity  that  at  one  time  his  life  Avas  despaired 
of.  While  convalescent  he  sojourned  for  a season  on  Bain 


Rev.  Elisha  L Abbott. 


THE  STOUY  OF  BAFTI8T  MTS«TONS. 


124 

Island,  whore  he  eoininenecMl  the  study  of  K;n-en.  In  tlie 
Autnnin  of  the  same  year  lie  {le.eomjmnied  Uev.  .Messis.  Vin- 
ton and  Howard  on  a tour  tlirou^li  an  extimsivi*.  distrie.t,  in 
wliieh  Ko  Tliah-liyii  was  tlie  first  to  h(*rald  salvation.  In  tln^ 
vicinity  of  jManhee,  ahout  thirty  inih‘s  noith  of  fin*  (;ity  of  Kan- 
goon,  he  Avitness(‘d  the  liajitisin  of  a hundred  and  seven ty-thr(‘e 
of  the  converts  of  ^Hhe  Kanm  Ai)osth‘.”  He  was  married  to 
]\Iiss  Gardner,  in  Tavoy,  A^nil  2d,  1837,  and  ])ro(!(MMl(‘d  with  his 
wife  to  Rangoon  to  lahor  among  tin*  Karens,  wlnne  he  h‘arned 
that  only  one  of  the  large  number  baptized  the  pr(*vious  y(‘ai‘ 
had  apostatized.  Here  h(‘  s(d  out  n])on  a course  of  Rible 
instruction  to  native  ])reachers.  The  Ibirman  authorities  had 
forbidden  the  Karens  to  possess  books  or  to  learn  to  read ; but 
in  spite  of  this  prohibition  several  hundreds  leariUMl  to  read 
secretly  in  their  own  homes.  Rumors  of  war,  and  the  hostility 
of  the  Rurmans  to  the  Karens,  made  it  prudent  for  the  Abbott  s 
to  retire  to  Maulmain  on  the  10th  of  August.  After  an  absence 
of  three  months  they  returned  to  their  held  to  spend  the  dry 
season  in  travel  among  the  natives.  Memorable  was  ^Ir. 
Abbott’s  hrst  tour  to  Kyootoo,  in  the  Basseiii  district,  after  three 
daj-s’  travel  through  the  wilderness.  In  this  old  village,  now  in 
ruins,  he  hrst  preached  the  Gospel  to  the  Karens  of  Bassein.  On 
Sunday,  December  24th,  he  discoursed,  with  a few  pauses,  from 
ten  in  the  morning  until  after  midnight.  His  own  account  of  the 
evening  service  is  one  of  the  best  in  missionary  literature.  This 
meeting  was  for  the  beneht  of  those  companies  of  Karens  that 
had  travelled  all  day  from  distant  villages,  hastening  forward 
without  eating  lest  they  should  not  arrive  in  time  to  see 
and  hear  the  white  missionary.  ^AYe  had,”  says  he,  “com- 
menc(*(l  singing  a hymn,  the  people  still  Hocking  in,  when  the 
cry  was  heard,  ‘The  house  is  falling  !’  It  was  not  very  strong, 
but  I sliould  think  it  would  contain  two  hundred  witli  safety. 
Tlie  j)(M)j)le  hastened  out,  spread  a mat  on  the  ground  in  the  oi)en 


A MEMORABLE  EVENING  AT  KYOOTOO. 


425 


field,  upon  wliieli  I sat,  and  themselves  gathered  around  and  sat 
on  the  ground.  A few  old  men  sat  near,  who  would  question  me 
when  they  did  not  understand.  All  around  was  the  darkness 
and  stillness  of  night.  Not  a cloud  obscured  the  heavens,  which 
were  spread  out  over  our  heads  as  a beautifully  bespangled 

curtain.  In  one  

hand  I held  a dimly 
burning  taper  j in 
the  other  the  Word 
of  God.  The  firma- 
ment on  high  show- 
ed God’s  handiwork 
in  the  creation  of 
the  world:  the  Bi- 
ble in  my  hand 
taught  the  wonder- 
ful story  of  its  re- 
demption by  Jesus 
Christ.  Midnight 
had  long  j^assed 
away  ere  the  assem- 
bly dispersed,  and 
then  they  Avithdre w 
reluctantly.” 

Near  this  place 
was  planted  the 
mother  church  of 
Bassein,  whose  pas- 
tor, Mail  Yay,  was  Mau  Yay. 

the  first  man  in  all  the  district  to  learn  to  read  Karen.  Being 
the  oldest  of  the  pastors  in  Bassein,  honest,  fearless,  of  great 
energy  and  sound  judgment,  he  is  a born  leader,  and  on  all 
public  occasions  is  put  forward  as  the  mouth-piece  of  his 


TIIK  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


IJC* 

biTtlireii.  Jle  usually  wears  a turban,  ill-arranged  j around 
his  neck  hangs  an  old  silk  handkerchier,  with  a little  money 
tied  u})  ill  one  end  and  his  keys  dangling  from  the  oth(‘r. 
Jf  the  weather  is  cool  he  w(‘ars  two  or  thr(;e  coats,  om*.  over 
the  other.  He  is  the  jiresident  of  the  native  Home  ]\Iission 
iSocaety  and  among  th(‘.  Ibremost  in  the  advocacy  ol‘  the  jirinciple 
that  the  Karen  churches  ought  to  sni)])ort  their  own  jiastors. 

He  is  a gigantic  man  for  a Karen,  but  gentle  as  a child.  At 
the  time  of  the  English  attack  on  Hassein,  his  life  was  sought 
by  the  Burmans ; and  it  is  said  that  the  cross  on  which  he  Avas 
to  be  hung  was  actually  constructed.  His  zeal  in  all  good 
enterprises  is  unbounded.” 

Other  Karen  leaders,  ot  like  spirit,  although  of  less  natural 
eloipience  and  force  of  character,  did  ]\Ir.  Abbott  educate. 
Among  these  was  Shway  Weing,  the  young  chief  of  Kyootoo. 
One  day  he  begged  books  ot*  iVIr.  Abbott  to  conceal  on  his 
person,  but  the  latter  refused  to  give  him  any,  remarking,  But 
yesterday  those  heavy  fetters  fell  from  your  ankles  : should  you 
now  be  found  with  books  in  your  possession,  you  would  certainly 
lose  your  head.”  “ Should  so  much  sooner  get  to  heaven,”  Avas 
his  reply. 

The  tirst  Karen  coiiA^erts  were  often  accused  of  rebellion,  and 
they  often  professed  the  Christian  faith  at  the  hazard  of  their 
liA^es,  and  sometimes  in  peril  of  death  by  crucitixiou.  The  fol- 
loAvers  of  The  Light  of  Asia  ” AAxre  as  merciless  as  the  Inquis- 
itors of  Si)ain.  One  day  three  Karens  were  executed  on  crosses 
in  the  most  brutal  manner.  Besides  being  nailed  to  the  cross, 
(*ach  had  a thick  pointed  stick  about  two  feet  long  hammered 
(loAAUi  his  throat. 

Not  only  Buddhism,  biit  Jesuitism,  appears  to  a great  disad- 
A^antage  as  seen  in  Mr.  Abbott’s  mission  field.  These  Jesuit 
j)ri(‘sts  took  eA^ery  o])i)ortiinity  to  seduce  the  Karen  converts 
from  tiie  faith,  and  even  Avent  so  far  as  to  bribe  the  natives  to 


DIFFICULTIES  WITH  NOMADIC  CONGREGATIONS.  427 

become  their  proselytes.  Whenever  Mr.  Abbott  or  his  assistants 
were  temporarily  absent  from  their  stations^  these  emissaries  of 
Eome  renewed  their  artifices,  and  in  some  instances  with  too 
much  success.  These  natives,  being  at  first  very  ignorant,  were 
more  easily  deceived  by  sophistry  and  dazzled  by  spectacular 
effects.  In  1854  about  seventy  of  these  ])roselytes  were  said  to 
have  once  been  members  of  our  churches.  But  as  the  Karens 
grew  in  intelligence  they  were  less  easily  beguiled,  and  the 
Jesuits  received  but  few  of  those  who  had  been  connected  with 
our  churches,  except  such  as  had  been  excluded  from  fellowship 
on  account  of  immorality.  These  were  cordially  welcomed  into 
the  cage  of  unclean  birds.  During  the  last  twelve  years  these 
attempts  at  proselyting  have  been  few.i 

]\Ir.  Abbott  worked  at  a great  disadvantage,  because  his 
labors  were  much  confined  to  those  Karens  who  tied  for  refuge 
to  Arracan  from  their  native  hills  in  pagan  Burniah.  The  eastern 
coast  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal  was  under  British  dominion,  and 
though  its  climate  is  one  of  the  most  insalubrious  in  the  world, 
the  Karen  refugees  found  here  an  asylum  from  Burman  cruelty. 
In  1841  one-third  of  the  European  residents  of  Arracan  died  of 
fever  and  cholera.  In  1843  the  small-pox  swept  oft*  the  people 
of  Sandoway  in  large  numbers.  The  prevalence  of  contagious 
and  epidemic  diseases  is  among  all  barbarous  peoples  an  induce- 
ment to  move  from  place  to  place.  Some  of  the  largest  Karen 
villages,  not  only  in  Arracan,  but  in  the  Maulmain  and  Tavoy 
districts,  have  been  abandoned  from  this  cause.  But  in  Mr. 
Abbott’s  time  a fierce  persecution  also  made  the  Karens  unusu- 
ally nomadic.  Many  times  it  was  unsafe  to  hold  meetings  or 
administer  bajitism,  except  under  cover  of  night.  Mr.  Abbott 
asked  one  of  the  candidates  for  baptism,  in  the  presence  of  a 
large  congregation,  to  testify  before  God  that  he  wouhl  endure 

1.  “ Self-support  in  Bassein,”  by  Rev.  0.  K Carpenter,  pp.  92,  102,  104, 
112,  115,  125,  149,  206,  235,  312. 

30 


428 


THE  STOUY  OF  BArTIST  MISSIONS. 


unto  (leatli.  The  Karon  li(‘sitnt(‘(l.  ]\rr.  Abbott  ]»r(*S80(l  liim  for 
a reply.  Ho  bowed  liis  face  to  tlie  lloor  and  we])t.  He  tlien 
raised  Ins  liead,  wliile  tears  roll(Ml  down  Ids  eli(M*ks,  nnd  said, 
tbink,  Teacher,  1 slndl  not  deny  tlie  Lord,  if  lie  ^dves  me  j^race. 
I can  saj^  no  more.” 

nj)nring’  tlie  rainy  season  of  1842,  ]\Ir.  vMibott  assembled  about 
thirty  of  the  native  assistants  at  Sandoway  for  l>ible  instruction, 
lie  considered  that  it  was  essential  to  see  all  tli(*s(‘.  m<*n  to‘,^etlier 
once  every  year,  and  instruct  tlnmi  foi‘  s(‘V(‘ral  we(‘ks.  ^Ir. 
Abbott  was  a very  industrious  ediuaitor  of  his  native  pr(‘ach(‘rs. 
Of  ardent  temperament,  he  was  not  always  jnudenlly  cariTul 
about  bis  health.  Once  the  Executive  Committi'e  sent  bim  tbe 
request  that  he  would  abstain  from  all  unnecessary  exposure  of 
his  health.  He  replied  that  he  could  not  avoid  such  exiiosure 
unless  he  spent  most  of  bis  time  iu  interpreting'  jirovidences, 
and  cites  a (aise  in  wbicb,  in  s^iite  of  all  admonitions,  be  made  a 
long  journey  to  meet  bis  Karen  assistants  j and  tbougb  be  bad 
an  alarming  eongb,  and  bad  lost  tbe  jiower  of  s])eecb,  and  bis 
wife  acconqianied  bim  to  see  bim  buried  in  tbe  jungle,  be  met 
bis  disciples  and  preacbed  to  tbeni  day  and  nigbt  for  twelve 
days.  He  considered  that  he  had  done  no  more  than  his  duty, 
and  that  it  was  by  the  special  interposition  of  divine  providence 
that  he  had  been  enabled  to  i)erform  these  laborious  tasks. 

On  tbe  27tb  of  January,  1845,  ^Irs.  Abbott  fell  asleep,  after  an 
illness  of  four  days.  Her  sorrowing  busband  lias  left  a just  and 
affecting  tribute  to  ber  memory.  ^ J\lr.  Abbott  returned  borne  in 
1845,  with  s^nnptoins  of  consumption,  bringing  with  him  his 
motherless  children,  who  found  an  excellent  home  with  an  annt 
in  Fulton,  New  York.  He  made  eloquent  addresses  in  Yew 
York,  Boston,  Philadelphia,  Cincinnati  and  elsewhere,  to  develop 
a missionary  spirit  among  the  churches,  and  returned  to  Arracan, 
by  way  of  Ihigland  and  Egypt,  in  1847,  in  good  time  to  do  a 

1.  Self-Support  in  Bassein,  pp  178-181, 


ABBOTT’S  ELQUENCE  IN  THE  KAREN  TONGUE. 


429 


cold  season’s  work  among  the  Karens,  lie  resumed  work  witli 
Ids  accustomed  zeal  and  self-forgetfnliiess,  laboring  with  great 
diligence  and  success  until  1852,  when  his  pnlmonary  complaints 
forced  him  to  bid  adieu  to  his  dear  Karens  and  depart  for 
America.  Tlie  farewell  scene  is  said  to  have  resembled  that  of 
St.  Paul  parting  with  the  elders  of  Ephesus,  and  his  last  words 
are  still  well  remembered,  lie  lived  to  return  to  his  native  land, 
and  lingered  here  for  two  years j and  on  the  3d  of  December, 
1854,  his  spirit  passed  from  Fulton,  Kew  York,  and  entered  the 
land  of  unfading  day. 

He  died  young — at  the  age  of  forty-live  years,  one  month  and 
ten  days.  It  is  the  opinion  of  his  biographer,  Mr.  Carpenter, 
that  the  disease  which  ended  his  life  was  not  carried  with  him 
to  Bnrmah.  It  was,  he  thiids;s,  the  direct  result  of  years  of 
exposure,  overwork,  anxiety  and  grief.” 

The  eloquence  of  Mr.  Abbott,  while  preaching  in  the  Karen 
language,  was  impassioned  and  of  captivating  force.  IMrs. 
Binney  describes  the  extraordinary  effects  of  his  farewell  ser- 
mon at  Manlmain  in  words  which  we  wish  we  had  space  to  quote 
in  full : He  knew  the  people  as  well  as  their  language.  I was 
accustomed  to  listen  to  good  instructive  preaching  in  the  Karen, 
Init  had  supposed  that  the  language  itself,  perhaps,  did  not 
admit  of  that  thrilling  eloquence  by  which  I had  seen  American 
audiences  held  as  if  spell-bound;  and  it  was  generally  snpi)osed 
that  the  Karens  were  apathetic  and  not  easily  moved.  Mr. 
Abbott  gave  ns  other  and  truer  ideas  of  the  i^ower  of  the  Karen 
tongue  to  i)i\)duce  deep  emotion,  and  of  the  susceptibility  of  the 
Karen  mind  to  receive  such  emotion.  * * * As  he  rose  to 

vspeak,  his  heart  was  too  full  for  immediate  utterance;  bnt  he 
soon  obtained  the  mastery,  and  brought  before  his  hearers  the 
most  vivid  panorama  of  their  past,  their  i)resent  and  their 
hoped-for  future.  * * * At  the  close  of  a sermon  of  nearly 

two  hours,  during  which  we  took  no  note  of  time,  or  of  anght 


m 


THE  KTOIIY  OE  HAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


else  save  tlie  tli()n^»lits  ])i‘(‘S(Mit(‘(l  and  tlie  occasional 

sobs,  wlncli  could  not  be  wholly  sni)])r(‘sscd,  he  sat  down 
entirely  exhausted.’’ 

His  day  was  one  of  in^athcrin^^  On  one  occasion  he  baptized 
seventy-five  Karen  converts.  In  a sin^;le  y(*ar  one  of  the  native* 
l)reachers  bajdized  tifteen  hundred  and  fifty,  liefore  lie  went 
home  to  his  reward  he  was  enabled  to  (‘stablish  fifty  churches. 

To  Mr.  Abbott  is  due  the  merit  of  havin^^  been  the  most 
earnest  advocate  of  theprinci])le  that  the  Karen  churcluis  should 
support  their  jiastors.  In  this  res])(‘ct  he  was  in  advance  of 
the  missionary  laborers,  secretaries  and  boards  of  his  day.  As 
early  as  the  third  year  of  his  missionary  exertions,  he  be^an  to 
agitate  the  subject,  ft  became  the  burden  of  his  prophesying; 
it  was  the  refrain  of  many  of  his  letters,  his  addresses,  his  talks. 
He  considered  the  system  of  suiiporting  native  jiastors  with 
foreign  money  as  too  well  calculated  to  attra(;t  mere  hirelings 
into  the  service,  Avhile  it  failed  to  make  the  churches  independent 
and  self-reliant.  The  result  of  his  ])osition  is  that  the  Bassein 
churches  have  come  to  be  foremost  as  exam] lies  of  the  system 
of  self-support. 

IV. 

John  Sidney  Beecher  was  born  at  Hinesburg,  Vermont,  Feb- 
ruary 10th,  1820.  While  inirsuing  his  studies  at  Hamilton,  he 
contemplated  giving  his  life  to  the  service  of  Home  Missions, 
and  being  among  the  foremost  who  were  iiledged  for  that  work, 
he  was  chosen,  president  of  the  ^AVestern  Association,”  a band 
of  theological  students  who  were  looking  westward  for  fields  of 
labor.  But  the  returned  missionary,  Mr.  Abbott,  came  to  the 
seminary  in  quest  of  an  associate.  He  was  led  (how,  we  know 
not),  to  make  overtures  to  young  Beecher;  and  requested  him 
to  thiidv  and  jiray  over  them  until  the  Saturday  evening  prior  to 
his  d(*])arture.  Says  Bev.  Dr.  ().  AV.  Anderson,  his  class-mate, 
‘Dbollier  Beecher  came  to  my  room  in  great  perplexity.  ^1 


431 


JOHN  S.  BEECHER’S  CALL  TO  BITRMAH. 

have  never,’  said  he,  ^thought  of  going  to  tlie  Eastern  field.  I 

cannot  decide  to  go  witlioiit  consulting  Miss and  I have 

not  the  slightest  idea  of  her  vie^vs  on  the  subject.’  I suggested 
writing  to  her,  but  she  was  in  Chicago,  and  it  would  take  more 
than  a week  to  get  her  answer.  Finally  he  thought  of  a lady 
friend  of  his  afii- 
anced  who  might 
have  heard  some- 
thing that  would 
help  him  to  a just 
view  of  her  feelings. 

He  left  very  soon, 
and  returned  in  half 
an  hour.”  Did  you 
see  Miss f’  in- 

quired Mr.  Ander- 
son. Xo,  1 did  not,” 
was  his  reply.  ^Must 
look  at  this!”  He 
then  showed  Mr.  An- 
derson a letter  he 
had  just  received 
from  the  lady  in  Chi- 
cago— a letter  which 
had  come  at  an  un- 
usual time  and  by 
an  unusual  route. 

She  had  been  invited  by  Miss  Lyon,  of  the  IMount  Holyoke 
Seminary,  to  assist  her  in  teaching  for  a few  weeks.  Against 
opposing  circumstances  she  had  finally  decided  to  go,  and 
added  to  her  letter  these  words,  substantially:  think  we 

ought  always  to  go  where  duty  calls,*  and  if  at  any  time  you 
should  come  to  think  it  your  duty  to  go  to  an  Eastern  field. 


432 


THE  STORY  OF  BAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


1 sliould  lay  no  obstacle  in  your  way.”  ^^'liere,  Anderson,” 
said  lie,  ^^wliat  do  you  tliink  oftliatl?”  1 tliink,”  rejoined  Mr. 
Anderson,  ‘‘yon  have  preciscily  the  answer  you  wanted 5 and  I 
think  you  may  .justly  say  tliis  is  the  fin^^er  of  dod.” 

That  evening  he  called  on  Mr.  Abbott  and  consented  to  go 
to  Arracan.  In  184(>  he  was  ordained,  and  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Martini  Foote.  He  and  his  wife  arrived  at  Sandoway 
in  December,  1847,  soon  after  ]\Ir.  Abbott,  and  just  in  time  to 
accomimny  him  to  Ong  Kliyoung,  about  a huiidrcMl  miles  south- 
ward on  tlie  Arracan  coast — a iilace  where  he  liad  engaged  to 
me(d  the  nativ(v  [ireachers.  This  tour  occu[)i(*d  six  we(4vs.  Mr. 
and  ]\Irs.  Ileecher  had  arrived  in  Maulmain  about  a year  ])revi- 
ously,  and  had  there  given  themselves  to  the  study  of  the  Kaimi 
tongue.  Under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  Abbott,  ]\rr.  lleecher  was 
gradually  fitted  to  take  up  the  work  which  the  great  jiioneer  was 
so  soon  to  lay  down.  Mr.  ileecher  jiossessed  great  inde])endence 
and  tirmness,  but  was  soon  convinced  that  the  jieculiar  policy  of 
the  senior  missionary  was  the  wisest,  and  adhered  to  it  to  the  end 
of  his  days.  xVfter  Mr.  Abbott’s  final  return  to  America  the 
' superintendence  of  the  Bassein  mission  passed  into  his  hands. 
In  his  excursions  he  was  exposed  to  all  those  perils  which  attend 
lirimitive  modes  of  conveyance.  In  1832,  while  the  Beechers 
were  attemiiting  to  reach  Thehrau,  the  place  ajipointed  for  the 
Association  that  year,  they  were  driven  out  to  sea  in  a common 
boat  without  a deck,  the  hinder  part  only  being  protected  by  the 
usual  awning.  They  set  out  from  Ong  Kliyoung  and  had  at  first  a 
gentle  breeze,  but  an  east  wind  arose  which  drove  them  from  their 
course  and  jireveiited  them  from  returning  to  land.  The  boat  was 
so  tossed  about  that  the  boatmen  could  not  stand  without  hold- 
ing last  to  the  framework  of  the  awning.  After  being  driven 
seaward  for  lour  hours,  the  boatmen,  fearing  that  they  would  be 
diiven  so  far  from  land  as  to  suffer  from  want  of  provisions,  if 
not  from  the  violence  of  the  waves,  cut  away  the  boat-cover. 


Beecher’s  labors  amonh  the  karens. 


433 


This  left  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beecher  exi^osed  to  the  hurning  sun.  As 
the  daylight  faded  the  wind  died  away  to  a gentle  breeze,  but  as 
the  wind  was  still  unfavorable,  they  were  until  the  third  day  at 
evening  in  getting  to  Gwa,  the  nearest  land  they  conld  make. 
Here  the  Beechers  had  to  wait  some  time  for  the  boatmen  to  rest 
and  to  have  the  boat  repaired.  The  delay  occasioned  by  this 
storm  defeated  the  main  object  of  the  voyage. 


Rough  Boating. 


The  field  of  Mr.  Beecher’s  labors  was  now  mainly  confined  to 
a line  of  twelve  villages,  on  or  near  the  Arracan  coast,  extend- 
ing from  north  to  south  about  a hundred  and  seventy  miles.  The 
great  centre  of  the  mission,  however,  was  Bassein,  separated 
from  these  villages  by  the  Yoma  mountains.  In  1852  the  British 
invasion  let  loose  upon  the  Karens  many  bands  of  Burmese 
robbers.  Threatened  by  a body  of  two  thousand  of  these,  the 
Beechers  retired  from  Sandoway,  and  took  refuge  on  the  island 
of  Bamree.  After  passing  the  rainy  season  here,  Mr.  Beecher,' 
leaving  his  wife  and  child  on  the  island  jnst  mentioned,  went  to 
Bassein,  which  the  British  forces  had  meanwhile  taken  by  storm. 
On  his  way  he  touched  at  Eangoon,  and  was  glad  to  learn  from 
Mr.  Vinton'that  the  Karen  churches  in  the  Eangoon  district  had 


4:34 


TIIK  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


adopted  tlie  principle  of  self-support.  To-day  they  stand  second 
only  to  the  churches  of  r>assein  in  this  respecT. 

IVlrs.  Beecher^  while  rcdnridn^  to  America,  di(‘d  unexpectedly, 
and  was  buried  at  sea,  Mar(4i  .‘3,  The  loss  was  a li(‘.avy  one 

to  the  mission,  as  well  as  to  Inn*  husband.  TI(*r  consecration 
to  missions  was  without  any  r(*s(‘rvation,  and  it  was  this, 
expressed  in  one  of  her  letters,  that  had  iixed  Mr.  I>(*e(4ier’s 
determination  to  devote  his  life  to  foreif^n  evan^i^elization. 

]\lisfortunes  very  often  come  two  l)y  two.  While  Mr.  Beecher 
was  mourning  the  sudden  death  of  his  yoke-fellow,  he  was  imt 
on  trial  for  insubordination.  lie  had  been  sent  by  the  Board  to 
Sandoway,  and  had  accordingly  made  that  place  his  headcpiar- 
ters  for  six  years,  while  serving  the  Bassein  Karens.  But  when 
the  town -of  Bassein,  and  the  region  formerly  occupied  by  the 
Karens  of  Arracan,  liad  come  under  the  British  dominion,  the 
members  of  the  Arracan  churches  left  for  their  old  homes  east 
of  the  Yoma  mountains.  Mr.  Beecher  thought  he  ought  to 
follow  them.  Trustworthy  fellow  missionaries  and  the  Karen 
pastors  were  of  the  same  opinion.  As  he  could  do  nothing 
more  in  Sandoway,  and  as  the  instructions  of  the  Board, 
addressed  to  him  in  1846,  permitted  him  to  go  ‘Ho  Bassein, 
if  accessible,  or  wherever  he  shall  find  the  most  fitting  place  for 
doing  his  assigned  work,”  he  now  considered  himself  at  liberty 
to  remove  to  Bassein  as  the  proi)er  base  for  future  operations. 

At  this  crisis  Mr.  Beecher  resolved  to  visit  America.  Smart- 
ing under  Vliat  he  felt  to  be  the  unjust  censure  of  the  Executive 
Committee,  yet  supported  by  the  formal  approval  of  the  Bas- 
sein Mission,  he  embarked  February  10th,  1855,  and  arrived  at 
Kew  York  September  28th.  On  his  homeward  voyage,  an  oflicial 
letter  jiassed  him  recalling  him  from  the  field.  When  he  landed, 
therefore,  though  he  then  knew  it  not,  his  connection  with  the 
51  issionary  Union  had  come  to  an  end.  During  his  visit  to  his 
native  land,  his  friends  arranged  for  his  return  to  Bassein  under 


ANOTHER  MARTYRDOM. 


435 


tlie  auspices  of  tlie  Free  Mission  Society,  some  account  of  wliich 
the  reader  will  find  on  other  pages. 

Mr.  Beecher  and  Mrs.  Helen  L.  Beecher  returned  in  1857,  and 
arrived  in  Bassein  on  the  17th  of  Se[)teiMl)er.  liepeated  atteinx)ts 
to  i^ut  other  men  in  Mr.  Beecher’s  place  j) roved  unsuccessful. 
The  Karens  regarded  him  as  the  legitimate  and  worthy  successor 
of  Mr.  Abbott,  and  as  such  cooperated  with  him.  There  were 
but  few  natives  who  still  stood  by  the  then  j^olicy  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Union.  Among  these  was  Bev.  J.  P.  Sahnay,  who, 
after  spending  more  than  seven  years  in  America,  returned  in 
1862.  Having  resided  so  long  far  away  from  Burmah,  and  com- 
X)elled  to  judge  from  one-sided  evidence,  it  was  natural,  yet 
lirovoking,  that  he  should  not  concur  with  Mr.  Beecher  and  his 
friends,  to  whom  he  owed  all  his  education  and  his  ox)X)ortunities 
for  extensive  travel. 

Our  missionary  now  addressed  himself  with  renewed  enthu- 
siasm to  the  spiritual  and  intellectual  cultivation  of  his  field. 
The  year  1858  was  memorable  for  the  erection  of  the  Karen 
Mission  House,  and  in  1860  he  opened  the  Bassein  Sgau  Karen 
Normal  and  Industrial  Institute.  In  1866  he  was  attacked  with 
what  was  supposed  to  be  consumption,  and  x)ositively  advised  to 
leave  Burmah  without  delay.  He  accordingly  embarked  for 
England,  and  reached  Plymouth  September  14th,  with  seemingly 
improved  health.  He  took  rides  daily,  and  enjoyed  calls  from 
the  learned  Dr.  Tregelles  and  a few  other  friends.  He  was  very 
weak,  but  x)eaceful  and  happy.  At  this  time  he  received  a reso- 
lution from  the  Executive  Committee  in  Boston,  cordially  and 
unanimously  inviting  him  to  return  to  the  service  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Union.  It  gave  him  much  i)leasure^  and  he  even 
indulged  the  hope  of  going  out  again  to  Burmah  under  their 
auspices.  On  the  21st  of  October  he  fainted,  as  was  sux)posed,* 
but  he  never  revived.  His  spirit  had  gone  home  ere  his  friends 
were  aware  of  his  dejiarture.  His  lungs  were  believed  to  have 


43G 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


been  affected,  but  British  physicians  decided  that  1)(‘-  died  of 
chronic  disease  of  the  liver,  lie  died  at  the  a^,^e  of  forty-six 
years  and  a little  more  than  eight  months.  In  tlie  Ko  Thah-byu 
Memorial  Hall,  dedicated  in  1878,  is  seen  a nmi-ble  tablet  to  the 
memory  of  Mr.  Beecher,  in  which  he  is  accorded  ‘Hlie  distin- 
guished honor  of  establishing  the  first  Christian  school  in  Bnr- 
mah  on  the  basis  of  indigenous  support.*’  Tlie  inscription  closes 
with  this  prayer  in  the  Karen  language:  ‘^^May  his  work  ever 
nourish ! ” 


Karen  Mission  House,  Bassein,  Built  1858. 

‘V 

”V 

Mr.  Beecher  was  remarkable  for  the  simplicity  of  his  faith. 
His  prayers  were  like  those  of  a child  to  his  father.  He  brought 
to  the  throne  of  grace  little  wants  as  Avell  as  great.  The  answers 
he  r(‘ceived  were  jierpetual  and  often  striking,  but  did  not  sur- 
])rise. 


REV.  ‘C.  H.  CARPENTER  AT  BASSEIN. 


437 


It  is  easy,”  says  Eev.  Mr.  Carpenter,  to  be  wise  after  the 
event.”  It  is  due  to  the  Board  to  say  that  they  resolved  to  send 
out  to  Burmah  a deputation  of  our  very  best  men.  Some  whom 
they  urged  to  go  refused,  and  the  two  eminent  men  who  went 
would  have  gladly  staid  at  home.  It  is  likewise  due  to  the 
memory  of  Kev.  Dr.  Peck  to  add  that  he  finally  became  con- 
vinced that  the  policy  which  bore  his  name  was  a mistaken  one. 
An  enlightened  compassion  for  the  perishing  really  seemed  to 
dictate  that  this  controversy  should  be  confined  to  the  parties 
immediately  concerned,  but  in  this  case  it  served  as  a needed 
revelation  of  character  and  policy. 

Y. 

The  Rev.  C.  H.  Carpenter,  so  well  known  as  a missionary  to 
Burmah,  and  the  historian  of  the  Bassein  Karen  Mission,i  was 
born  in  1835,  and  was  educated  at  Harvard  University  and 
Kewton  Theological  Institute.  Appointed  a missionary  in  July, 
1862,  he  sailed  in  the  following  Autumn  for  Burmah.  He 
arrived  at  Rangoon  in  Mayj  where,  with  Mrs.  Carpenter,  he  was 
received  into  the  family  of  Dr.  Binney.  He  became  an  assistant 
in  the  Karen  Seminary  at  Kemmendine,  near  Rangoon,  and  when, 
in  1805,  Dr.  Binney  retired  from  the  institution,  Messrs.  Carpen- 
ter and  Rev.  D.  A.  W.  Smith  took  the  entire  superintendence  of 
its  affairs.  After  the  return  of  Dr.  Binney,  in  1860,  Mr.  Car- 
penter continued  his  connection  with  the  seminary,  while 
Mr.  Smith  removed  to  Henthada.  In  November  1868  the  first 
telegram  ever  sent  from  the  rooms  in  Boston  to  the  Baptist 
missions  in  Asia  bore  this  message : Carpenter  transferred  to 

Bassein  and  Smith  to  Rangoon'?’  As  he  had  also  received  from 
the  Bassein  Karens  an  urgent  invitation  to  become  their  leader 
in  place  of  the  lamented  Thomas,  he  considered  it  his  duty  to 

1.  Self  Support,  as  illustrated  in  the  History  of  Bassein  Karen  Mission. 
(Rand,  Avery  & Co.,  Boston  1883.) 


THE  STOTJY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


4:i8 


transfer  Ins  lal)ors  to  Bass(‘iii.  At  tliis  station  liis  labors  woro 
attonded  witli  very  inarkcMl  success.  Coini)(‘lled  to  leave  liis  li(4d 
for  a season  on  aee.onnt  of  failing  h(‘.altli,  In*,  set  out  on  an  ex])lor- 
in^’  (‘xpedition  to  Siam.  He,  (a’oss<‘d  tin*,  boundary  betw(*en 
British  Burinah  and  Siam  at  a jmint  known  as  ‘‘Tljn^e  Baf,n)das,” 
and  found  his  way  to  the  j>’ov(‘rnor  of  tli(‘,  Bwo  Kanm  distriet  of 
Bhrathoowan.  AVith  his  native  assistants  he  visited  in  one  of 
the  river  valleys  forty-tliree  villages,  and  gained  access  to  more 
than  a thousand  households.  The  nnmb(‘r  of  Karens  in  the 
conntiy  throiigii  which  he  travelled  was  estimated  at  fifty 
thousand. 

In  1872,  Air.  and  Airs.  Cari)enter  were  comiielled,  on  account 
of  ill  health,  to  return  lemi)orarily  to  tl»e  United  States.  Long 
marches  on  the  feverish  Arracan  coast,  night-watches,  with 
many  anxious  cares,  had,  in  the  course  of  three  years  and  a 
half,  made  Air.  Uarpenter  an  invalid.  His  wife’s  health  was 
also  seriously  impaired.  Air.  Carpenter  returned  to  Burmah,  in 
April,  1874,  as  President  of  the  Kangoon  Baptist  College.  Soon 
after  his  arrival  he  became  convinced  that  it  ought  to  be  removed 
to  Bassein,  and  sent  to  Boston  a request  to  be  permitted  to  trans- 
fer the  institution.  The  Executive  Committee  having  decided 
the  question  in  the  negative.  Air.  Carpenter  resigned  his  position 
in  Alarch,  1875,  and  again  established  himself  in  Bassein.  He 
was  convinced  that  he  could  do  more  to  advance  the  interests 
of  education  among  the  Karens,  as  a people,  in  Bassein, 
without  the  college  and  without  iiecuniary  aid  from  America, 
than  he  could  do  in  Kangoon  at  the  head  of  the  college,  backed 
by  the  treasury  of  the  Alissionary  Union.  In  Rangoon  he  was 
cut  off  from  Karen  intercourse  and  support,  while  he  regarded 
the  metropolis  as  a bad  place  iii  which  to  train  Karen  preachers 
for  humble,  self-denying  Avork  in  their  native  jungles  and  moun- 
tains. The  school  in  Bassein  Avas  of  indigenous  groAvth,  Avhile 
the  colh*ge  in  Kangoon  Avas  an  exotic.  The  report  of  the  first 


NEEDS  OF  THE  KAREN  FIELD. 


439 


year’s  exertions  presented  many  facts  to  inspire  liope  and  confi- 
dence. The  number  baptized  during  that  time  was  two  hundred 
and  eighty-two.  The  following  year  was  marked  by  hard  work 
and  attended  with  some  peculiar  trials.  He  reported  that  in  the 
stations  under  his  charge  there  were  eighty -five  churches,  one 
hundred  and  fourteen  native  preachers  and  0,306  church  mem- 
bers. 

In  1880  ill  health  again  obliged  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carpenter  to 
leave  Burmah.  He  is  at  present  ( 1884 ) residing  at  IsTewton 
Centre,  Mass.,  trying  to  collect  funds  to  endow  a Bible  School 
at  Bassein  in  the  vernacular  language.  Forty  thousand  dollars 
are  thought  to  be  needed  for  the  supiTort  of  the  princiiial  and  for 
other  necessary  expenses.  The  natives  pledge  themselves  to 
build  a suitable  house  for  the  principal  and  buildings  for  the 
school,  and  to  give  rice  year  by  year  sufficient  to  sustain  all  the 
pupils.  Mr.  Carpenter  and  his  native  assistants  consider  such 
an  institution  as  absolutely  necessary  to  the  Christian  growth 
and  fruitfulness  of  the  mission. 

Our  missionary  is  persuaded  that  the  Karens  would  have  more 
fully  realized  the  hopes  of  the  first  missionaries  had  they  been 
provided  with  the  aid  which  was  essential  to  a thorough  Chris- 
tian education.  While  he  rejoices  in  the  progress  the  Karens 
have  made  in  pecuniary  independence,  he  laments  that  they  are 
still  wanting  in  moral  and  intellectual  independence.  They  still 
need  to  be  led  by  missionaries  from  America,  and  they  have 
almost  always  failed  whenever  they  have  attemiited  in  their  own 
way  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the  regions  beyond.  “ Thus  far,  in 
almost  every  instance,”  says  Mr.  Carpenter,  ^Mn  which  they 
have  attempted  independent  missions— as  in  Upper  Burmah,  in 
1859  5 towards  Zimmay,  in  1863  5 later  in  the  Meklong  valley  of 
Siam,  and  beyond  Zimmay  to  Lakon,  in  1881 — their  efforts  have 
well-nigh  come  to  naught.  Long  journeys  have  been  made  suc- 
cessfully 5 money  for  the  journeys  has  been  forth-coming,  and 


440 


TTTE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


almiidaiit  eiitliiisiasin  at  the  start : Init  of  lioino-coniingj  and 
of  the  spiritual  results  what  can  we  say  !” 

On  the  other  hand  the  success  of  their  attemjits  at  self-sui)i)ort 
is  most  extraordinary.  INFany  will  renieinher  how  Ko  Hike,  of 
Maulmain  (there  Avere  two  of  this  name),  came  forward  to  me(;t 
a dehcit  in  the  missionary  treasury,  remarkinf^,  as  he  did  so,  that 
he  regarded  himself  as  ^^foreordained  to  make  uj)  (hdiciencies.” 
From  Mr.  Carj)enter’s  account  of  the  Bassein  Karens,  it  chiarly 
appears  that  they  believe  themselves  i)r(‘destiuated  to  do  some- 
thing more  than  this. 

It  is  an  omen  of  hojie  that  our  missionary  contemplates  the 
introduction  of  annual  gatherings,  much  like  the  camp  meetings 
of  our  Baptist  fathers.  ‘‘We  have,”  says  he,  “long  had  it  in 
mind  to  institute  each  season,  after  harvest,  a series  of  Avhatmay 
be  called  revival  meetings  in  convenient  j'ungle  centres,  in  the 
hojie  of  calling  down  upon  this  people,  who  seem  to  be  rather 
unsusceptible  to  emotion,  a more  than  ordinary  measure  of  the 
Holy  Spirit’s  power.  A meeting  of  days,  devoted  exclusively  to 
prayer  and  the  exhibition  of  divine  truth  in  its  more  pungent 
forms,  Avould  be  something  iieAv  in  Bassein;  and  if  Avisely  and 
]irayerfully  folloAA^ed  up,  we  bebeA-e  that  great  good  might  be 
accomplished.”  We  have  obseiwed  that  in  other  foreign  field>i 
there  is  a deepening  conviction  that  rcAUA^al  means  and  methods 
are  suitable  as  well  for  heathen  as  for  Christian  lands. 

]\Ir.  Carpenter’s  volume,  already  mentioned,  is  of  much  interest 
and  ATilue,  notably  the  chapter  devoted  to  the  discussion  of  the 
system  of  extending  foreign  patronage  to  Karen  iireachers. 
Messrs.  Abbott  and  Beecher,  in  their  endeavors  to  bring  about 
the  adoption  of  the  favorite  system  of  self-support  in  the  Bassein 
district,  were  sometimes  reminded  by  the  Karen  pastors  of  their 
district  that,  in  the  Maulmain  district,  the  Karen  jireachers 
received  a sui)])ort  from  America,  and  that  the  Karens  of  Arra- 
can  or  Bassein  AA^ere  as  much  entitled  to  foreign  aid  as  AA^ere 


SELF-SUPPOKT  AND  FOREIGN  AID. 


441 


those  of  Maulmain.  Mr.  Abbott  blames  Dr.  Judson  for  eom- 
meucing  this  system  by  giving  foreign  aid  to  his  Biirman  and 
Karen  assistants,  and  for  refusing  to  adox)t  the  system  of  self- 
support,  and  so  at  once  making  hirelings  of  his  assistants,  and 
setting  a bad  example  to  other  missions.  We  have  not  sufficient 
space  in  which  to  discuss  these  differences.  It  should,  however, 


Girls’  School- House,  Bassein  (Paid  for  mainly  by  Karen  Christians). 

be  said  in  axiology  for  Dr.  Judson,  that  all  the  previous  missions 
in  India  had  acted  on  his  system,  and  had  found  it  to  work  well. 
He  had  to  lay  foundations,  and  was  at  first  so  circumstanced 
that  he  considered  it  wise  to  giA^e  wages  to  his  Burman  assist- 
ants. Among  his  reasons  for  so  doing,  one  Avas.this:  The 
Buddhists  make  a merit  of  works  j if,  therefore,  we  ask  frequent 
contributions  from  the  natives,  we  may  inculcate  wrong  notions 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


442 

of  tlie  freeness  of  tlie  Gospel.  It  ou^lit  lik(‘wis(*.  to  lx*  r(*ui(‘in- 
bered  tliat  miiny  of  the  native  assistants  whom  Dr.  .Imison  at 
lirst  supported  by  foreij^n  stipcmds  were  itimu'ants  or  (‘van^^e- 
lists  Avho  had  not  as  yet  f>^athered  Jiny  native  elmrelies.  Ibit  the 
theory  of  the  Jhissein  missionaries  ])resui)i)oses  tlie  existenee  of 
such  churches.  When  Dr.  Mason  askcMl  Mr.  Abbott  what  was 
to  be  do'je  in  such  a ease,  he  replied  by  saying;'  that  su(4i  itiner- 
ants Avere  of  no  service.  ^\dlen  Dr.  Binney  A\'as  urged  to 
exchange  the  system  of  foreign  patronage  for  that  of  self- 
sui)i)ort,  he  replied  that  it  ought  to  be  done,  but  witli  his  present 
AATirk  he  could  not  commence  Avhat  might  demand  much  of  his 
attention,  at  perhaps  unexpected  times;  he  must,  therefore, 
leuA^e  matters  as  they  are  until  he  has  more  time  and  the  circum- 
stances are  more  fiworable.  If  all  things  Avere  considered,  aa^c 
AA'ould  find  it  difticult  to  disapiiroA^e  the  action  of  Dr.  Judson 
and  of  the  Board  that  concurred  Avitli  him  in  his  opinion  of  this 
business.  1 They  attribute  the  success  of  Mr.  Abbott’s  experi- 
ment of  self-support  to  ‘^ProAidential  circumstances  that  Avere 
peculiarly  favorable.”  As  Avith  the  child  just  setting  out  in  life, 
and  the  feeble  colony  just  landed,  so  with  the  new  mission ; the 
question  of  parental  aid  may  be  tbe  question  of  life  or  death. 
At  a later  stage  the  formation  of  habits  of  self-support  are, 
perhaps,  necessary  to  the  groAvth  of  (tourage,  the  exercise  of 
lilierty,  and  the  best  use  of  all  energies  and  resources. 


1 . See  Appendix,  5. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


THE  TWO  KAREX  APOSTLES. 

I. — Ko  Thah-byii. — When  lie  first  Appeared  above  the  Horizon.  — Early 
(.fiouds. — Baptism. — Xecesssity  of  Native  Firmness.  — Early  Excursions 
among  the  People. — His  Ignorance  of  all  but  the  most  Essential  Truths. — 
Unsuccessful  as  a Pastor. — Accompanies  IMr.  Boardman  and  Mr.  Mason. — ■ 
Visits  Kanyoon. — Work  iii  the  Maubee  village. — Ruling  Passion  Strong 
in  Threatening  Death.  — His  Work  among  the  Karen  Refugees  at  San- 
doway. — His  Ungovernable  Temper. — His  Great  Efficacy  and  Success. 

II.-S  au-Quala. — A Ciiild  of  Adversity. — The  Meaning  of  Quala. — 

Converted  by  KoThah-byu’s  First  Sermon. — His  Betrothal. — A Collec- 
tion of  Traditions. — Refirses  Office  under  Government. — Yields  to  Temp- 
tation.— His  Repentance. 

TIIxVlI-BYU,  since  known  as  ^^Tlie  Karen  Apostle,”  first 
makes  liis  appearance  as  an  inquirer  of  wlioni  ]\rr.  Jiulson 
took  note  before  lie  removed  from  Amlierst  to  jMaulmain.  He 
had  been  a robber  and  a murderer.  lie  had  at  length  become 
the  slave  of  a Buddhist  master  cat  Bangoon,  but  had  been 
redeemed  by  a Burman  convert  who  had  heard  the  missionaries 
stiy  that  they  wished  to  become  more  accjuainted  with  the 
Kcurens.  llis  temporary  master  iiresented  him  a tract  from 
which  he  gleaned  his  first  ideas  of  the  Ciiristian  religion.  AVe 
hear  of  him  accordingly  as  one  of  Mr.  Judson’s  anxious 
inquirers  at  Amherst  April  22d,  1827. 

Ilis  progress  was  at  first  very  slow.  The  Christian  Burman 
transferred  Ko  Thah-byu  to  the  family  of  Air.  Judson  as  a 
house-servant,  and  when  the  mission  was  removed  from  Amherst 
to  Araulmain  this  Karen  accompanied  him  thither.  Air.  Judson 
now  became  better  acquainted  with  Ko  Thah-byu.  lie  found 
him  rude  and  passionate  as  well  as  wanting  in  energy,  and  yet 
showing  some  signs  of  being  the  subject  of  divine  grace.  By 
slow  degrees  light  dawned  upon  his  mind  and  warmth  gained 
31 


444 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


access  to  Iiis  heart.  The  indnence  of  tli(‘.  r(*li;,noii  of  Jesus  grad- 
ually ai)peared  in  his  daily  conduct.  At  last  Ik*.  lM‘gan  to  ])ray,  to 
deplore  his  sinfulness  and  to  look  in  faith  to  tin*  dying  Redeemer. 
]\rrs.  Boardman,  in  a letter  written  in  January,  1828,  describes 
him  as  a Karen,  a poor  man  Avho  had  been  for  some  tinu;  in  the 
emidoy  of  3[r.  Judson.  She  thinks  he  will  jn-obably  soon  be 
baptized.  That  pride  of  race  Avhich  is  said  never  to  die  with  a 
Burman  made  the  Burmese  converts  at  ^laulnmin  slow  at  tirst 
to  acknowledge  the  right  of  the  ])Oor  d(‘spised  Karen  to  be 
admitted  into  the  Church.  But  when  they  were  convinced  that 
the  Karen  robber  and  slave  was  really  a new  (*reature,  they  voted 
unanimously  for  his  admission  to  their  tellowship. 

lie  was  not  baptized,  however,  at  Maulmain.  When  Mr. 
Boardman  removed  to  Tavoy,  in  the  Spring  of  1828,  he  took  this 
Karen  Avith  him,  and  his  tirst  missionary  Avork  after  his  arriATil 
AATis  to  bajitize  him.  Ko  Thah-byu  Avas  buried  Avith  Christ  on  the 
Kith  of  i\Iay.  Soon  after,  he  began  to  make  tours  among  his 
people  and  to  tell  them  the  neA\  s of  the  Gospel  sahTition,  and 
seldom  returned  Avithout  bringing  seA^eral  Karens  Avith  him  to 
see  the  teacher  of  the  iieAV  religion.”  One  young  Karen  Avas 
found  by  Ko  Thah-byu  in  the  niche  of  a jiagoda,  Avhere  he  had 
been  fasting  tAvo  days.  Ife  had  heard  of  Gautama  from  the 
Burmans,  and  Avas  practising  this  austerity  in  the  hope  of  obtain- 
ing divine  light.  Our  apostle  instructed  him  and  gav’e  him  a 
Christian  book.  The  young  man  Avent  back  to  his  iiatiA^e  jungle, 
and  returned  a month  later  bringing  three  of  his  relations. 

At  first  the  Karens  were  A^ery  reluctant  to  receiA^e  our  mission- 
aries, and  re|)eated  attempts  to  gain  access  to  them  showed  the 
necessity  of  sending  forth  iiatiA^e  assistants  to  prepare  the  way 
for  the  iirogress  of  the  Gospel.  The  timidity  of  the  Karen  is 
strikingly  illustrated  by  an  excursion  Mr.  Judson  made  among 
lh(‘m  about  the  time  of  Ko  Thah-byu’s  coiiATrsion.  ITe  went  to 
a Karen  Aullage  about  tAA^enty  miles  north  of  Maulmain.  He 


KO  TIiAII-BYlT  THE  ICAKEN  APOSTLE. 


445 


was  accompanied  by  a converted  Burman  who  liad  formerly  been 
a tax  collector  and  was  familiar  with  the  language  and  customs 
of  these  mountain  tribes.  On  their  arrival  every  man,  woman 
and  child  rau  away  and  hid  themselves  in  the  jungles.  Mr. 
Judsou  and  his  Burman  companion  sat  down  in  the  shade,  and 
after  some  time  one  or  two  of  the  men  summoned  sufficient 
courage  to  show  themselves  and  ask,  What  is  your  object  in 


Partial  View  of  Ko  Thah-byu  Memorial  Hall,  Bassein,  Dedicated  i8j8* 

coming  to  our  village  f ^ The  interpreter  replied,  Our  object  is 
to  tell  you  about  the  true  God  and  the  way  of  salvation.”  Oh, 
is  that  your  object?”  replied  one  of  them  ; we  thought  you  were 
Government  officials,  and  we  were  afraid ; but  if  you  are  religious 
teachers,  come  to  tell  us  of  God,  we  are  happy ; we  will  listen.” 
The  visitors  were  then  asked  whether  they  had  brought  God’s 


* Built  by  Karen  contributions,  at  a cost  of  about  $15,000. 


Till-:  STOJIY  OP  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


140 

Book  and  addod : ‘M)ur  fatluas  say  11m5  Kanais  once  liad 
(lod’s  Book,  writtpii  on  ])ar(*lini(‘nt,  and  tlioy  (*ar(‘l(‘ssly  allowed 
it  to  1)0  dostroycMl.  Siinu'.  tlnMi,  as  a i)nnisliinont,  Ikey  liad  boon 
witliont  books  and  witbont  a writt(*n  lanj^na^c*.  But  oni" 
|)roi)hets  say  tlio  white  foreiiL*-n<‘rs  have*-  tlnj  Book,  and  will  in 
liiture  time  restore  it  to  ns.” 

Our  a])Ostl(‘.  Avas  ol*  A'(‘ry  ^leat  s(*rvie(‘.  in  visitiiTi--  tln^  Karen 

c 

villages,  and  giving  them  int(*llig(me(‘  about  Messrs.  Boardman, 
iMasou,  AVade  and  otluus,  Avho  AV(‘r(‘.  afterwards  so  su(te(*ssfnl 
among  these  tribes.  But  his  own  usefulness  as  an  evangelist 
among  them  Avas  gieat  almost  b(‘yond  b(4i(*t*.  Kntitt(*d  for  ])as- 
toral  labors  beeause  of  his  ignoram^e  and  one-sidedn(‘ss,  tlu'sc; 
Amry  defieienees  Avere  eompeusatenl  l)y.ljis  rare  faeadty  of  eomten- 
trating  all  liis  poAA^ers  and  bringing  them  to  bear  u])on  a certain 
point.  The  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  having  been  to  him 
a i)art  of  Ids  heaiftblt  experience,  it  became  the  beginning,  mid- 
dle and  end  of  his  preaching.  Ignorant  and  obtuse  as  he  Avas  oii 
all  other  subjects,  Ave  are  told  that  the  moment  he  touched  upon 
his  faAmrite  theme,  he  exhibited  a power  and  t'orce  of  illustra- 
tion which  surxirised  all  A\dio  kncAA"  him.  lie  had  Axny  fcAV 
thoughts,”  says  IvCax  Dr.  Alason,  but  these  Avere  grand  ones, 
and  eA’erything  else  he  deemed  rubbish:  The  fall  of  man,  his 
need  of  a SaAdour,  the  fullness  of  Christ,  and  the  blessedness  of 
heuAxm.  .Vnd  he  nsed  these  thoughts  like  an  auger  iu  drilling  a 
rock.  It  AA-as  round  and  round,  round  and  round,  until  the 
object  Avas  accomplished.  The  Christian  Karens,  as  they 
became  fully  instructed,  could  not  bear  to  hear  him;  they 
required  lietter  educated  teachers;  but  the  schools  have  not 
turned  out  his  equal,  and  probably  mwer  Avill,  for  an  untaught 
assembly.” 

4'his  Kareu  evangelist  Avas  a Sgau,  and  sought  lirst  the 
salvation  of  his  oavu  tribe.  In  August,  1828,  the  occasion  of  the 
bai)tism  of  two  conv(‘rts  at  TaA'oy,  three  Karens  Avere  present 


KO  TIIAII-BYU’S  GROWTH  AND  ZEAL 


447 


from  a distant  village,  wlio  engaged  Ko  Tliali-byn  to  return 
home  with  them  and  preach  the  Gospel  in  the  village  where  the 
mysterions  hook  (afterwards  discovered  to  he  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer,  with  the  Psalms)  was  kept.  They  promised  to 
erect  a place  of  worship  and  to  invite  the  circumjacent  Karens 
to  assemhle  and  hear  the  way  of  life. 

Accordingly  in  Fehruary,  1829,  Ko  Tliah-hyu  accoiip^anied  Mr. 
Boardman  in  this  first  missionary  tour  among  the  Karens.  As 
he  understood  Burman,  he  interpreted  ]\[r.  Boardman’s  sermons 
into  Karen.  Tliey  found  a large  zayat  erected  for  these 
services;  and  many  natives  remained  all  day  and  all  night,  that 
they  might  hear  the  Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.  A numher 
came  forward  and  declared  their  faith  in  Christ,  and  among 
them  was  the  Gentile  prophet  who  had  heen  the  custodian  of 
the  mysterious  hook.. 

At  the  end  of  this  expedition,  Mr.  Boardman  found  occasion 
to  remark  our  Karen  evangelist’s  growth,  not  only  in  piety  and  ^ 
henevolence,  hut  in  sagacity  and  zeal.  In  devising  plans  for 
the  henelit  of  these  tribes,  he  said  to  Dr.  Boardman,  There  are 
the  districts  of  the  Pai  and  Palan,  and  several  other  places  near 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  where  there  are  many  Karen  settlements 
which  I wish  to  visit.  There  are  also  many  Karens  in  the 
province  of  Mergui.  I wish  to  declare  the  Gospel  to  them  all; 
and  before  long,  I want  to  go  across  and  visit  the  Karens  in 
Siam,  and  afterwards  to  visit  Bassein,  my  native  place,  near 
Bangoon.  Many  Karens  live  there.”  Commenting  on  these 
words,  Bev.  Dr.  S.  F.  Smith  says:  Perhaps  herein  we  find  the 
germ  of  the  wonderful  work  of  grace  in  the  district  of  Bassein, 
now  numbering  more  than  seven  thousand  one  hundred  church- 
members.” 

Oh  the  10th  of  March,  his  wife,  formerly  a very  ignorant 
and  wicked  woman,  was  baptized,  and  thus  came  to  fully 
share  her  husband’s  compassion  for  the  benighted  condition 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


JIS 

of  the  Bioinitain  trihos.  She  seems  to  liave  been  converted 
some  time  before 5 it  will  be  reimmilieri'd  that  wlnm  Mr.  Jioard- 
man  set  out  on  his  first  tour,  sh(‘,  (;onsole<l  Mrs.  lioardman  in 
wordsjhat  were  expressiv(‘.  of  truly  (hiristian  scmtiments. 

In  December,  1829,  onr  ai)ostl(i  ])roj)os(‘(l  to  o’()  across  the 
mountains  to  visit  such  of  his  jH^ople  as  lived  on  the  borders  of 
Siam.  Two  other  native  converts  offered  to  accomjiany  him, 
and  so  they  were  commended  to  tlie  Divine  blessing  and  went 
away.  But  as  they  a[)t)roach(‘d  the  bonhn-s  tlu^y  w(‘r(‘.  ovin  takim 
by  a ('ompany  of  Talaings,  avIio  forbade  him  to  go  forward,  but 
his  companions  were  allowed  to  i)rocee<l.  They  knew,  it  seems, 
that  he  was  a convert  to  the  Christian  religion,  but  being  ignor- 
ant of  the  fa(d  that  the  other  two  w(‘re  converts  also,  the  latter 
were  ])ermitted  to  enter  the  border-land  of  Siam,  wIkuh^  they 
published  the  news  of  salvation  with  considerable  success. 

During  the  year  before  Mi\  Boardman’s  death^  the  care  of  the 
church  at  Tavoy  and  the  instruction  of  the  imtuirers  devolved 
on  Ivo  Thah-byu  and  Mrs.  Boardman.  The  number  baptized 
within  this  period,  offered  the  best  comment  on  the  ethciency  of 
his  labors. 

In  his  early  travels  among  the  Karens,  Mr.  Mason  was  often 
accompanied  by  Ko  Thah-byu.  Though  not  adapted  to  the  pas- 
toral office,  he  was  sometimes  tempted  to  assume  it,  and  when 
he  did  he  soon  became  unpopular.  Sent  into  a new  field,  every- 
thing gave  way  before  him,  and  no  man  was  more  highly 
esteemed  b}^  the  native  Christians  while  he  apjdied  himself  to 
his  ai)proin*iate  work. 

Soon  after  Mr.  Kincaid’s  embarkation  for  Ava,  in  April,  1833, 
3Ir.  and  Mrs.  Bennett  arrived  at  Bangoon,  bringing  with  them 
Ko  Thah-byu,  that  he  might  carry  the  Gospel  to  the  Karens  of 
tlie  adjacent  jungles.  Our  evangelist  made  many  excursions 
among  his  own  people,  lie  found  them  very  ignorant  of  the 
Cliristian  religion,  and  afraid,  man}"  of  them,  to  listen  to  him  lest 


449 


RESULTS  OF  KO  TIIAII-BYU’S  PREACIIINO. 

they  should  be  suspected  of  disloyalty  to  the  Burmese  govern- 
ment. Many  were  the  i)erils  to  which  he  was  exposed,  as  he 
went  from  village  to  village  preaching  the  Gospel  of  salvation. 
He  sometimes  had  to  wade  rivers  almost  up  to  his  neck.  When 
the  rainy  season  compelled  him  to  be  stationary,  he  taught 
school  among  the  Karens  in  the  Maubee  villages,  which  are 
situated  about  forty  miles  north  of  Bangoon.  In  no  long  time 
his  school  was  broken  up  by  the  Burmaus,  and  he  again  returned 
to  preaching  and  distributing  tracts.  In  October,  1833,  the 
fruits  of  his  labors  began  to  appear.  Mr.  Bennett’s  dwelling 
was  thronged  with  Karen  men,  women  and  children,  anxiously 
asking  for  more  instruction  about  Jesus  Christ.  The  converts 
were  sometimes  lined  and  im])risoned.  For  a season  they  were 
forbidden  to  visit  the  mission  house  at  Bangoon.  But  a Karen 
who  stole  in  from  the  country  early  in  the  morning  remarked 
that,  though  this  religion  might  be  supiu’essed  for  a while,  it 
would  soon  burst  forth  like  lire  smothered  under  straw.  Some 
of  the  Karen  congregations  that  our  evangelist  gathered  formed 
the  habit,  in  his  absence,  of  meeting  in  different  places  to  hear 
read  the  only  tract  that  had  as  yet  been  translated  into  their 
language,  and  to  offer  prayer. 

Ko  Thah-byu,  met  with  great  success  in  his  preaching  in 
many  i)arts  of  this  district  of  Maubee,  where  his  disciples  were 
afterwards  sifted  by  persecution.  Nevertheless,  very  little  chaff 
was  found  among  them.  Many  of  these  went  to  Bangoon  to 
receive  baptism.  When  some  of  the  missionaries  of  Bangoon 
visited  them  for  the  first  time,  in  183G,  they  discovered  that  a 
work  of  grace  had  been  going  forward  there  for  three  years. 
They  baptized  one  hundred  and  seventy-one,  and  examined  about 
a hundred  more  who  appeared  to  be  prepared  for  church-mem- 
bership. On  their  return  they  reported  that  there  was  work 
enough  in  the  district  to  employ  twenty  missionaries  and  as 
many  assistants.  As  he,  however,  had  evidently  broken  up  all 


150 


THE  STOIIY  OF  ]LVI»TIST  MISSIONS. 


tli(‘  fnllow  ^i^roniid,  lie  ndirod  and  went  to  IN‘f»n,  wli(‘re,  In; 
found  two  tliousand  IvarenSj  wlio  wer(i  almost  totally  ignorant 
of  the  religion  of  Christ. 

On  account  of  enfeehh'd  In'alth,  and  tin*.  (‘X))(‘ctation  of  war 
between  the  English  and  linmiese,  lie  retunuMl  to  Maul  main. 
Nothing’  did  lie  like  better  than  jweacliing.  In  illustration  of 
his  ruling'  passion^  an  anecdote  was  told  of  an  accident  in  whicli 
his  life  was  endangered  liy  the  oversetting  of  a boat.  “ I shall 
be  drowned!”  exclaimed  he,  ‘Cind  never  more  jireach  the  word 
of  God  to  the  Karens.” 

When,  in  18-10,  Messrs.  Kincaid  and  Abbott  rejiaired  to  Arra- 
can,  partly  I'or  the  purpose  of  providing  jilaces  of  refuge  lor  the 
oppressed  Karens  of  Eurmali,  Ko  Thah-byu  accompanied  Mr. 
Abbott  to  Sandoway,  and  established  himself  in  a little  village 
near  him.  At  first  the  converts  of  the  Karen  apostle  wimt  to 
him  over  the  mountains,  from  the  (hdta  of  the  Irrawaddy,  in 
such  numbers  as  to  arouse  the  jealousy  of  the  llurniese,  and  to 
induce  them  for  a time  to  adopt  a more  lenient  policy,  lest  the 
Karens  should  make  a sweeping  exodus  into  the  British  province 
of  Arracan.  But  soon  the  tires  of  iiersecution  broke  out  anew, 
and  family  after  family  stole  away  over  the  hills  to  Arracan. 
The  famine  and  sickness  that  befell  the  iioor  natives  are  else- 
where described.  The  Britisli  residents  of  the  iirovince,  and 
notably  Captain  Phayre,  the  Assistant  Commissioner,  supplied 
them  with  food,  medicine  and  other  means  of  relief.  Ko  Thah- 
byu  assisted  in  the  work  of  rescue,  with  his  characteristic  ardor, 
until  lie  was  attacked  by  mortal  sickness.  He  had  for  several 
years  been  sutlering  from  rheumatism,  which  had  left  him  much 
debilitated.  He  caught  a bad  cold,  which  resulted  in  an  iiiHam- 
mation  of  the  lungs,  lie  had  a presentiment  that  this  was  his 
last  illness.  JMr.  Abbott,  learning  that  he  was  sick,  but  unable 
to  expose  himsidf  to  the  rains,  sent  a boat  to  bring  him  to  the 
missiou-hons(‘.  He  lived  but  a short  time  alter  his  arrival.  A 
1<‘W  resth‘ss  nights  (tarih'd  him  to  the  repose  of  eternal  day. 


SAU  QUALA,  CHILD  OF  HOPE.’^ 


451 


K()  Thah-byii  naturally  possessed  a bad  temper.  It  was  so 
ungovernable,  that  even  after  Ids  conversion  lie  had  often  to 
spend  many  hours  in  iirayer  for  strength  to  subdue  it.  His 
failures,  however,”  says  Dr.  Mason,  should  be  compared,  not 
with  those  who  Avere  born  under  Christian  influences,  and  had 
been  subjected  to  the  restraints  of  civilized  society,  but  with 
those  of  a youth  and  manhood  spent  in  a manner  that  makes  me 
shudder  to  think  of,  and  unwilling  to  relate;  so  that  often  from 
the  impulse  of  iiassiou,  he  said  things  that  would  be  quite  inex- 
cusable in  others.” 

He  was  the  first  Karen  convert.  He  died  in  1840,  after  a 
memorable  career  of  twelve  years.  Of  him  it  has  been  said, 
that  perhaps  not  one  in  a thousand  ( from  the  days  of  the  Apos- 
tles to  the  present  time ) of  those  who  may  have  devoted  their 
lives  exclusively  to  this  work,  have  been  the  instruments  of 
converting  as  many  individuals  as  this  simple-hearted  Karen. 
The  year  he  died  there  were  ofiicially  reported  as  members  of 
Christian  congregations  in  Pegu,  about  one  thousand  two 
hundred  and  seventy  of  his  race,  most  of  whom,  it  was  thought, 
were  led  to  the  Saviour  through  his  exertions.  Twelve  years 
later,  in  1842,  when  the  British  declared  war  with  Burmah,  it 
appears  from  a note  made  by  Bev.  Dr.  Mason  that  seventy -six 
churches,  Avith  liA^e  thousand  members,  were  reported  to  exist  in 
Lower  Pegu. 

II. 

Sau-Quala,  the  Karen  preacher,  standing  next  to  Ko  Thah- 
byu  in  fame  and  service,  was  born  and  nurtured  in  a wild 
mountain  glen.  His  parents  had  been  oppressed  by  the  Bur- 
mans,  but  about  the  time  of  his  birth  they,  in  common  with 
many  other  Karen  mountaineers,  were  evidently  expecting  that 
the  white  foreigners  would  come  and  set  them  free.  Hence  they 
called  their  infant  boy  Quala^  a word  which  signifies  Hope. 
When  he  was  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  the  English  took 


452 


THE  8T0UY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS, 


Tavoy,  and  tlie  kind  treatniont  Iiis  i)ai(‘nts  and  other  Karens 
received  from  the  British  conquerors,  eidirely  won  tlieir  (toidi 
deuce.  Two  or  tliree  years  afterwards  Ko  Tliali-])yu  was  ])ai)- 
tizcd,  and  almost  immediately  l)egan  to  preaclj  tlie  Gosi)el  to  his 
countrymen.  The  very  lirst  house  in  wliich  he  delivered  tin* 
message  of  salvation  was  that  of  Saud^^uala’s  parents,  and  their 


Birth-Place  of  Sau-Quala. 

son  was  converted  by  the  first  sermon.  Sau-Quala  was  deeply 
affected  by  what  he  heard,  and  said  to  himself,  ^^Is  not  this 
the  very  thing  we  have  been  waiting  forT^  His  mother,  too, 
embraced  the  doctrine  of  redemption.  It  was  some  time,  how 
ever,  before  his  father  accepted  the  new  religion. 

Til  is  young  Karen  was  among  the  number  who  carried  dying 
Bonrdrnan  to  the  place  where  he  Avitnessed  the  baptism  of 


MATRIMONIAL  FORTUNES  OF  SAU-QUALA. 


453 


thirty-four  Karens^  as  related  elsewhere,  and  he  helped  consign 
the  mortal  remains  of  his  beloved  pastor  to  their  resting  place 
in  the  missionary  cemetery  at  Tavoy. 

He  had  when  a child,  as  is  eiistoinary  among  some  of  the 
tribes,  been  betrothed  to  a little  girlj  and  when  he  had  grown 
ui^  the  elder  of  the  village  was  deputed  to  visit  his  betrothed,  to 
find  out  how  she  regarded  him.  The  only  remark  she  made  was, 

Oh,  yes ! I love  Sau-Quala  amazingly  now  he  is  bai^tized.  Had 
he  not  been  baptized  I should  not  have  loved  him  at  all.’’  This 
signified,  according  to  their  mode  of  expression,  a resolution  not 
to  marry  him.  This  was  fortunate  for  the  young  man.  He  after- 
wards found  a wife  who  was  a bright  example  of  piety,  and 
whose  zeal  for  the  missionary  cause  was  very  helpful  to  him. 

From  the  opportunities  Hr.  Mason  had  of  studying  the  char- 
acter of  Sau-Quala,  he  concluded  that  he  had  no  ordinary  mind 
or  heart.  He  instructed  him  for  a while,  and  afterwards  sent 
him  to  Maulmain  to  enable  him  to  secure  the  advantages  of  its 
missionary  school.  . On  his  return  to  Tavoy  he  was  emx)loyed  by 
Dr.  Mason  in  committing  to  writing  all  such  traditions  in  poetry 
and  prose  as  he  could  remember  or  collect  from  others.  Among 
these  were  those  Hebrew  traditions  the  i)ublication  of  which,  in 
several  forms  and  at  different  times,  has  do>ne  much  to  excite  an 
intelligent  interest  in  the  Karens.  As  these  tribes  had  not 
reduced  their  language  to  writing,  there  was,  of  course,  much 
uncertainty  in  respect  of  the  antiquity  of  some  of  these  tradi- 
tions. One  of  them,  which  we  quote  in  our  notices  of  the 
Buddhism  of  China,  was  evidently  forged  by  the  Jesuits  and 
palmed  oft*  on  our  Karen  evangelist  as  a tradition  which  was 
current  among  these  clans  before  the  arrival  of  Euroj)eans.  Dr- 
Mason  was  also  indebted  to  him  for  assistance  in  translating 
the  Kew  Testament. 

Sau-Quala  had  more  than  one  offer  of  lucrative  employment 
under  the  British  government,  but  lie  determined  not  ^Ho  mix 


THE  STOKV  OF  3iAl»TIST  MISSIONS. 


ir>i 


n])(i()(l’s  woik  witli  tli(‘  is^oYonnnoiit  work,”  jiiid  liis  wifo ciioonr- 
liiiii  to  resist  every  teini)tati()ii  of  this  kind,  lint  still  Ik* 
never  ret‘iis(‘(l  to  (M)-oj)(*i-at(‘.  with  tin*  otli<^(*rs  of  the  liritish  .'gov- 
ernment in  (‘stal)lishini>’  the  aits  of  eivilization.  He.  carried  out 
with  zeal  and  discretion  several  eoininissions  Avith  which  he.  was 
entrusted.  He  also  aeeompanied  .Mi’.  O’Riley,  tin*  author  of  ‘‘A 
Toiy  to  Karenne,”  on  more  than  one  of  his  expeditions. 

IFe  Avas  ordained  in  ISld,  and  ])reaehed  in  Aan  ions  ])lae(‘s  Avith 
success.  After  aeeom])lishing'  a great  Avork  in  Tenassiaim,  at 
the  end  of  1853  lie  jiroeeeded  to  Tonngoo  in  the  conpiany  of  Mr. 
and  ]\rrs.  Mason.  But  on  aeeonnt  of  the  dangcrons  siekn(‘ss  of 
]\rr.  !Mason,  after  a sojourn  of  about  tliree  months,  they  s(‘t  out 
to  return  to  America.  Before  they  left,  howcA^er,  they  Avitn(*ssed 
the  baptism  by  San-Qnala  of  two  Tonngoo  Karens.  ^More  than 
Fifty  Bnrmans  Avere  ])i*esent,  Avhom  he  addressed  in  a jiidieiojis 
and  eloquent  manner.  Some  English  ol'ficers  AAiio  AA’cre  siiecta- 
tors  afterAAairds  declared  that  they  AAT*re  much  gratified  aa  ith  the 
fearlessness,  dignity  and  propriety  of  the  administrator. 

During  the  absence  of  theiiastor,  Tonngoo  ^Mission  Avas  unhap- 
pily jdaced  in  the  charge  of  Sau-Quala.  He  could  not  be  said  to 
be  a noAuce;  for  he  had  been  serAung  as  a natiA^e  preacher  about 
eiglit  years:  but,  being  more  zealous  than  prudent,  it  was  not 
safe  to  commit  to  him  the  AAmrk  of  laying  foundations  of  churches 
in  a heathen  land.  “The  face  of  this  man,”  says  Bca^  Dr.  S.  F. 
Smith,  “ is  familiar  to  many  in  the  United  States  through  a i)ho- 
tograiih  of  iiatiA^e  preachers,  which  has  found  its  way  to  many 
of  tlie  friends  of  missions.  Ilis  apiAearance  of  intelligence,  dig- 
nity, seriousness  and  earnestness,  seemed  a guaranty  of  Ids  sin- 
cerity; and  liis  name  AA  as  knoAAUi  and  honored  in  this  and  in  his 
oAAui  country,  as  a man  of  apostolic  zeal,  AAdiom  God  oAvned  bj" 
granting  him  {ijiostolic  success.  * * With  never- Avearying 

activity,  Ika  aatis  eAU'ryAvheri*  in  the  field,  ])hinning  AA'isely  and 
snpeiinteiidiiig  el’ficii'idly.  All  felt  that  he  Avas  truly  a good 


THE  FALL  OF  SAU  QUALA. 


455 


ini  Lister  of  Jesus  Christ.  God  kept  him  during  all  the  period 
of  Dr.  Mason’s  absence^  and  for  years  afterwards.  The  mission 
grew  apace  under  his  ministrations,  and  multitudes  were  added 
unto  the  Lord.  It  was  a long  season  of  the  Pentecostal  effusion 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Immediately  after  Dr.  Mason  left  for 
America,  four  native  jireachers  were  i)ut  in  charge  of  four  native 
tribes.  The  first  j^ear  of  the  mission  741  converts  were  baptized. 
Within  a year  and  nine  months  Sau-Quala  had  baptized  1,8(>() 
disciples  and  organized  twenty-eight  churches,  and  hundreds 
more  were  anxious  to  be  baptized.  * * ” 

^Mjiit  Satan  loves  a shining  mark,  and  sometimes  aims  to 
strike  a conspicuous  blow.  If  he  cauuot  stop  the  work  of  God, 
he  seeks  to  mar  and  blur  it.  After  laboring  for  more  than 
twelve  years  with  apostolic  zeal  and  devotion,  and  perhaps  with 
more  than  apostolic  success,  in  an  evil  hour  Sau-Quala  was 
tempted  and  fell.  An  act  of  oiien  sin  clouded  his  brilliant 
career,  and  he  Avas  lost  to  the  miiiistry.  With  a iienitence  like 
that  of  Peter,  Gie  wept  bitterly  ’ over  his  tall,  and  at  once  retired 
from  the  ministration  of  the  Word;  and  his  name  disajApears. 
His  course  ever  afterAvards  Avas  a most  humble  and  i)enitent 
one;  and  he  sIioaaahI  by  years  of  upright  and  Aurtuous  liAung  that 
his  penitence  Avas  genuine,  and  that  he  had  been  restored  to  the 
fellowship  of  a forgiving  God.” 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 


THE  KE\^  llOWAJU)  iMAEC(>M,  1).  1).,  1. 1.. I). 


Dr.  ]\I:ilconi’s  Vi.sit  to  South-Eastern  Asia. — His  Eai-ly  Life. — Conversion 
and  Call  to  the  Ministry.— At  Princeton  Seminary. — ]\Ian-ies  and  Settles 
at  Iliisdon,  N.  T'. — Becomes  Pastor  in  Boston. — Marrying  in  the  T.ord. — 
Literary  Work. — Second  Marriage. — Tlie  Lord's  House.  — Idolizing 
Dr.  Stoughton. — President  of  University  of  Tjewisburg. — 'theological 
Index. — The  Baptist  Historical  Society. — Some  Traits  in  his  Character. 


event  of  iiiiicli  interest  in  the  early  history  of  onr 


foreign  missions,  was  tlie  visit  of  llev.  Howard  ^Maleom 
to  our  mission  stations  in  Bnrmali,  Arracan,  8iam  and  Uliina. 
He  also  visited  tlie  eastern  missions  of  other  denominations  and 
inquired  aliout  their  doings  and  usefulness.  Before  his  return 
he  assisted  in  planting  the  now  tlourishing  mission  among  the 
Telugus.  In  those  days  the  means  of  locomotion  Avere  A'ery 
slow,  and  yet,  during  an  absence  of  two  years  and  six  months, 
he  measured  a distance  of  more  than  fifty-three  thousand  miles. 
On  his  return,  he  Avas  often  invited  to  lecture  on  the  subject  of 
his  trax^els,  and  wherever  he  did  so,  he  adAmnced  the  cause  of 
foreign  missions.  His  Travels  were  published  at  Boston,  in 
1839,  in  two  Amlumes,  12-mo,  and  as  they  contained  a great  deal 
of  general  information  about  remote  and  unknown  parts  of  the 
earth,  they  were  read  with  aAudity  by  not  a few  who  thought 
little  of  the  Gospel  and  still  less  of  missions. 

The  BeA\  Howard  Malcom,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  was  born  in 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  in  June,  1709.  He  Avas  the  only 
son  of  his  parents.  On  his  mother’s  side,  he  was  related  to  the 
(Quakers.  His  father  died  in  1801,  at  the  age  of  three-and- 
twenty,  and  he  was  left  to  the  care  of  his  mother  and  her  father, 
Mr.  .lolin  IIoAvard.  Being  an  only  son  and  residing  in  Philadel- 


HOWARD  MALCOM. 


457 


phia,  with  i)leiity  of  pocket-money,  he  was  humored  in  many  of 
his  whims,  and  while  yet  a mere  hoy,  came  to  fancy  himself  one 
of  the  most  nnquestionahle  lords  of  the  creation.  His  mother 
placed  him  in  a school  at  Burlington,  New  Jersey,  to  prepare  for 
college,  and  after  studying  there  only  one  year,  he  entered 
Dickinson  College,  in  1814,  at  the  age  of  fifteen.  Most  of  the 
students,  like  himself,  were  fond  of  college  scrapes  of  every 
kind.  These  disorders  soon  brought  them  into  collision  with 
the  president  and  professors,  and  resulted  in  the  dismission  of 
them  all,  and  the  closing  of  the  doors  of  the  college  in  1815.  The 
spoilt  child  had  often  thought  it  would  be  a fine  thing  to  be  a 
merchant.  Finding  himself,  therefore,  without  an  occupation,  he 
entered  a counting-house  and  commenced  book-keei^ing.  He 
now  began  to  be  tormented  with  the  fear  of  death,  and  being 
confined  to  his  room  for  three  weeks,  he  betook  himself  to 
the  reading  of  the  Bible,  and  read  it  more  attentively  than  he 
had  ever  done  before.  He  grew  more  and  more  anxious  about 
the  safety  of  his  soul,  until  he  was  converted.  He  became  a mem- 
ber of  the  Sansom  Street  Church  in  181G,  and  two  years  later  was 
licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel.  He  entered  Princeton  Seminary 
and  continued  his  theological  studies  for  two  years.  He  Avas 
ordained  in  April,  1820,  at  tlie  age  of  twenty-one,  and  in  May 
became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Hudson,  New  York. 
About  the  same  time  he  married  Miss  Lydia  Sheilds,  a young 
lady  of  sincere  piety,  brilliant  talents  and  wealthy  connections. 
He  remained  pastor  in  Hudson  until  1820,  when  he  resigned, 

remarking  to  a friend  that  he  was  tired  of  carrying  Deacon 

on  his  shoulders.  He  is  supposed  to  have  been  among  the  first 
in  America  to  establish  a Sunday-school.  He  now  became  gen- 
eral agent  of  the  American  Sunday-school  Union.  He  served 
that  society  only  a year,  and  in  1827  he  became  pastor  of 
Federal  Street  Church  in  Boston.  His  fluency  and  wit,  as  Avell 
as  his  youth  and  gentlemanly  manners,  made  him  very  popular 


458 


THE  Sl’ORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


as  a })r(‘.aclier  and  le(;tur(‘r.  iKaKn-olciii  and  piddic- 

S])iritod,  li(‘.  became  a,  m(‘mb(*r  of  many  socjeti(“.s  and  boards, 
and  took  an  active  ])ai  t in  almost  all  the  iKmefbumt  operations 
of  that  i)eriod.  At  this  time  be  wrote  bis  Ib'bbi  Dictionary,” 
wbicb  bad  n very  large  sale,  Itci  also  c.omjmsed  a,  little  volume 
on,  Tbe  Cbristain  Ibile  of  l\rari  iag(‘.”  In  tin's  woik  be  main- 
tains tbat  n cbnr(4i  - m(‘mb(*r  sbonld  marry  none  l)nt  a jiions 
l>erson.  llis  convictions  on  tbis  snbj(*ct,  as  tb<‘.  wribn*  knows, 
were  once  ])nt  to  a i)retty  seven*  t(‘st.  AVbile  be  was  ])r(‘sident 
of  (Teorgetown  College,  Kentucky,  a student  of  ai'dcnt  ])iety  and 
excellent  gifts,  as  well  as  an  Adonis  in  i)erson  and  tbe  beir  of  a 
large  fortnne,  (be  was  a friend  of  tbe  present  writer),  cann*.  to 
bim  one  day  to  ask  bim  to  give  to  biin,  in  marriage*,  one  of  bis 
dangbters,  wbom  be  was  courting.  Tbe  President  replied,  ‘‘I 
bave  no  objection  wbatever  to  yon,  my  dear  brother.  ]>nt  1 must, 
I am  sorry  to  say,  witbbold  my  consent  for  tbis  simple  reason: 
^ly  dangbter  is  not  inons;  sbe  bas  ncA^er  given  any  evidence  of 
being  anew  creature.”  Tbe  courtsbip  Avas  not  continued. 

During  bis  residence  in  Boston  Dr.  ]\Ialcom  Avrote  introduc- 
tions to  a number  of  Amlumes  of  i)ractical  piety.  In  1831  be  and 
]\Irs.  31alconi  Ausited  Europe.  In  1833  be  was  called  to  mourn 
tbe  deatb  of  bis  Avife.  Sbe  Avas  a lady  of  many  excellencies, 
and  A^ery  useful  in  tbe  cburcbes  and  among  tbe  Baptist  sister- 
hood of  Boston.  llis  estimate  of  her  cbaracter  was  published  in 
an  attractiA^e  little  memoir.  Eesigning  bis  iiastorate  in  1835,  be 
Avas,  as  already  mentioned,  sent  out  to  India  by  the  Triennial 
Convention,  to  Ausit  tbe  mission  stations  in  that  country.  ITis 
‘^TraA^els  in  Soutb-Eastern  Asia”  Avere  i^ublislied  both  here  and 
in  Ibigland.  In  1838  lie  married  Mrs.  Anne  B.  Dyer,  of  Boston, 
and  in  1840  be  accepted  tbe  presidency  of  GeorgetoAAm  College, 
Ky.  AVbile  President  of  tbis  College,  be  Avas  once  traA^elling 
tbroiigb  Kentucky  in  a buggy.  St()])ping  at  a taA'crn  for  the 
night,  bis  Amliiable  horse  Avas  turned  into  a pasture  Avbere,  in 


ANECDOTES  OF  DR.  MALCOM. 


459 


jumi)ing  a fence^  it  killed  itself.  Kext  morning  the  hostler,  on 
discovering  the  accident,  ran  to  the  tavern  to  inform  the  Presi- 
dent of  his  loss.  To  the  man’s  astonishment  he  received  the  sad 
tidings  without  the  ripple  of  an  emotion,  A^ery  coolly  remarking: 
^^All  right;  the  horse  was  not  mine.  It  belonged  to  the  Lord, 
and  if  He  was  pleased  to  let  it  kill  itself  it  is  none  of  my  busi- 
ness.” 

Ever  since  he  resided  in  Boston  he  had  been  affected 
with  feebleness  of  A'oice,  but  in  1849  he  was  so  far  cured  as  to 
think  of  returning  to  stated  preaching.  He  therefore  resigned 
his  i)residency,  and  accei)ted  a call  from  the  Sansom  Street 
Church,  Philadelphia.  During  his  Ausits  among  the  older  mem- 
bers of  this  church  he  was  occasionally  teased  by  laudations  of 
the  former  pastor,  the  great  Dr.  Staughton.  One  of  the  mothers 
in  Israel  could  talk  of  little  else  but  the  sermons  of  Dr.  Staugh- 
ton. Did  Dr.  Malcom  lu’each,  his  sermon  reminded  her  of  a ser- 
mon on  the  same  text;  a sermon  she  could  never  forget — by  her 
lamented  friend.  Dr.  Staughton.  At  last  the  good  old  lady  died, 
and  funeral  services  Avere  held  at  her  late  residence.  Dr.  Mal- 
com, as  was  customary,  made  a short  address.  Among  other 
things,  he  said  : Her  surviving  friends  may  derive  some  com- 

fort from  the  reflection  that  our  good  mother  in  Israel  has  gone 
to  join  in  Heaven  so  many  of  her  friends  who  went  before  her. 
She  is  now  haj^py  in  their  company.  Especially  is  she  happy  to 
meet  again  her  particular  friend  and  former  pastor.  Dr.  Staugh- 
ton. Whenever  I called  to  see  her  she  could  talk  of  nobody  else, 
and  for  one  I am  glad  that  she  has  gone  to  dAvell  with  him  for- 
ever.” This  was  said  A\dth  such  coolness  and  serenity  as  to  cause 
no  sensation. 

In  1857  he  became  president  of  the  Lewisburg  University, 
Pennsylvania.  For  many  years  he  had  been  accumulating 
matter  for  his  Theological  Inclex^  containing  lists  of  authors  and 
books  in  all  departments  of  religious  literature.  He  now  occu- 
32 


400 


TJIE  STOllY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


pied  liis  leisure  in  contiiiuiiig  this  work,  and,  witli  tlie  assistance 
of  Professor  (I.  K.  Pliss,  he  finished  and  i)ul)lislied  it  in  tlie  y(;ar 
1800.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  American  Jhpdist  Historical 
Society,  and  it  oAves  its  valuable  library  almost  excJusiv<‘ly  to  his 
gifts  and  exertions.  He  Avas  also  one  of  the  found(*rs  of  tbe 
American  Traid  Sociidy.  He  Avas  for  many  years  president  of 
the  Peace  Society,  and  of  the  Colonization  Society  of  Penn- 
sylA^ania.  In  1878  he  Avas  bereaved  of  his  Avife.  AfterAvards  his 
strength  gradually  failed,  and  he  dei)arted  this  life  in  March, 
1870,  at  the  age  of  eighty. 

He  Avas  remarkable  for  sincerity,  courage  and  independence. 
He  was  not  the  man  to  belong  to  a fing  or  mutual-admiration 
society.  He  Avms  frank  and  fearless,  yet  gentle  in  speech.  Good 
sense  and  a conciliatory  s])irit  characterized  his  deliberative 
addresses.  Born  to  AA^ealth,  he  Avas  neither  a prodigal  nor  a 
miser.  He  had  a business  capacity  of  the  first  rate,  but  did  not 
alloAv  its  exercise  to  allure  him  from  higher  fields  of  activity.  It 
is  a curious  fact  that  amidst  his  A^arious  and  manifold  avocations 
as  pastor,  adviser,  educator  and  man  of  letters,  he  never  made 
a losing  iiiAV^stment.  HaAung  no  time  to  squander  in  specula- 
tions, he  laid  out  his  money  in  such  securities  as  AAmuld  yield 
small  but  certain  returns.  He  kncAV  that  large  interest  means  a 
large  peril  to  the  principal;  and,  as  he  considered  himself  a stew- 
ard of  the  Lord,  so  the  Lord  helped  him  tb  save  as  well  as  to 
disburse  the  funds  committed  to  his  charge. 

In  his  old  age  he^was  cheerful.  He  did  not  regard  the  near 
ai)proach  of  death  as  a great  rock  such  as  was  forever  hanging 
over  the  head  of  Tantalus,  but  as  the  rolling  away  of  the  stone 
from  the  door  of  his  sepulchre,  and  his  admission  to  a risen  and 
glorified  life. 


CHAPTER  XL. 


JONES  AND  DEAN  OF  SIAM. 


I. — Rev.  Dr  Joliii  Taylor  Jones. — Perils  among  Malayan  Pirates. — First 
Labors  iiiBurniah. — Learns  the  Siamese. — Account  of  his  Early  Years. — 
The  Peculiarities  of  his  Piety. — Translated  the  Bible  into  Siamese. — His 
Services  as  Translator  to  the  King. — A Katural  Linguist. — His  Personal 
Appearance  and  Habits.  — A Model  Missionary.  — His  Death. —What 

Strikes  Pagans  with  Astonishment. II. — Rev.  Dr.  William  Dean. — 

Childhood  and  Parentage. — Embarkation  for  the  East. — The  Sojourn  at 
Singapore. — The  Attack  of  the  Malayan  Pirates. — Early  Death  of  his 
first  Wife. — Memoir  of  Mrs.  Theodosia  Dean. — Mrs.  Maria  Dean. — Pastor 
of  First  Baptist  Church  in  Siam. — Five  other  Churches  Organized.— Has 
baptized  five  hundred  Chinese. — Organized  the  First  Church  in  Hong- 
kong.— The  Church  at  Swatovv.. — Translation  of  the  Scriptures  and  other 

Books. — Visit  to  the  United  States. III. — Mrs.  Maria  Maine  Dean. — 

A Native  of  Chenango  County,  N.  Y. — Marries  the  Young  Missionary 
Slafter. — Left  a Widow. — Marries  Captain  Brown. — Return  to  America. 
— Marries  Dr.  Dean. — Her  Work  among  the  Simese. — Dies  in  Boston 
while  visiting  America  in  1883. — A Tribute  to  her  Character. 


1. 


ACQUAINTANCE  with  Mv.  Jones,”  says  Eev.  Dr. 
Dean,  “ eonimenced  at  Singapore  in  1835.  There  I 


encountered  Avith  him  an  attaek  from  Alalayan  pirates,  by  Avhom 


he  was  throAvn  into  tlie  sea;  and  there,  as  the  mark  of  the 
deadly  piratical  sf^ears,  and  in  the  last  stage  of  exhaustion,  I 
succeeded  in  drawing  him  into  our  boat,  and  by  means  little  less 
than  miraculons  Ave  Avere  delivered  from  the  murderous  attack.” 

Mr.  Jones  had  come  out  to  Maulmain  in  1831,  to  labor  among 
the  Burmans.  AVhile  there,  however,  he  heard  of  an  interior 
tribe  called  the  Talaings.  The  brethren  of  the  mission  reported 
that  in  their  inland  excursions  they  often  i^assed  through  aJI- 
lages  in  which  nothing  but  the  Talaing  dialect  was  spoken  or 
understood,  and  it  was  conjectured  that  the  Talaings  might  be 
as  numerous  as  the  Burmans.  Mr.  Jones,  therefore,  began  to 


462 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


divide  Ids  studies  between  the  Barman  and  tliis  jiew  dialect. 
As  yet  tlmre  Avas  neither  dictionary  nor  ^raminar  in  tlie  Talaing. 
As  great  nnndiers  in  Siam  w(‘re  accessible  tlirongh  tliis  dialect, 
he  Avas  sent  to  Bangkok,  tlie  eai)ital  of  tliat  kingdom.  As  early 
as  ^fay,  1834,  31r.  4ones  liad  made  sn(;h  progn^ss  in  tlie  Siamese 
langnage  that  he  Avas  able  to  issue  a tract  in  it  j and  by  the  close 
of  the  year  he  had  completed  tAVO  more  tracts,  besides  a trans- 
lation of  the  Gospel  of  jVlattheAV. 

It  Avas  AAdiile  on  a visit  to  Singapore  that  he  met  Mr.  Dean, 
Avho  had  come  out  to  Bangkok  to  labor  in  the  Chinese 
department  of  the  Siam  jMission.  After  recoAxaliig  from  their 
Avonnds  (for  Mr.  Dean  Avas  also  strnck  Avith  iiiratical  spears), 
they  Axyaged  together  in  an  Arab  ship  to  Bangkok,  and  there 
for  tiAX  years  they  Avere  associated  in  missionary  Avork. 

John  Taylor  Jones  Avas  born  at  Ipswich,  Xcav  Ilamp- 

sbire,  Jnly  Kith,  1802.  lie  aatis  of  a Congregational  family, 
gradnated  at  Amherst  College,  and  Avhile  studying  theology  at 
AndoAxr  became  a Baiitist  and  Avas  baptizecL  by  IieA\  Dr.  Mal- 
com,  then  pastor  of  the  Bederal  Street  church,  Boston.  He 
completed  his  theological  course  at  Xewton.  Onr  great  hymn- 
Avriter,  the  KeA^  Dr.  S.  F.  Smith,  a fellow-student  of  his  at 
AiidoAxr,  says  that  ^Gyithhirn  religion  Avas  not  so  much  a feeling 
as  a principle  5 not  so  much  an  occasional  impulse,  as  an  e\xr- 
acting  and  an  eipiably-actiug  force.  He  rejoiced  in  the  sun- 
shine of  prosperity  j but  he  toiled  on  with  steady  zeal  under  the 
deepest  shade.” 

In  1834  ]\fr.  Jones  commenced  the  great  Avork  of  his  life — the 
translation  of  the  is'ew  Testament  into  the  Siamese.  This  work 
he  completed  in  1843.  While  residing  at  Bangkok  he  acquired 
great  influence  Acith  the  inhabitants,  and  the  King,  as  well  as  the 
magistrates,  (mnsulted  him  in  cases  of  difficulty.  His  serAuces 
as  interpreter  Avere  of  great  value  not  oidy  to  the  King  of  Siam, 
but  also  to  the  English  and  American  ambassadors.  His 


THE  WOHK  OF  DR.  JONES  IN  SIAM.^  4G3 

translations  were  eomiilimented  by  tlie  King  as  sliowing  more 
Iviiowledge  of  tlie  minute  forms  of  the  language  than  even 
educated  natives  ordinarily  possessed.  He  is  said  to  have  been 
more  eloquent  in  Siamese  than  in  English.  He  was  born 
with  the  gift  of  easily  acquiring  a language^  and  was  a great 
authority  among  his  fellow  missionaries  concerning  the  nice 
shades  of  meaning  in  different  words  in  the  sacred  or  in  the 
pagan  tongues.  In  1851  he  sickened  of  the  common  disease  of 


View  of  Bangkok. 


the  climate.  His  death  was  very  edifying.  Three  Siamese 
school-girls  having  been  brouglit  to  his  bedside,  he  said  to  them  : 

You  have  often  heard  me  tell  you  that  the  affairs  of  tiiis  world 
are  of  short  duration.’’  Many  came  to  Ids  funeral  to  testify  their 
respect  for  his  character  and  services,  and  the  King  of  Siam  sent 
a present,  with  the  request  that  it  might  be  deqiosited  in  the 
coffin. 

He  was  thrice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Eliza  Grew,  of 


THE  STORY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


4(>i 

Hartford,  Coiiiieoticiitj  Ids  se(;oiid,  Jiiditli  Lc^avitt,  of  iMcroditli 
\dllago,  Ke^y  naiii])sliir(5j  Lis  tliird,  Sarali  Sl(‘(‘j)(*r,  ii  t(*a(di(‘r  in 
Kow  ITaiaptoii  Institution.  8Lc  survives  Liin,  and  lias  since 
become  tlie  Avife  of  tlie  Itev.  S.  J.  Sinitli,  wlio  Avas  born  of  a 
Hindu  motlier,  aud  familiarly  known  Avldle  a student  at  Ham- 
ilton as  ‘Hlindu  Sinitli.” 

In  manners  Itev.  Dr.  Jones  Avas  modest  and  unassumiiijL,^, 
prudent  and  ratlier  reticent  in  speecL,  and  cautious  in  the 
choice  of  friends  and  ac(juaintances.  He  Avas  of  nu'dium  statur(‘, 
sh  nder,  and  a little  bent  from  lon^  and  continiu'd  study.  His 
eyes.AA'ere  blue,  and  deeji-set  beneath  overhan‘;in;:»*  broAvs. 
His  hair  Avas  of  a light  color,  and  his  nose  large.  His  face 
Avas  oAml  and  marked  with  the  small-jiox,  from  Avhich  he  had  suf- 
fered in  Siam.  He  occasionally  smoketl  a cigar,  probably  as  a 
medicine  and  not  as  a luxury. 

IteA^  Dr.  Dean,  aaIio  knew  him  intimately,  says:  Thorough^ 
Avas  his  motto.  His  mind,  mor(‘.  than  that  of  any  man  I eA^er 
knew,  Avas  accurate.  I liaA^e  met  men  on  the  missionary  field 
who  discoA^ered  some  stronger  points  of  character,  and  in  some 
particular  qualifications  a greater  fitness  for  missionary  useful- 
ness; but,  tnking  him  altogether,  I liaA^e  ileA^er  seen  his  equal, 
and  among  more  than  a hundred  men  I liaA^e  met  among  the 
heathen,  I would  select  Dr.  Jones  as  the  Model  ]\rissionary.” 

AVe  ought  to  add  one  anecdote  AAfiiich  my  intimate  friend,  Tiev. 
Dr.'  DoAvling,  used  to  tell.  During  IleA^  Dr.  Jones  last  Ausit 
to  I^ew  York,  There  is  one  thing.  Brother  Dowling,’’  said  he, 

AYhich  distinguishes  Christianity  from  every  fidse  religion.  It 
is  the  only  religion  that  can  take  aivay  the  fear  of  death.  I neA^er 
kneAv,”  said  he,  a dying  heathen  in  Siam,  or  anywhere  else, 
that  Avas  not  afraid,  terribly  afraid,  of  death.  And  there  aatis 
nothing,”  he  added,  ^Hhat  struck  the  Siamese  people  with 
greater  astonishment  than  a remark  that  my  dear  departed  AAufe 
made,  in  Siamese,  to  Inn*  natiAX  nurse,  shortly  before  her  death: 


405 


SKETCH  OF  REV.  WILLIAM!  DEAN,  D.  D. 

^lam  not  afraid  to  die.^  For  weeks  after  her  death,  the  Siam- 
ese people  would  come  to  me,  as  though  incredulous  that  such 
a thing  could  he,  and  ask,  ‘ Teacher,  is  it  really  true  that  a 
person  has  died  and  was  not  afraid  to  die?  Can  it  be  possi- 
ble?^ And  when  assured  that  it  was  even  so,  they  would  say, 
^Wonderful,  wonderful,  that  a person  should  die  and  not  be 
afraid.^” 

In  the  life  of  Babagee,  ^^the  Christian  Brahmin,”  as  we 
remember,  we  are  told  that  his  Hindu  wife,  who  had  long 
resisted  persuasion,  was  led  to  Christ  in  consequence  of  having 
witnessed  the  happy  death  of  the  Bev.  Mr.  Hervey,  the  associate 
of  the  Bev.  Hollis  Bead,  of  the  Deccan  Mission. 

IT. 

Willian  Dean  was  born  at  Morrisville,  Y.,  June  21,  1807. 
He  was  the  eldest  of  eight  children  of  Joshua  and  Mary  Dean, 
and  now  ( 1884  ) with  one  exception  is  the  only  surviving  member 
of  the  family.  His  father  was  a farmer,  one  of  the  first  settlers  in 
western  IT.  Y.,  and  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-five,  a deacon  of  the 
Baptist  Church  5 and  the  grandfather  lived  to  the  age  of  ninety 
years.  William  labored  on  his  father’s  farm  till  he  was  sixteen 
years  old,  when  his  mother  died.  The  loss  of  her  maternal  com- 
panionship, and  her  last  loving  words,  were  the  means  of  his 
conversion.  Soon  after,  he  commenced  a course  of  study  at  the 
academy,  and  graduated  at  Hamilton  Theological  Seminary  i'l 
1833;  and  the  following  year  was  designated,  in  behalf  of  Ameri- 
can Baptists,  to  commence  a mission  among  the^Chinese.  Before 
first  leaving  America  he  baptized,  in  his  native  town,  several 
cousins  and  other  jmung  friends  and  former  pupils,  among 
whom  was  Emily  Chubbuck,  who  became  Mrs.  Emily  Judson. 
As  China  was  then  a sealed  country,  he  was  instructed  to  begin 
his  labors  among  the  Chinese  at  Bangkok,  Siam.  He  sailed 
from  Boston  in  the  ship  Cashmere,”  July  3d,  1834,  in  company 


4G0 


THE  STonv  01-’  haptist  ::\nssT()^H. 


witli  <i  party  of  missionaries,  amoii^^  wliom  werci  Messrs.  Wade, 
Howard,  Vinton,  Os^^ood,  Coinstoek  and  tlnar  wives,  destind  to 
Bnrniali,  and  Dr.  and  Mrs.  J>radl(y,  of  tli(‘,  AnH'rie.an  lioard,  for 
Siam.  At  jManlmain,  ]\Irs.  Sarah  lioardman  diidson  sent  ]i(;r 


Rev.  William  Dean,  D.  D. 


son,  George  Dana  Boardman,  tlieii  six  years  old,  by  the  Cash- 
mere’’  on  lier  return  i)assage  to  America,  and  from  Maulmain  to 
Singapore  tlie  little  boy,  now  Dr.  Boardman  of  Philadelphia, 
was  committed  to  the  care  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dean.  During  the 


SKETCH  OF  REV.  WILLIAM  DEAN,  D.  D. 


407 


detention,  for  some  weeks,  of  tlie  ship  at  Singapore,  little  George 
lived  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dean  at  the  mission-house,  and  when 
the  Cashmere’^  was  about  to  sail  for  the  United  States,  Mr. 
Dean  and  John  Taylor  Jones  took  little  George  in  a small 
Chinese  boat  to  embark  him  on  board  the  ship,  which  was  aiiehor- 
ed  several  miles  from  the  town.  While  on  the  way  to  the  ship  they 
were  attacked  by  Malayan  jurates,  who  threw  Mr.  Jones  into  the 
sea,  and  sent  a number  of  fishing  s^iears  into  the  body  of  Mr. 
Dean  and  the  boatmen,  while  little  George,  under  the  seat  of 
the  boat,  remained  nntonched.  Finally  the  pirates,  on  receiving 
a box  of  letters  and  journals,  which  they  vainly  supposed  con- 
tained money,  suspended  hostilities  till  Mr.  Jones  regained  the 
boat.  The  i)arty  were  soon  picked  up  by  a large  fishing  boat  of 
twenty  men,  and  taken  into  Singapore.  The  following  day 
George  was  taken  by  the  police  force  and  safely  embarked  on 
board  the  “Cashmere.” 

Mr.  Dean’s  first  wife,  Matilda  Coman,  was  an  early  school- 
mate and  then  a pu[)il.  She  survived  the  long  voyage  of  lofi 
days  before  the  first  landing  at  Maiilmain,  and  thence  twenty 
days  to  Singapore;  lived  to  look  upon  the  heathen  and  com- 
mence the  study  of  the  language  in  which  to  teach  them  the 
lessons  of  Christianity,  when  she  laid  her  youthful  form  of 
beauty  in  the  grave,  leaving  a daughter  to  bear  her  name  and 

s 

afterward  become  the  adopted  daughter  of  Baron  Stow,  of 
Boston. 

Mr.  Dean’s  second  wife  was  Theodosia,  daughter  of  Edmond 
Henry  Barker,  of  Thetford,  England ; author  of  several  classical 
books,  such  as  a Greek  Thesaurus,  etc.  Theodosia  inherited 
her  father’s  scholarly  taste,  and  soon  acquired  a practical  knowl- 
edge of  the  spoken  and  written  Chinese  language.  She  was 
married  to  Mr.  Dean  in  China  in  1838,  and  in  the  same  country, 
after  five  years,  ended  a career  of  much  usefulness  and  bright 
promise  by  that  fell  destroyer,  the  small-pox,  after  being  thrice 


4G8 


Tin:  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


vaccinated  and  often  ex])Osed  to  tlie  disease*..  An  int(‘restinf; 
Memoir  of  Theodosia  was  jirepared  by  tin*.  i)en  of  Dr.  Pliare.elliis 
Cl  lurch. 

The  recent  wife  of  Dr.  J)ean,  ]Marja  JMaine,  was  born  in 
Norwich,  N.  Y.,  and  first  went  to  Siam  in  1838,  as  the  wifeof  Itev. 
Coraden  ID  Shifter.  After  the  death  of  iMr.  Shifter,  sin*  became 
the  wife  of  Daniel  Brown,  Es(].,  Avho  died  at  Bangkok  in  1850, 
and  she  was  married  to  Dr.  Dean  in  1854. 

Mrs.  Dean  lirst  went  to  Siam  as  a missionary’s  wife  forty-five- 
years  ago;  since  which  time,  with  some  interruptions,  she  has 
labored  Avith  great  tidelity  and  efficien(*y  for  the  mental  training 
and  Christian  instruction  of  the  2)eople  of  Siam.  Having  the 
use  of  the  collo(]nial  and  written  language,  both  of  tliii  Chin(‘se 
and  Siamese,  she  had  a ready  access  to,  and  a guiding  intlnence 
over  the  women  and  children  of  the  country,  and  rendered  im- 
])ortant  help  to  her  husband  in  his  general  missionary  work. 

At  the  organization  of  the  first  Brotestant  church  in  Siam, 
1837,  Dr.  Dean  became  its  pastor,  and  has  since  organized  live 
other  Chinese  churches  in  the  country,  and  bajitized  about  500 
Chinese  disciples.  The  descendants  of  Chcli  ete.^  one  of  the  con- 
stituent members  of  the  first  church,  have  been  office-bearers  of 
that  church  for  three  generations,  one  now  serving  as  deacon 
and  another  as  treasurer. 

In  addition  to  the  six  churches  in  Siam,  Dr.  Dean  in  1843 
planted  the  first  Chinese  church  in  Hong  Kong,  with  Dvo 
Chinese  members  from  the  Bangkok  church  and  the  first  two 
Chinese  disciiiles  baidized  at  Hong  Kong.  Mr.  Shuck  had 
before  organized  a church  there,  composed  of  Europeans,  in 
which  there  were  no  Chinese  members  till  after  the  organization 
of  the  Chinese  church  by  Dr.  Dean.  From  that  church  went  a 
native  preacher  with  Dr.  Magowan  to  open  our  mission  at 
Ningpo,  and  two  other  Chinese  from  the  Hong  Kong  church, 
(diek  Sun  and  Click  Ee,  first  preached  the  Cosjiel  to  their 
connfrynien  at  Swatow,  under  stripes  and  imprisonment.  After- 


DR.  dean’s  gifts  TO  SIAMESE  LITERATURE. 


409 


wards  our  mission  at  lloiig  Kong  was  removed  to  Swatow, 
uuder  the  guidance  of  Mr.  Jolinsoii  and  ])r.  Ashmore,  wliere  it 
has  now  become  one  of  tlie  most  ])romising  missions  in  Cliina; 
still  under  the  leadership  of  Dr.  Ashmore  and  his  etiicieiit  col- 
leagues. One  of  the  first  two  Chinese  baptized  at  Hong  Kong, 
Ko  A Bale,  went  with  Dr.  Dean  to  the  United  States  in  1844,  and 
the  other,  A.  Tui,  after  seeing  his  wife  and  sbme  of  his  children 
in  the  church,  died  in  1882  at  Hong  Kong,  aged  sevent3^-four,  as 
an  ordained  preacher  of  the  Gospel. 

Dr.  Dean  has  i)ublished  the  Pentateuch  in  Chinese,  Notes  on 
Genesis,  Exodus,  Matthew  and  Mark,  a translation  of  Daily 
Manna,  by  Baron  Stow,  a Scripture  Manual,  a Il^uun  Book,  some 
Chinese  tracts,  and  a revised  edition  of  the  New  Testament  in 
Chinese;  also  a small  Avork  in  Chinese  and  English,  called  “First 
Lessons,”  and  a small  volume  in  English,  ‘‘The  China  Mission.” 
Since  going  first  to  the  Chinese  in  1834,  Dr.  Dean  has  visited 
America  three  times,  in  1844, 1854  and  1870,  and  spent  the  years 
from  1854  to  1804  in  the  United  States,  recovering  health  and 
occasional!}"  attending  public  meetings  and  giving  addresses  on 
Missions.  During  those  ten  3"ears  he  remitted  his  salary,  but 
never  lessened  his  interest  and  efforts  in  his  life-Avork  so  far  as 
he  Avas  able.  Noav,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven,  he  is  holding  on 
his  AA'ay  with  rejoicing,  and  giA"ing  us  encouraging  accounts  of  the 
success  of  his  mission,  and  iiiA^itations  to  share  in  his  AA"ork, 
Avhich  for  several  years  has  been  prosecuted  alone  by  himself 
and  his  excellent  Avife.i 

HI. 

5Irs.  IMaria  jMaine  Dean  aams  born  in  Noi^wich,  New  York, 
October  3d,  1818.  She  AA"as  coiiA^erted  in  1831,  at  the  age  of 
thirteen,  and  aatis  ba|)tized  ly  Elder  Jabez  SAA"an.  She  improA"ed 
the  great  advantages  that  AA-ere  then  afforded  ly  the  Norwich 
Academ}".  At  the  age  of  twent}"  she  aams  united  in  marriage 
with  the  Bev.  C.  11.  Shifter  and  accompanied  him  as  a niission- 
ar}"  to  Bangkok.  Not  many  months  after  their  arrival  rii  Siam, 

1 In  November,  1S84,  he  again  visited  America. 


470 


THE  .STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Mr.  Shirt(‘r  fell  a victim  to  tlic  disease  ol’  tlie  eJimate*.  Left  a 
'widow  ii)  a lieatlieii  land,  mon^  than  forty  years  a^o,  at  a time 
wlieii  tlie  Hoard  of  Missions  did  not  favor  tin*  scwvic.es  and 
support  oi’  single  women  among  ])agans,  lier  only  duty,  as  il 
a])peared,  was  to  return  to  America.  Hnt  she  r(*solv(‘d  to 
remain  in  Siaiip  and  do  what  she  c.onld  for  the  salvation  of 
its  benighted  jicojife.  AVhile  thus  emj)loyed  she  marri(*d  (hipt. 
Daniel  Brown, ^ commander  and  part  owner  of  a ship  ])ly- 

ing  between  Liver- 
pool and  Bangkok; 
In  the  latter  city  sin* 
continued  to  r(*side 
until  the  death  of 
Capt.  Brown  in  1840, 
when  she  r(*tni‘n(‘d 
home  and  resided  in 
New  York  until  May, 
1850,  when  she  was 
married  to  Dr.  Dean, 
who  had  recently  re- 
turned to  America 
after  long  service  in 
Siam  and  China.  So 
imperfect  was  Dr. 
Dean’s  health  that 
he  had  little  hope  of  resuming  his  labors  in  Asia.  But  after  a 
residence  in  his  native  land  for  ten  years,  his  health  was  so  far 
restored  that  he  was  able  to  return  to  Bangkok,  where  he  con- 
tinued until  the  present  year  (1884). 

Mrs.  Dean  made  a short  Ausit  to  this  country  in  1870.  She 
again  visited  America  in  1882,  in  the  hojie  of  regaining  her 
health,  and  of  finding  helpers  in  the  Siam  JMission;  but  while 
])re])aring  to  return  to  Asia,  she  was  stricken  with  fatal  dis- 
ease*, and  after  a few  days  of  suffering,  ])eacpfnlly  fell  asleej), 


Mis.  Maria  Maine  Dean, 


MRS.  MARIA  MAINE  DEAN. 


471 


at  the  home  of  her  son  in  Boston^  on  the  IGth  of  January,  1883. 

]\Irs.  Beau  gave  very  efficient  aid  to  her  husband  in  various 
departments  of  mission  work,  notably  in  the  superintendence 
of  schools  and  in  teaching  among  the  women.  She  Avas  a lady 
of  personal  as  well  as  intellectual  and  moral  beauty.  A friend 
of  the  family  makes  this  tribute  to  her  memory:  ^^No  ordinary 
words  can  do  justice  to  her  character  and  her*  work.  Few  per- 
sons whom  I have  met  imi)ressed  me  as  she  did.  Such  womanly 
grace,  such  refinement,  such  culture,  such  dignity,  such  force, 
such  sweetness,  such  spiritual  eleA-ation,  combined  in  her  char- 
acter, that  she  seemed  almost  to  realize  the  ideal  of  womanhood. 
The  great  work  to  which  she  had  consecrated  her  life  gave  such 
a lofty  tone  to  her  thought  and  conversation  as  lifted  her  quite 
above  ordinary  women.  * * * What  unending  infiuences  she 

has  set  in  motion!  Ilow  many  of  her  own  sex  will  be  inspired 
by  her  example  to  follow  in  her  stei)s!  And  so  she  will  prolong 
her  loved  work  through  the  coming  years.” 

Mrs.  Bean  is  another  proof  of  what  revivals  have  done  for 
our  foreign  missions.  Elder  Swan  labored  as  an  evangelist  at 
many  places  in  the  Chenango  Valley,  and  Mrs.  Bean  was  among 
the  multitude  he  gathered  into  the  fold  of  Christ.  Her  father 
the  present  writer  knew  very  well:  he  did  excellent  service  as 
deacon  in  the  church  at  Oxford  while  Elder  Swan  was  its  suc- 
cessful and  honored  pastor.  Beacon  Maine  was  a man  of  strong- 
faith,  fervent  zeal  and  of  i)rayerfulness.  He  did  not  fear  the 
ax)proach  of  the  showers  of  grace,  and  was  never  more  happy 
than  while  the  rain  was  liilling,  even  when  it  was  mixed  with 
thunder  and  lightning  and  hail. 

And  with  all  her  gentleness  Mrs.  Beau  blended  great  perse- 
verance. “How  long  do  you  propose  to  stay  among  us?”  a 
native  demanded  of  a missionary  Avho  had  Just  arrived,  “ Until 
the  Bay  of  Judgment,”  was  his  resolute  reply.  Mrs.  Bean  was 
of  the  same  si)irit,  and  would  have  gladly  been  buried  beneath 
the  clods  of  Siam. 


1 


THt  WHITE  ELEPHANT  OF  SIAM. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 


MISSIONS  IN  SIAJI  AND  SHANDAND. 

The  first  Work  among  the  Chinese. — The  Chinese  Department  of  tlie  Siam 
Mission. — Messrs.  Jones,  Dean  and  Shuck. — Mr.  Shuck  goes  to  Canton. 
— Present  State  of  the  Mission. — Tlie  White  Elephant  of  Burmah  and 
Siam. — The  Situation  and  Eeligion  of  the  Shans. — Their  Language. — 
First  Mission  in  Shanland. — Mr.  Bixby’s  Labors  among  the  Shans. — The 
First  Shan  Convert. — Messrs.  Cushing  and  Rose. — The  Present  Relations 
of  the  Slians  to  the  Burman  Missions. — Report  for  1884. — An  Attack  on 
Bhanio  by  Ka-Khyens. 

Tj^riE  FIRST  iiiissioiiary  work  done  by  Baptists  among  the 
Cliinese  was  in  Siam,  a kingdom  soutb.  of  Burmah,  the 
capital  of  which  is  Bangkok.  The  Chinese  department  of  the 
Siamese  Mission  commenced  in  a very  uiiostentations  way.  Mr. 
Jones  who,  as  a missionary,  was  giving  himself  to  those  who 
spoke  the  Siamese,  opened  his  house  for  a little  meeting  of 
Chinese.  They  were  led  in  worship  by  a Chinese  convert.  They- 
were  only  about  a dozen  in  all,  but  by  distributing  Chinese 
Bibles  and  tracts  they  became  influential  among  their  sojourn- 
ing countrymen.  In  1834  Rev.  William  Dean  and  wife  arrived 
and  took  charge  of  this  little  company.  They  spoke  the  Tie 
Chin  dialect,  which  Mr.  Dean  was  the  first  foreigner  who  ever 
studied.  When  he  first  preached  to  the  Chinese,  his  audience 
numbered  thirty-four  j in  two  months  it  increased  to  fifty.  He 
baptized  three  converts  in  1835.  Rev.  Jehu  L.  Shuck  and  Rev. 
Alauson  Reed  re-inforced  the  mission  in  183G.  The  latter  died 
the  year  following,  while  Mr.  Shuck  was  transferred  to  Macao. 
In  1843  Messrs.  Dean  and  Shuck  removed  to  Hong  Kong  for 
better  protection,  the  island  having  now  come  into  the  possession 
of  the  British.  Here  Mr.  Shuck  became  one  of  the  editors  of 
the  Friend  of  China^  built  two  chapels,  opened  a school,  and 


472 


THE  STOUY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


])reache(l  OH  Sundays  in  Cliiiieso  and  Kn^disli.  In  isil  liis  con- 
gregation wasl)l(‘ssed  with  a eoni[)arativcly  gr(‘at  ingatlicring,  in 
whi(di  he  baptized  ninetecMi.  Tlie  sanH‘.  yvnv  was  sign(‘d  a treaty 
of  eoniineree  lietween  tlie  United  States  and  ('liina,  i)roviding 
tor  the  erection  ot  chapels  and  liospitals  at  the  live  op(‘n  ports: 


Portal  to  Royal  Audience  Hall,  Bangkok. 


Cantoiij  Amoy,  Foo  Chow,  Uingpo  and  Shanghai.  The  same 
year  died  ]Mrs.  Shuck,  a lady  of  great  beauty  of  character.  Her 
biogra])hy,  l)y  the  liev.  Dr.  Jeter,  has  received  higli  commenda- 
tion. While  Mr.  Shuck  was  preaching  at  Macao,  in  1844,  a place 
iiiid(?r  Portuguese^  Jurisdiction,  he  baptized  yong-Seen-Sang,  his 


THE  WHITE  ELEPHANT  OF  SIAM. 


473 


teacher,  who  afterwards  became  a i)reacher,  and  accompanied 
Mr.  Shuck  to  the  United  States  in  1845  and  184G.  He  was 
present  at  the  first  anniversary  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention, which  met  in  184G  at  Bichmond,  Virginia,  and  made  an 
impressive  address  in  reply  to  the  welcome  of  the  president  of 
the  Convention.  Being  appointed  by  the  Southern  Board  to 
labor  in  Canton,  where  he  had  already  organized  the  Birst 
Church  of  Canton,  Mr.  Shuck  returned  home  and  set  out  on  a 
tour  through  the  South  to  canvass  in  behalf  of  the  chapel  in 
Canton.  Yong  (Seen-Sang  corresponds  to  our  Mr.)  bore  him 
company  and  did  much  to  awaken  new  interest  in  the  evangel- 
ization of  China. 

Br.  and  Mrs.  Dean  labored  for  many  years  among  the  Chinese 
of  Siam.  The  Chinese  in  Siam  are  a permanent  and  growing 
political  ijower  there,  and  the  government  may  eventually  fall 
into  their  hands.  Seventy  were  baptized  during  the  year  1881. 
There  are  at  j)resent  six  churches,  six  i)reachers,  and  about  five 
hundred  native  Baj)tists  in  Siam.  ^ 

Divine  honors  are  x)aid  to  the  white  elephant  at  the  courts  of 
Burmah  and  Siam,  by  reason  of  the  belief  that  an  animal  of  this 
descrii)tion  is  the  last  stage  of  many  millions  of  transmigrations 
through  which  a soul  x)asses  on  its  way  to  nighan. 

The  residence  of  the  white  elei)hant  is  contiguous  to  the  royal 
palace.  A lofty  curtain  of  black  velvet,  richly  embossed  with 
gold,  conceals  the  animal  from  the  common  eye.  Before  the 
curtain  the  presents  intended  to  be  ofiered  to  him,  as  if  to  an 
oriental  monarch , are  displaj^ed  on  carx)ets.  Honored  strangers 
who  are  to  be  admitted  to  his  presence  have  to  wait  a short  time, 
as  is  usual  at  the  audiences  of  oriental  x)rinces,  before  the  curtain 
is  drawn  uxi  and  the  august  beast  is  visible.  The  natives  bow 
their  heads  to  the  ground  before  him.  This  elex)hant  has  a royal 
household,  or  cabinet,  consisting  of  a chief-jninister,  a secretary 
of  State,  an  obtainer  of  intelligence,  and  other  inferior  officers, 
See  Appendix,  3.  33 


4/4 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS, 


A Siamese  Prince  Royal. 


mIk)  Jiro  Mil  ])i‘(‘S(‘iit 
to  ref*(‘ivc  IiohoicmI  vis- 
itors. 1I(*.  is  of  the 
coini)lexioii  of  sand. 

]>y  some  Kurojx'aii 
jdiysieiaiis  Ik*,  is  eoii- 
sidered  to  l)e  a di- 
seased  animal,  whose 
natural  eolor  has  l)(‘(‘n 
ehan^ed  hy  a s})eei(*s 
of  h*i)i“osy. 

The  dwellin^^-  of  the 
white  elei)hant  is  a 
lolty  hall,  riehly  gilt 
from  top  to  l)ottom, 
sni)ported  by  pillars, 
most  of  Avhieh  are 
ri(*hly  gilt.  His  two 
fore  feet  are  fastened 
l)y  a thiek  silver  chain  j 
the  covering  of  his  bed 
is  of  crimson  silk.  Ilis 
trappings  are  magnifi- 
cent— being  of  the 
richest  gold  cloth, 
thickly  studded  with 
large  diamonds  and 
other  iirecions  stones. 
The  vessels  out  of 
Avhich  he  eats  and 
drinks  are  likewise  of 
gold,  inlaid  with  nu- 
merous precious  stones. 


1 


THE  SIIANS  AND  SIIAN-LAND. 


475 


One  of  tlie  titles  of  tlie  King  of  Ilnrinali  is  ‘O^ord  of  the 
White  Elephaiitj”  and  yet  lie  pays  to  this  beast  the  same  divine 
honor  that  the  elephant’s  cabinet  do.  The  Hindu  god  of  wis- 
dom^  Gauesa,  has  an  elephant’s  head.  Mrs.  Ann  II.  Judsou 
translated  into  English  one  of  the  celebrated  Siamese  books, 
which  gives  an  account  of  the  incarnation  of  one  of  their  deities 
when  he  existed  in  the  form  of  a great  elephant. 

The  Shans  inhabit  a region  lying  north  of  Siam.  These  tribes 
roam  a vast  tract  lapping  round  Ihirmah  on  the  north  and  east, 
from  the  banks  of  the  Brahmaputra  to  the  gulf  of  Siam.  They 
also  occupy  the  border-lands  of  Bnrinah,  Siam  and  China.  They 
pay  tribute  to  the  nearest  powerful  neighbor,  but  are  submissive 
to  no  adjacent  nation,  excejit  so  far  as  interest  or  necessity  may 
require..  They  are  ruled  by  many  jietty  chiefs  called  Tsauhivas^ 
who  are  independent  of  one  another,  and  often  at  war.  They 
are  supiiosed  to  form  the  most  numerous  of  the  I ndo  Chinese 
races,  and  if  united  Avould  constitute  one  of  the  most  formidable 
nations  in  Eastern  Asia.  But  the  life  of  many  of  these  tribes  is 
wandering  and  predatory.  When  they  hrst  made  their  appear- 
ance at  our  mission  stations  in  Burmah,  it  was  as  travelling 
merchants.  They  are  Buddhists,  consequently  the  men  and 
boys,  for  the  most  part,  knoAv  how  to  read.  They  have  a litera- 
ture of  their  own,  and  they  speak  tlie  same  language,  the  Tai  or 
Siamese,  but  broken  up  into  several  dialects. 

Kot  a few  of  these  tribes  somewhat  resemble  the  Karens  in 
habits  and  modes  of  living,  and  even  in  jiersonal  apxiearance. 
But  ill  many  respects  the}-  are  dissimilar.  Out  of  eighty-eight 
common  Karen  Avoids  selected  by  Dr.  Mason  in  studying  the 
affinities  of  language,  he  found  sixteen  Avords  allied  to  the  Shan, 
eleven  to  the  Chinese,  ten  to  the  Burmese,  three  to  Tibetan, 
three  to  Bhotanese,  three  to  Simbo,  one  to  Indo-European,  and 
one  to  each  of  the  five  iiorthAvestern  tribes.  In  one  particular, 
howcA^er,  the  Shans  luiA^e  long  had  the  advantage  of  the  Karens: 


476 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


They  liave  a.  YTitten  and  they  Inive  adoj)te(l  many  of 

the  regulations  and  arts  of  civilized  life.  T]i(‘ir  civilization, 
borrowed  from  the  (Chinese,  formerly  made  them  ])redominant 
along  the  central  part  of  Farther  India,  from  the  Himalayas  to 
the  delta  of  the  Menam. 

The  attention  of  the  friends  of  missions  was  drawn  to  the 
Shaiis  as  early  as  18d4,  but  they  did  not  send  a missionary  to 
that  land  until  1853,  when  the  Itev.  .Moses  11.  Bixby  and  wile 
Aveiit  out  from  Boston,  with  a view  to  begin  to  evangelize  these 
tribes.  By  reason  of  the  failure  of  .Airs.  Bixby’s  health,  he 
returned  and  settled  as  a pastor  in  Providence,  Bhode  Island. 
But  Mr.  Bixby’s  heart  did  not  lose  its  compassion  for  the  Shans. 
lie  therefore  made  a second  attempt  to  labor  among  tlKon  in 
18G0.  On  arriving  at  Bangoon  he  learned  that,  owing  to  some 
feud,  ten  thousand  Shans  had  come  and  settled  seven  miles  from 
Toungoo,  on  lands  that  were  given  to  them  by  the  English  Com- 
missioner. Mr.  Bixby  accordingly  proceeded  to  Toungoo,  and 
commenced  work  under  very  favorable  auspic'es.  The  tirst  two 
persons  baptized,  however,  were  Barmans,  one  of  them  a man 
who  owed  his  conversion  instrumentally  to  a tract  written  by 
3Ir.  Ingalls,  of  the  Akyab  Burmese  mission.  ^ In  is'oveniber,  the 
same  month  this  Burman  was  baptized,  the  prospects  of  the 
mission  were  darkened  by  the  ravages  of  contagion j insomuch 
that  during  two  months,  a period  ending  January  7th,  1862, 
about  five  hundred  Shans  died  of  small-pox. 

The  first  Shan  convert,  the  son  of  a Tsaubwas,  or  chief,  was 
baptized  in  September,  1862.  In  the  first  week  of  the  year 
following  seven  converts  were  baptized,  five  of  whom  were 
Shans.  In  March,  1863,  the  church  numbered  thirty  members, 
partly  Shans  ami  partly  Burmans.  In  1865  the  mission  had 
branched  out  into  three  churches,  ten  chapels  and  ten  assistants. 
But  the  additions  were  now  chiefly  from  among  the  Karens. 
And  yet  Mr.  Bixby,  with  his  assistants,  had  made  occasional 


CURIOUS  FEATURES  OF  WORK  AMONG  THE  SHANS.  477 


excursions  among  the  Shans.  and  iiad  entered  their  land  to 
within  about  two  hundred  miles  of  the  western  limits  of  the 
Celestial  Empire.  In  1805,  Mr.  Bixby  made  two  visits  to  a 
wild  Karen  tribe  called  Saukoos,  among  Avhom  he  found  hun- 
dreds of  Shans,  to  whom  he  preached  the  Gospel.  In  1800, 
Sau-Quala  baptized  at  Toungoo  six  converts,  three  of  whom 
were  Shans. 

Early  in  the  same  year  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cushing  and  Miss  Gage 
re-inforced  this  mission.  After  studying  the  language  a year, 
Mr.  Cushing  accompanied  Mr.  Eose  in  a tour  into  the  heart  of 
Shanland.  In  a company  of  thirteen  baptized  on  one  occasion, 
one  was  a marauding  chief  Avhom  JMr.  Bixby  had  visited  some 
months  before.  He  dreamed  that  the  teacher  had  come,  and 
started  from  home  on  the  strength  of  the  dream,  and  travelled 
one  whole  day’s  journey  to  meet  him.  The  conversion  of  this 
chief  led  to  a treaty  of  peace  among  neighboring  tribes,  the 
effect  of  which  promised  to  open  the  way  into  Shanland. 

A marked  feature  of  missionary  operations  among  the  Shans 
of  to-day  is  this:  Several  of  our  great  Asiatic  missions  have 
what  is  called  a ^‘Shan  Department.”  This  is  the  case  at 
Kangoon,  at  Toungoo  and  at  Bhamo.  The  Shans  either  reside 
in  villages  near  these  stations,  or  visit  the  latter  for  a few  days 
or  months,  as  traders  from  Shanland.  The  converts  from  these 
tribes  do  not  easily  affiliate  with  the  Burman  and  Karen  disci- 
ples, from  whom  they  widely  differ  in  language  and  race, 
although  there  are  here  and  there  ‘‘Burmese-Shan  ” and 

Chinese-Shan”  villages.  We  have  also  Shan  schools  at  Maul- 
main  and  Bhamo.  Eecently  the.  Shans  have  gone  out  from  the 
church  of  the  natives  at  Toungoo,  and  formed  a church  of  their 
own  nation. 

The  Eev.  Moses  H.  Bixby,  D.  D.,  is  a native  of  Kew  Hamp- 
shire. He  was  born  in  Warren,  Grafton  County,  August  20th, 
1827.  Converted  at  twelve  years  of  age,  while  a boy  he  was 


478 


THE  STORY  OR  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


called  to  the  work  of  the  iniiiistry,  and  i)iirsned  a course  of  pre. 
l)aratory  study,  part  of  which  was  in  a (tolle^e  in  Montreal,  lie 
Avas  ordained  in  Yerinont  in  1840,  and  during  the  three  years 
following  his  preaching  was  attended  with  great  a(3ceptance  and 
success.  In  1852  he  Avas  ai)i)ointed  a inissionaiy  to  Ihirinah, 
where  he  labored  from  1852  to  185G.  He  Avas  then  coini)elled  by 
the  illness  of  his  Avife  to  return  home,  Avhere  Mrs.  Bixby  Avent 
to  her  blessed  rcAATird.  He  next  seiwed  as  a i)astor  in  Provi- 
dence about  three  years,  hoping,  hoAvever,  CAxmtnally  to  retui’ii 
to  Ibirmah.  In  ISGO  he  Avas  again  sent  out  to  the  East  to  labor 
among  the  Shans.  He  Avorked  among  this  people  for  eight 
jxmrs.  Used  up  by  toil  in  an  unfriendly  (*limate,  he  once  more 
returned  to  this  country,  and  again  repaired  to  ProAudence, 
Avhere  he  resumed  his  pastoral  Avork,  gathering  a iieAV  church, 
since  knoAvn  as  the  ‘‘Cranston  Street  church,”  in  a groAving  part 
of  the  city.  This  church  is  one  of  the  most  ent(*iprising  and 
influential  in  ProAudence.  Dr.  Bixby  continues  to  cherish  his 
enthusiasm  in  favor  of  foreign  missions,  and  has  rendered  very 
great  service  to  the  Missionary  Union  and  to  missionaries  while 
engaged  in  i)astoral  work  at  home.  He  received  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts  from  Dartmouth  College,  and  his  degree  of  Doc- 
tor of  DiAunity  from  the  Central  University  of  loAva.  We  are 
gratefully  indebted  to  him  for  the  loan  of  a rare  Amlume  on 
missions,  AAdiich  has  been  helpful  in  the  composition  of  these 
pages. 

In  1884  the  Shan  ^Mission  reported  two  churches,  twenty-five 
members,  and  nine  baptized.  The  Shans  haAX  been  reached 
chielly  through  the  Maulmain,  Eangoon  and  Toungoo  Missions. 
Dr.  Cushing,  of  Eangoon,  is  engaged  in  translating  and  pub- 
lishing the  Bible  in  the  Shan  language.  Eecently,  howcAxr,  the 
mission  established  at  Bhamo  has  receiAXHl  by  baptism  three 
Chinese  Shans.  “This,”  says  Dr.  Murdock,  “is  the  entering 
AV(*dge  among  the  i)eoi)le  of  Sonth-AA  estern  China,  and  is  a matter 


ATTACK  ON  BHA:M0  BY  KA-KIIYENS. 


470 


of  far  greater  importance  and  encouragement  tlian  tt<*  mere 
report  of  their  baptism  would  first  imply.  They  are  the  first- 
fruits  of  the  one  hundred  millions  of  Yunnan^  and  other  ])arts  of 
South-western  China.”  Bhamo  as  a mission  station  has  risen  in 
importance  since,  in  1881,  the  China  Inland  Mission  established 
a station  at  Tali-fu,  in  the  province  of  Yunnan  j thus  adding  the 
last  link  to  complete  the  chain  of  mission  stations  Avhich  now 
stretches  from  India  across  the  Chinese  Emjiire  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean— task,”  says  Dr.  Murdock,  ^Mhat  Inis  been  the  dream 
of  many  missionaries  in  India  and  China  since  the  beginning  of 
missions  in  those  countries.” 

This  mission  has  a department  devoted  to  the  conversion  of 
the  Ka-Khyens.  In  1884  it  reports  two  churches,  nineteen  mem- 
bers, baptized  four.  The  King  of  Old  Burmah,  whose  capital 
is  Mandalay,  has  granted  to  the  mission  three  and  one-half  acres 
just  out  of  the  east  gate  of  Bhamo  as  the  site  of  a compound 
for  this  important  and  growing  mission.  Bev.  W.  n.  Boberts 
and  wife  superintend  the  Ka-Khyen  department;  Bev.  J.  A. 
Freiday  and  wife,  the  Shan  department. 

In  January,  1884,  an  enemy  of  uncertain  number  and  jiurpose 
drove  the  Burman  authorities  north  of  Bhamo  into  that  city. 
The  town  prepared  to  resist  an  expected  attack.  A Burmese 
steamer  with  four  hundred  soldiers  c<ame  up  from  iVIadalay  in 
February,  and  had  a skirmish  with  the  enemy  just  above  the 
city.  The  steamer  then  dropped  back  into  the  harbor;  and  the 
Chinese  began  to  barricade  the  Chinese  bazaar;  the  Burmese 
manned  the  stockade;  a force  of  Chinese  volunteers  was  sent  to 
fortify  the  deserted  British  agency,  and  another  force  took  pos- 
session of  the  lower  story  of  the  brick  residence  of  the  Jesuits. 
These  birds  of  prey  vainly  protested  against  the  house  being 
turned  into  a fort.  When  it  seemed  certain  that  the  city  must 
be  attacked,  Messrs.  Freiday  and  Boberts,  with  their  courageous 
wives,  determined  to  remain  at  their  jiosts.  The  clouds  of  war 


480 


THE  STORV  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


grew  darker  every  day.  Two  towns  down  river  lowards 
Mandalay  were  eajitured  and  Inirinul  l)y  lva-Kliy(*ns.  Sonn*. 
of  tlie  Chinese  in  Bhaino,  tlui  most  j)ow(‘rfnl  i‘a(U‘  in  tln‘  ])la(;e, 
falsely  represented  onr  inissionari(*s  as  giving  aid  to  tin*,  insur- 
gent Ka-Kliyens.  The  heads  of  nine  Ka-Khyims  who  had  been 
killed  Avere,  as  a warning,  exi)osed  to  view  on  the  sands.  At 
length,  Avhen  the  storm  of  war  appeared  ready  to  fall,  lh(‘  ladies 
of  the  mission,  ineluding  JMrs.  Freiday’s  baby,  ICdith,  took  })as- 
sage  for  Mandalay  on  a steamer  whieh,  as  it  was  suj)posed,  Avas 
making  her  last  trij).  For  two  days  and  nights,  the  boom  of 
cannon  and  the  rattle  of  musketry  Avere  distinctly  heard  in  the 
city.  The  men,  women  and  ehildreii  all  lied  to  boats;  the  men 
manned  the  stockade,  and  an  attack  by  a savage  foe  seemed 
certain.  But  the  incessant  tire  of  a Burmese  gunboat  iircA^ented 
any  attack  from  the  enem}"  on  the  river;  a most  o])i)ortnne  rise 
of  nine  feet  in  the  riATu*;  the  gallant  assistance  of  the  rieigh- 
boring  Aullages;  and  the  good  management  of  the  gOA’crnor  in 
sending  forAvard  to  the  front  ev^ery  available  man,  and  in 
retaining  the  friendship  of  the  Ka-Khyens  at  the  east  of  Bhamo, 
seiwed  to  keep  the  enemy  at  bay.  And  a later  arrival  of  re-en- 
forcements from  the  capital,  and  their  sharp  engagement  with 
the  insurgents  in  a three  days’  fight,  compelled  them  to  retire  in 
haste  and  quickly  disperse.  On  the  1st  of  April  it  was  reported 
that  the  war  had  ended,  the  ladies  of  the  mission  had  returned 
to  the  city,  and  the  native  refugees  of  the  vicinity  Avere  returning 
to  find  their  houses  in  ashes,  their  stock  driven  off,  and  all  their 

rice  either  eaten  or  consumed,  by  hre.  i 

1.  The  city  was  again  filled  with  alarm  soon  after  midnight  on  Sunday, 
Dec.  7th,  1884,  by  its  sudden  capture.  A small  force  of  armed  Chinamen 
entered  the  town  by  an  unguarded  gate,  yelling  and  firing  guns.  The 
Burmese  Governor  and  his  guard  of  150  soldiers,  alarmed  by  the  noise,  ran 
away  and  took  refuge  on  board  a Burman  gunboat  anchored  beloAV  the  city. 
The  Chinese  then  opened  the  eastern  gate  of  the  town,  and  let  in  the  main 
body,  consisting  of  200  Chinese  and  about  100  Ka-Chins.  These  invaders 
were  chielly  mercenary  soldiers,  some  of  Mdioni  had  been  employed  by  the 


CAPTURE  OF  BHAMO. 


481 


-tO¥ernor  of  Bhamo,  who  had  refused  to  pay  them  their  wages.  In 
revenge  they  set  the  Governor’s  palace  on  tire,  and  began  to  burn  and  sack 
the  city.  As  the  inhabitants  fled  to  the  boats,  very  few  of  them  were  killed. 
Two  or  three,  however,  were  shot  while  making  for  the  boats,  and  Mr.  Frei- 
day’s  Shan  cook  was  fired  upon  but  not  killed.  On  Saturday  about  1,000 
Ka-Chins  arrived.  The  Burmese  troops  still  held  a position  near  the  British 
residency,  but  were  driven  out  of  it  during  the  day.  The  city  was  now 
exposed  to  pillage.  While  some  of  the  Chinese  mercenaries  were  carrying 
their  booty  out  of  the  town,  thieves  swarmed  into  it  from  all  quarters 
to  pillage  and  burn.  Even  some  of  the  Burmese  soldiers  set  to  work  steal- 
ing on  their  own  account.  The  principal  parts  of  the  town  were  reduced 
to  ashes,  together  with  the  oldest  of  our  mission  houses.  Rev.  Mr.  Frelday 
and  his  wife,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Roberts  and  his  wife,  were  spared,  although 
they  were  exposed  to  great  peril.  Not  knowing  what  might  happen 
at  any  moment,  they  did  not,  for  five  long  nights,  lay  aside  their  day- dress. 
The  chief  danger  they  incurred  was  from  Burmese  officials  and  troops. 
They  were  falsely  accused  by  the  Burmans  of  opening  the  gates  to  the 
Chinese  and  Ka-Chins;  while  the  Chinese  captors  showed  them  great 
civility  and  refused  to  take  money  that  was  offered  them. 

As  there  was  no  near  prospect  of  peace  in  the  city,  the  missionaries  at 
length  resolved  to  seek  safety  on  board  the  Burmese  gunboat.  Mr.  Roberts 
was  accordingly  sent  out  to  the  steamer  to  ask  the  commander  to  receive  the 
missionaries  on  board.  Not  only  was  the  request  refused,  but  Mr.  Roberts 
and  a native  preacher  were  three  times  fired  upon  by  the  gunboat  s guard, 
but  happily  without  effect.  On  Wednesday  the  English  steamer  from  Man- 
dalay came  in  sight.  But  as  the  Burmese  and  Chinese  were  seen  fighting 
on  the  sandy  shore,  and  she  could  not  effect  a landing,  she  put  away,  and 
did  not  return  until  Friday,  when  the  Burmese  Governor  allowed  her  to 
send  up  a boat  to  take  away  the  missionaries,  but  most  positively  refused 
to  allow  the  native  helpers  to  be  brought  on  board.  The  missionaries, 
therefore,  gave  themselves  to  earnest  prayer  on  Friday  night,  to  the  end 
that  the  Burmese  Governor  might  I'elent.  On  Saturday  morning  Mr.  Frei- 
day  and  the  commander  of  the  British  steamer  went  over  to  the  Burmese 
gunboat  to  make  a last  appeal  to  the  Governor.  A great  change  had  come 
over  him,  and  he  consented  that  they  should  bring  away  any  for  whom 
they  would  themselves  vouch.  Accordingly  more  than  forty  additional 
persons  were  taken  on  board  the  British  steamer,  which  returned  to  Man- 
dalay. The  missionaries  then  embarked  for  Rangoon.  The  Chinese  captors 
of  Bhamo  did  not  interfere  with  the  flight  of  the  missionaries  and  their 
native  helpers,  but  begged  them  to  remain,  assuring  them  that  they  would 
protect  their  persons  and  property.  The  new  Shan  mission  house,  though 
threatened  by  the  conflagration,  was  by  great  exertions  saved  from  destruc- 
tion. In  February  1S85,  Mr.  Freiday  learned  the  war  was  still  raging.  His 
new  house  was  not  yet  burned,  but  two  sides  of  it  had  been  taken  to  make 
barricades  on  the  road.  The  Chinese  still  held  Bhamo  and  the  whole  of 
Upper  Burmah  wais  greatly  disturbed. 


■5i 


WHEELBARROW  TRAVEL  IN  CHINA. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 


THE  RELIGIONS  OF  CHINA. 

Shamani.^m.  — Animism.  — Views  of  Messrs,  lylor  and  Lubbock. — The 
Reformer  Lao-tzu. — The  Taoists. — Confucius. — Tlie  Buddhists  of  China. 
—The  Prophecy  Respecting  tlie  Holy  Man  of  the  West. — The  Vision  of 
MingTi. — Professors  Schlegel  and  Beal. — The  Presentiments  of  Budd- 
hists and  Mahometans. — Images  of  Gautama. — The  Counterfeit  Tradi- 
tions Concerning  the  Coming  of  the  Mother  of  Christ. — Chinese  idea  of 
Nigban.— The  Images  and  Temples  Redeem, — 'J'he  W orship  of  Ancestors. 
— Pious  by  Proxy. — Chinese  fear  of  Demons. — The  Difficulties  and  En- 
couragements of  the  Missionary. — Infanticide. — Baptists  the  First  to 
Prepare  the  Way  for  Protestant  Missions  in  China. — Dr.  Marshman’s 
Translation  of  the  Bible  into  Chinese. — Dr.  Morrison's  Translation. — Its 
Defects. — Delusions  about  it  in  England  and  America — Dr.  Marshman’s 
Version  the  First  Complete  Protestant  Translation,  and  the  First  to  be 
Printed  and  Published. — Dr.  Morrison  Sets  a Bad  Example  to  Other 
Missionaries. — Too  Much  Time  Si)ent  in  Improving  Former  Transla- 
tions.— Hopeful  Progress  in  Evangelizing  China. — Dr.  Legge’s  Estimate. 
The  Opium  Traffic. 

•yjTllE  EARLIEST  religion  of  Chinn  seems  to  have  been  what 
..JLi)  is  termed  Shamanism^  a superstition  which  can  be  traced  to 
the  Scythians  and  ancient  PersianSj  and  also  prevailed  in  Tar- 
taryy  Kamtcliatka^  Siberia  and  among  the  wild  Indian  tribes  of 
North  ximerica.  The  word  Shaman  was  first  employed  in  a 
good  sense  as  the  designation  of  a priest  of  Buddha,  and  was 
so  tip])lied  to  the  priests  who  first  carried  the  religion  of  Gau- 
tama from  Hindustan  to  China.  The  Brahmins  api)ear  to  liave 
been  the  first  to  use  the  word  in  a bad  sense,  to  stigmatize  all 
priests  that  were  not  of  their  own  religion,  and  in  i:>articnlar  all 
such  as  did  not  favor  the  worship  of  their  images. 

Shamanism  recognizes  the  existence  of  a supreme  spirit  or 
universal  lord,  but  does  not  worship  him.  It  sacrifices  to 
demons  or  spirits,  who  are  believed  to  be  cruel,  jealous  and 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


48:3 


reveiigefiil.  These  must  therefore  be  ])laeate(l  ))y  fastings  niid 
saerihees.  Jleiiee  certain  men,  eith(‘r  l)elonging  to  a ])riestly 
family,  or  l)eing  voluntarily  rnovcMl  to  a(;eei)t  tlu^.  ohicjci  of  ])(*r- 
torming  the  sacred  rites,  are  initiated  by  a pre})aratory  season 
of  retirement  and  fasting.  They  liide  th(‘niselv(‘s  in  the  wilder- 
ness, where  they  remain  without  food  until  tlu^y  discover,  by 
l)articular  tokens,  that  they  are  endowed  with  suixuliuman 
powers. 


Drum  and  Gongs  of  a Chinese  Temple. 

\ ery  remarkable  it  is  that  fasting  is  almost  imiversally  con- 
sidered as  a necessary  preparation  for  this  superstitious  service. 
Like  so  many  other  religious  observances  of  the  aborigines  of 
Asia,  Africa  and  America,  it  is  traceable  to  old  Egypt,  where 
all  such  as  were  to  be  admitted  to  the  mysteries  of  Isis  and 
Osiris,  were  compelled  to  observe  a temporary  tixst.  Abstinence 
was  likewise  reciuired  in  order  to  take  ])art  in  the  mysteries  of 


THE  -RELIGIONS  OF  CHINA. 


483 


tlie  old  Persian  god  of  tlie  sun  (Mitliras).  The  medicine  men 
of  the  i)rimitive  tribes  of  America  very  generally  commenced 
their  official  duties  by  a course  of  fasting.  They,  like  the 
Shamans  of  Northern  Europe  and  Asia,  excited  themselves  to 
delirious  or  ecstatic  transports  and  paroxysms  by  yelling,  sing- 
ing and  dancing.  The  sacrilices  were  wiki  animals,  if  the  tribe 
lived  by  hunting,  and  tame,  if  the  tribe  led  a pastoral  lile.  In 
some  instances  human  sacrifices  were  offered,  the  victims  being 
mostly  criminals  or  captives.  The  place  of  sacrifice  was  usually 
the  top  of  some  rock  or  hill.  In  cold  regions  or  seasons  the  rite 
was  performed  in  a hut  or  cave.  The  Shaman,  or  medicine  man, 
entered  the  hut  chanting  certain  words,  and  sprinkled  the  sides 
of  the  place  and  the  fire  with  milk  or  some  intoxicating  liquor. 
The  animal  was  then  killed  and  its  heart  torn  out;  the  skin  being- 
removed,  the  fat  was  thrown  into  the  fire,  and  the  flesh  eaten  by 
members  of  the  tribe. 

It  was  believed  that  all  disease  was  owing  to  the  jealousy  or 
malice  of  some  evil  spirit  or  living  person.  Hence,  the  first  duty 
of  the  Shaman  or  medicine  man  was  to  cast  out  the  evil  demon, 
or  find  out  the  man  or  woman  who  had  bewitched  the  sick  person. 
Sometimes  wars  between  different  tribes  were  occasioned  by  the 
discovery  that  some  person  or  persons  of  a neighboring  tribe 
had  bewitched  them  into  disease  and  death.  It  was  believed 
that  death  could  overtake  no  one  except  by  witchcraft.  The 
dead  were  sometimes  buried  in  a sitting  posture,  and  their 
property  was  often  buried  with  them,  as  being  necessary  to  their 
support  or  comfort  in  the  next  world.  In  many  cases  the  corpses 
were  reduced  to  ashes.  Shamanism  in  many  parts  of  Asia  paid 
divine  honors  to  the  sun  and  moon ; the  Peruvians  and  Green- 
landers also  regarded  the  sun  as  a god.  We  are  aware  that 
Mr.  Crantz  denies  that  the  latter  worshipped  the  sun;  but  in  the 
life  of  the  first  Greenland  convert,  Kajarnack,  we  find  him 
refusing  an  invitation  to  join  in  a dance  in  honor  of  the  sun. 


484 


THE  STOEY  OE  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Ill  most  tribes  the  Shaman  s(^rv(‘s  as  jiropliet,  i>ri(‘st  ami  phys- 
ician., As  diviner  or  seer,  lie  lias  sometim(*s  been  so  sfrikinj^ly 
true  as  to  excite  the  astoiiishimmt  of  iiitellij^fcnt  travc'lhus.  In 
such  cases,  success  may  be  jiropin  ly  attrilmtiMl  (,‘itli(*r  to  (;lair- 
voyauce  or  to  Satanic  inspiration;  for  the  Wieki'd  One,  as  c.an 
be  shown  from  Scrijiture  history,  has  }K)W(*r  c.losidy  to  c.ountca  feit 
both  tlie  true  iirophet  and  tlie  triu*.  workin-  of  mirach‘s. 

Various  have  been  the  (4assifications  of  the  r(*ligions  of  wild 
and  savage  tribes.  Dr.  Ih  I>.  Tylor,  in  his  Primitive  Culture, 
Avould  iilace  among  the  lowest  religious  ideas  ot*  the  barbarous 
clans,  that  of  a phantom-like  soul  which  may  Ix^  separated  from 
the  body.  Ileiice  the  notion  that  the  lower  animals  and  all 
natural  objects  luwe  souls;  hence  also  Fetichism,  which  is  thought 
to  owe  its  ])revalence  to  the  belief  that  any  obJiMd,  however 
trivial  in  itself,  may  be  potent  for  good  or  evil,  by  reason  of  the 
good  or  bad  soul  Avhich  inhabits  it.  This  he  terms  Animism. 
Sir  John  Lubbock,  on  the  other  hand,  considers  the  iirst  stages 
of  religious  thought  as  being:  first.  Atheism,  or  the  absence  of 
any  dehnite  ideas  of  a Supreme  Being;  secondly,  Fetichism,  the 
stage  in  which  man  sujiposes  that  he  can  force  his  God  to  com- 
ply Avith  his  desires ; tliirdly,  Totemisin,  or  the  Avorshipof  natural 
objects,  as  trees,  serpents,  the  sun,  etc ; fourthly.  Shamanism,  in 
which  the  gods  are  more  poAverful  than  man,  and  not  of  the 
same  nature  as  he.  They  also  live  far  away  from  human 
abodes,  and  are  accessible  only  to  Shamans.  Fifthly,  Idolatry,  in 
which  the  gods  are  of  the  nature  of  men,  but  more  powerful 
than  men,  and  yet  not  creators.  They  are  represented  by  images, 
and  capable  of  being  persuaded.  Sixthl^g  God  becomes  a strictl}' 
suiiernatural  being,  no  longer  a part  of  the  natural  AAmrhl,  but 
the  creator  of  the  same.  Lastly,  the  religion  Avliich  is  associated 
Avith  morality.  This  is  a veiy  ingenious  classitication  of  the 
successiATi  stages  of  natural  religion.  According  to  this  scheme, 
Sliamanism  is  b(‘loAV  the  dignity  of  idolatry,  and  its  deities  are 
of  a nature  diff(‘r(*nt  from  man.  There  are,  hoAvever,  excep- 


485 


LAO-TZIT,  A CURIOUS  OLD  BOY.” 

tional  forms  of  Sliamauism,  wliicli  admit  the  worship  of  rude 
images  as  well  as  of  demons,  which  are  believed  to  be  the  ghosts 
or  phantom  souls  of  dead  human  beings.  Anyhow,  Shamanism, 
properly  so  calknl,  was  the  religion  of  those  Mongolian  tribes 
which  2)lanted  the  Chinese  empire. 

[N'ext  came  the  reformer,  Lao-tzu^  who  is  said  to  have  been 
born  B.  C.  C04,  in  the  kingdom  of  Hupeh,  fifty-four  years  before 
Confucius.  His  followers  believe  that  he  was  conceived  by  the 
intiueuce  of  a meteor,  but  was  not  born  until  seventy-two,  or  as 
others  aver,  eighty-one  years  after.  Hence  his  name,  which 
signifies  ^Hhe  Old  Boy.”  It  is  said  that  he  had  gray  hair,  and 
that  he  looked  like  an  old  man  when  he  came  into  the  world, 
and  therefore  he  is  also  called,  Lao-Kiuri^  or  the  Yenerable 
Prince.”  According  to  one  of  the  legends,  as  soon  as  he  was 
born  lie  mounted  nine  paces  into  the  air,  each  steji  producing  a 
lotus -flower,  and  while  self-poised  above  the  world,  iiointed  with 
his  left  hand  to  heaven  and  his  right  hand  to  earth,  saying 

Heaven  is  above.  Earth  is  beneath.  Only  Tao  is  honorable.” 

As  to  what  this  Ta6  is,  the  opinions  of  the  learned  are  much 
divided.  Lao-tzu  probably  meant  by  it  the  abstract  imiiersonal 
essence,  which  Brahminisni  calls  Bralim.  But  his  followers 
hold  it  to  be  equivalent  to  the  Supreme  Reason.  This  reformer 
evidently  borrowed  his  teachings  from  the  Greek  philosophers; 
but  like  Gautama  he  never  quotes  others,  being  seemingly  him- 
self the  source  of  all  wisdom  or  ifliilosophy.  The  virtues  which 
he  most  frequently  praises  are  humility,  continence,  moderation, 
silence,  gravity  and  kindness.  The  true  saint,  according  to  his 
followers,  exercises  aflection,  frugality  and  humility. 

The  founder  of  this  sect  early  retired  from  office  in  disgust, 
and  lived  in  retirement  and  self-denial.  Only  the  priests  are 
legarded  as  members  of  the  sect.  They  live  in  temples  or  reli- 
gions houses  with  their  families.  Some  cultivate  the  soil;  others 
wander  about  selling  charms  or  nostrums.  At  one  time  they 
gave  themselves  to  the.  discovery  of  an  elixir  or  drink  that 


48G 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


would  insure  longevity  if  not  immortality;  and  during  tlui  Tang 
d^niasty  even  tlie  emperor  was  carried  away  with  tliis  rage.  At 
length,  however,  it  came  to  be  snsi)ected  tliat  for  money  they 
would  administer  a drug  that  would  shorten  life,  as  soon  as  one 
that  would  ])rolong  it. 

As  was  to  be  exiiected,  these  rationalists,  lik(^  those  of  our  own 
day,  spinning  all  wisdom  and  knowl(‘dge  out  of  their  own  brains, 
could  not  deign  to  learn  any  thing  from  others,  or  if  they  did 
they  were  too  anxious  to  maintain  their  reputation  for  self-suhi- 
ciency  to  acknowledge  their  indebtedness  to  others.  Even  the 
reformer  himself  taught  that  the  peo])le  should  be  kept  ignorant. 
The  King  should  weaken  their  wills  but  strengthen  their  bones; 
he  should  empty  their  minds  and  lill  their  stomachs,  lie  assigns 
a low  place  to  learning;  it  adds  to  the  evil  of  existence,  and  if 
we  would  dismiss  it  altogether,  we  would  be  free  from  anxiety. 

The  x)riests  of  Lao-tzu  have  an  annual  ceremony  for  exorcising  ' 
their  town  or  neighborhood.  On  the  anniversary  of  the  birth 
day  of  the  ‘Oligh  Emperor  of  the  Sombre  Heavens,”  (the  first 
of  the  Genii),  tliey  assemble  in  front  of  his  temple,  and  having 
made  a great  fire  about  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  in  diameter,  march 
near  it  barefoot,  preceded  by  the  iiriests  and  bearing  the  gods  in 
their  arms.  They  first  chant  prayers,  ring  bells  and  blow  horns 
in  order  to  subdue  the  demons;  after  wliich  they  dart  through 
the  devouring  elements.  The  iiriests  are  badly  burnt  some- 
times, yet  the  people  have  such  faith  in  the  efficiency  of  this 
ceremony  that  they  cheerfully  contribute  large  sums  to  provide 
the  sacrifice  and  pay  the  officiating  priests. 

These  Taoists  worship  a great  variety  of  idols:  genii,  devils, 
and  numberless  inferior  spirits.  Since  the  second  Christian 
century  they  have  greatly  multiplied  in  China,  Japan,  Cochin 
(diina  and  Tonqiiin.  Jbit  they  have  departed  from  the  faith  of 
th(‘ir  founder.  They  are  not  only  idolaters,  but  jugglers  and 
ncciomaiiciMs,  j)r(‘i)aring  and  vending  charms  which  consist  of 
small  sli])s  of  jiaixir  on  which  mystic  characters  are  written. 


WRITING  AND  SALE  OF  PRAYERS  AND  CHARMS. 


34 


488 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


These  are  pasted  by  tlu*.  i)e()i)le  ov(‘r  tlie  doors  of  tlieir  lioiis(‘s,  to 
protect  the  premises  from  evil  spirits.  Prayers  written  on  i)ai)er, 
and  then  set  on  tire,  are  b(*Jieved  to  1)(‘.  acceptable^  to  the  f,o)ds. 
This  kind  of  mechanical  prayer  may  be  recommemdeMl  to  the 
ritualists  of  to-day,  whenever  they  wish  to  symbolize  the  fervor 
of  prevailing  cantillation.^ 

Nearly  of  the  same  age  with  Lao-tzu  was  (k)nfiicius,  but  a 
philosopher  of  a very  different  character.  Whihi  teaching 
hnmility,  the  former  was  an  egotist  j the  latt(*r  professed  himself 
a transmitter,  not  a maker  of  maxims  of  prudence.  And  this 
was  his  real  vocation  j for,  venerated  as  he  is  by  Chinese  scholars? 
it  becomes  more  and  more  apparent  every  year  that  Confucius 
originated  few  or  no  ideas.  His  reverence  for  the  learning 
of  anticpiity  was  sincere  and  profound.  When  Confucius 
visited  Lao-tzu^  it  is  said  that  the  arch-rationalist  upbraided 
the  great  sage  in  the  terms  following:  ^‘The  wise  man,”  said 
he,  “ loves  obscurity ; far  from  being  ambitious  of  ollices  he 
avoids  them.  Persuaded  that  at  the  end  of  life  a man  can  oidy 
leave  behind  him  such  good  maxims  as  he  has  taught  to  those 
who  were  in  a state  to  receive  and  [practice  them,  he  . does  not 
reveal  himself  to  all  he  meets  j he  observes  time  and  place.  If 
the  times  be  good  he  speaks ; if  bad,  he  holds  his  peace.  He 
who  possesses  a treasure,  conceals  it  with  care,  lest  it  be  taken 
from  himj  he  is  careful  about  imblishing  everywhere  that  he  has 
it  at  his  disposal.  The  truly  virtuous  man  makes  no  iiarade  of 
his  virtue,  he  does  not  announce  to  the  world  that  he  is  a Avise 
man.  This  is  all  I have  to  say;  make  as  much  of  it  as  you 
please.”  The  inquiring  thinker,  far  from  being  offended,  Avas 
profoundly  impressed. 

Confucius  Avas  born,  Ave  are  told,  either  B.  C.  550  or  B.  C.  551, 
in  tlie  State  of  Lu,  a part  of  the  modern  Shang-tung.  He  Avas 
the  youngest  of  ten  children.  At  the  age  of  tAAm-and-tweuty  he 
Ixicanui  a teacher  of  young  men.  lie  Avould  not  huA^e  any 
disci])l(‘.s  but  suc.h  as  had  capacity,  jiersewerance  and  a thirst 
J • Seo  page  5:1:1. 


THE  TEACHINGS  OF  CONFUCIUS. 


489 


for  knowledge.  ^^When,  said  lie,”  I have  presented  one  cor- 
ner of  a subject,  and  the  puiiil  cannot,  of  himself,  make  out  the 
other  three,  I do  not  repeat  my  lesson.”  For  some  time  he 
resided  at  the  court  of  a certain  marquis,  where  he  taught  many 
disciples,  but  at  length  he  began  to  Avander  from  court  to  court. 
Princes  would  entertain  and  support  him,  but  they  would  neither 
listen  to  him  nor  mend  their  ways. 

One  of  his  replies  is  worth  recalling,  in  this  age  of  shams  and 
humbugs.  One  of  his  disciples  asked,  What  is  the  first  thing 
you  would  do,  if  you  were  intrusted  AAdth  the  government  of  a 
State  1 I would,  ” said  he,  see  that  things  Avere  called  by 
their  right  names.  The  ruler  should  be  ruler;  the  minister, 
minister ; the  father,  the  father ; and  the  son,  the  son.”  Others 
of  his  admired  sayings  have  more  point  than  weight.  Thus, 
when  he  remarks  that  In  style,  all  that  is  required  is  that  it 
convey  the  meaning,”  he  ignores  all  grammar,  and  almost  all 
rhetoric.  The  Golden  Rule”  ( nowhere  in  the  NeAV  Testament 
so  called ) was  indeed  uttered  by  him,  ( if  AA^e  have  his  genuine 
works ),  in  a negative  form,  and  as  applied  to  manners.  The 
rule  as  given  by  our  Divine  Master,  emphasizes  the  ye,”  as 
Tholuck  observes,  and  thus  consecrates  it  to  the  exclusive  use 
of  men  of  Christian  grace  and  knowledge. 

His  teachings  ignored  the  Sui)reme  Being,  and  were  therefore 
practically  atheistic.  One  of  the  four  things  of  which  he  is 
reported  to  have  seldom  spoken,  Avas  of  any  spiritual  being.  He 
esteemed  it  wisdom  at  once  to  respect  spiritual  beings  and  to 
keep  aloof  from  them.  His  influence  was  that  of  a secularist,  to 
whom  the  heavens  are  brass.  He  revered,  professedly,  the 
ancient  models,  and  yet,  as  Dr.  Legge  says,  AAdieii  rendering  into 
the  language  of  his  time  the  most  sacred  books  of  the  Chinese, 
as  that  of  “ She- King, he  substitutes  the  vague  imi)ersonal  term, 
Heaven,  in  places  AA^here  there  was  before  an  exalting,  awful 
recognition  of  an  Almighty  being,  Avho  orders  the  course  of  nature 
and  providence. 


TJIE  STORY  OF  ]{Al’TJST  31ISS10NS. 


4!)0 


Tlie  relation  of  Confueiiis  to  tlie  reJi^oon  of  ('liiini  is  very  iin- 
l)ortant,  as  liis  inciileations  of  tli(i  (liiti(;s  of  eliildnni  to  ])arents, 
and  of  inferiors  to  siijun  iors,  li(i  at  tli(‘.  foundation  of  tlnj  govern- 
ment, and  have  created  several  reli.i;ions  lites  and  (an‘einoni(*s. 
The  emperors,  scholars,  and  the  mon^  intelligent  j)ri(‘sts  of  what- 
ever sect,  unite  in  paying  divine  honor  to  this  ancient  sage.  The 
State  religion,  wlnh'h  is  without  a creed,  and  consists  simjdy  in 
religious  rites,  others  sacritices  to  him.  Jn  every  district,  and 
every  department,  there  is  a temphi  erected  to  his  honor.  Of 
these,  there  are  about  one  thousand  and  five  hundred  attached 
to  the  halls  of  examination.  Professor  Legge  has  observ(Ml  that 
^niie  conservative  tendency  of  his  lessons  is  the  (diief  reason 
why  successive  dynasties  have  delighted  to  do  him  honor.”  Put 
« his  disciples,  ever  bending  before  the  Past,  are  never  lifted 
erect  by  hopes  of  the  Future.  The  stars  all  shone  to  Confucius 
in  the  heavens  behind,  none  beckoned  brightly  before.” 

The  most  prevalent  idolatrous  sect  in  China  are  the  Buddhists 
or  followers  of  Gautama.  Of  this  superstition  we  have  given 
some  account  elsewhere.  This  sect  did  not  make  its  appearance 
in  China  until  the  first  Christian  century.  The  Chinese  name 
for  Buddha  is,  variously,  Fuli^  Fo,  Fat  or  Fuh-tu.  This  system 
of  idolatry  is  said  to  have  been  introduced  into  the  empire,  about 
A.  D.  GG,  by  an  embassy  that  had  been  sent  to  the  AVest  at  the 
suggestion  of  the  followers  of  Lao-tzu^  who  declared  that  a wise 
man  had  appeared  there.  Others  are  of  the  opinion  that  it  was 
brought  into  China  in  consequence  of  this  expression  of  Confu- 
cius : The  jieople  of  the  AA^est  have  sages  or  a sage.”  From  all 
the  light  Ave  can  collect  it  api)ears  highly  i)robable,  that  in  the 
^ liist  Christian  century  there  Avas  in  China  a prevalent  belief 
that  there  liA^ed  in  the  AA^est  a Holy  Alan,  of  peerless  sincerity 
and  self-command.  AVhence  did  this  belief  come?  First,  per- 
haps, from  the  current  notion  that  the  AVest  Avas  the  land  of 
hoj)(‘,  the  soui’ce  of  the  greatest  temporal  blessings.  In  enuraer- 
aling  tin*.  ))oints  of  tlui  compass,  the  most  ancient  odes,  sung  eight 


THE  ^^HOLY  man’’  OF  THE  AVEST. 


401 


centuries  before  tlie  Cliristian  era,  begin  witli  the  West.  The 
chiefs  of  the  West  are  praised  in  these  songs  beyond  all  others 
for  their  bounty  j the  sons  of  the  West  conquer  the  sons  of  the 
East.  God  being  dissatisfied  with  former  dynasties,  and  looking 
to  the  four  quarters  of  the  land  in  search  of  a king  who  will 
2)acify  the  xieo^ile,  finds  him  in  the  West,  and  so  he  comes  gal- 
loping his  horses  along  the  banks  of  the  western  rivers.  The 
people  sing  that  their  hearts  are  iu  the  West.  These  odes  are 
indeed  mostly  i^olitical,  but  they  recognize  God  as  sending  them 
their  best  kings  from  the  West,  and  consequently  lead  them,  in 
the  course  of  centuries,  to  expect  all  blessings  from  that  quarter. 

The  next  and  still  more  manifest  source  of  this  belief  was  the 
report  of  some  replies  which  Confucius  made  to  one  who  inquired 
of  him  whether  he  considered  himself  a holy  man.  Confucius 
(551-478,  B.  C.)  is  said  to  have  answered  in  the  negative.  The 
inquirer  continues,  ^GWe  the  three  kings  holy  men?”  ^^They 
are  wise  men,  but  not  holy.”  ^Glre  the  five  kings  holy  men?” 
^‘They  are  virtuous  and  truthful,  but  not  holy.”  Are  the  three 
emperors  holy  men  ? ” They  are  prudent,  but  not  holy.”  Who 
then  is  the  Holy  jMan?”  Then  Confucius,  greatly  moved,  said, 
“The  western  region  has  a holy  man — without  striving  he  is 
self-governed  (without  confusion he  speaks  not,  and  yet  is  the 
truth  (or  sincere) 5 he  teaches  not,  yet  his  own  conduct  how 
dee\)!  how  deep!”  This  re])ly  is  regarded  as  authentic  by  S. 
Wells  Williams,  Esq.,  long  a resident  of  China  5 he  found  it 
quoted  in  the  Imperial  dictionary.  But  no  such  saying  has  been 
found  in  the  existing  works  of  the  sage.  The  Eev.  Samuel  Beal, 
Professor  of  Chinese  in  London,  thinks  that  some  of  the  early 
missionaries  had  reference  to  a mysterious  sentence  written  by 
Lieli-tze  In 'A  chapter  on  Confucius.  It  is  this:  “The  men  of 
the  West  possess  a sage.”  The  same  Chinese  scholar  informs 
us  that  the  passage  most  like  it  occurs  iu  Confucius’  Chung  Yang, 
or  “The  Doctrine  of  the  Mean,”  chap.,  xxix.  § 4.  Speaking  of 
the  model  emperor,  he  says,  “The  Euler  being  prepared  without 


492 


TUB  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


any  inis^,dviiigs  to  wait  for  tlio  rise  of  a lioly  man  ( or  sa^^ci ),  a 
Inindrcd  generations  aft(ir  liis  own  time,  shows  that  lie  knows 
men.”  Professor  P>eal  also  tells  ns  that  n Pnddhist  writer,  Fa- 
Un^  in  a Avork  Avritten  to  show  that  Pnddhism  Avas  introduced 
into  China  hcfore  the  yo^ir  221  1>.  C.,  cont(*nds  that  in  the  above 
response  of  Confucius  he  meant  to  s])eak  of  Gautama. 

To  this  reputed  dictum  of  this  great  jihilosopher,  the  Chinese 
Buddhists  add  the  vision  of  Ming  Tij  the  second  emjieror  of  the 
after dynasty,  in  the  year  00  A.  1).  In  a dream  he  saAV  a 
golden  flying  figure  j above  his  head  Avas  the  glory  of  the  sun 
and  moon,  Avhich  hoA^ered  aboA^e  the  A^estibule  of  the  palace. 
Inquiring  of  his  Avriter  of  history  the  import  of  this  Ausion,  he 
told  him  that  he  had  heard  that  there  AA^as  a divine  being  in 
the  West  called  Buddha,  and  the  dream  had  something  to 
do  with  this.  Accordingly  the  emiieror  selected  eighteen  men 
to  go  to  the  West  and  inquire  about  the  religion  of  Gautama. 
These  envoys  inAuted  two  Buddhist  xiriests  of  Middle  India  to 
return  Avith  them ; hence  the  origin  of  Buddhism  in  China  as  a 
national  establishment.  According  to  Bu  Ilalde,  Frederick 
Schlegel  and  others,  the  Chinese  about  the  time  of  this  vision 
had  such  a viAud  expectation  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  that 
they  sent  these  eighteen  envoys  to  hail  their  ex^iected  Eedeemer, 
but  being  met  AAith  on  their  way  by  the  missionaries  of  Gautama, 
they  mistook  them  for  the  apostles  of  Christ,  And  thus,”  says 
Schlegel  in  his  Philosojiliy  of  History,  ^blid  this  xdiantasmagoria 
of  Hell  i ntercept  the  light  of  the  Gospel.”  In  18G9,  Professor  Beal, 
a notable  Chinese  scholar,  declared  this  assertion  strange  and 
groundless,  but  in  1882  he  exxdains  his  convictions  in  these 
Avoids:  ^AVe  may  be  content  to  xilace  the  introduction  of 
Buddhism  into  China  about  the  time  of  the  first  diffusion  of  the 
Christian  doctrine  in  the  West.  Whether  there  be  any  conection 
bcdwiMiii  the  tAVO  events  is,  I still  think,  an  ojien  question  j one 
thing  ath‘ast  w(‘  knoA\",  that  it  Avasj'ust  at  the  time  Avhen  Buddh- 
ism Avas  brought  to  (diina  that  the  disjiersion  of  the  JeAVS  and 


ATsTICIPATED  EXTINCTION  OF  FAL«E  RELIGIONS.  41)3 


Cliiistians  occurred  by  reason  of  the  troubles  in  Judaea.  Du 
Ilalde  and  the  old  writers  may  not  be  wrong,  then,  in  supposing 
that  some  knowledge  of  great  events,  other  than  the  teachings 
of  Buddha,  had  reached  China  at  this  time  and  led  to  this  mis- 
sion to  India.’^ 

It  is  a significant  fact  that  it  was  the  selfsame  year,  according 
to  Dr.  Legge,  in  which  the  Messiah  was  born,  that  the  emperors 
of  China  began  to  confer  honorary  designations  on  Confucius.  He 
was  tuen  first  styled,  ^^The  all-complete  and  illustrious  Duke.’’ 
It  was  in  57  A.D.,  that  the  worshii)  of  this  famous  sage  became 
national^  it  was  theu  enacted  that  sacrifices  should  be  offered 
to  him  in  all  the  colleges  throughout  the  emiiire.  It  was  ten 
years  later,  07  A.D.,  that  the  two  Buddhist  priests  entered  China 
in  the  company  of  the  envoys  and  a white  horse  laden  with 
religious  books,  iiictures  and  an  image  of  Gautama. 

Both  the  Mahometans  and  the  Buddhists  predict  the  final 
extermination  of  their  faith.  Their  kingdom  is  not  an  everlasting 
kingdom.  The  former  liave  a tradition  that  an  odorous  Avind  is 
to  come  from  the  West,  which  is  to  consume  them  and  their 
Koran.  And  Dr.  Mason  in  his  ‘^Burmali”  tells  us  that  when 
Gutzlaff,  the  first  Protestant  missionary  to  Siam,  reached  Bang- 
kok in  1828,  his  appearance  spread  a general  panic  among  the 
Chinese  of  that  city  j as  it  Avas  well  knoAvn  from  the  predictions 
of  the  Buddhist  books,  written  in  the  Pali,  that  a certain  religion 
of  the  West  would  vanquish  the  religion  of  Buddha. 

The  Buddhists  of  China  have  images  of  Gautama  that  are 
scarcely  recognized  as  such  by  persons  familiar  Avith  those  of 
Burmah  and  Ceylon.  The  Light  of  Asia”  is  sometimes  repre- 
sented as  rising  behind  mountains  and  emerging  from  clouds  with 
a glory  or  nwibus  about  his  head,  while  he  lifts  up  his  hand  in 
benediction.  This  figure  is  executed  according  to  the  later 
description  of  the  Emperor’s  vision,  Avhich  is  as  follows:  ^‘He 
saw  a golden  image  nineteen  feet  high,  resplendent  as  gold, 
and  its  head  surrounded  by  a halo  as  bright  as  the  sun.”  But  the 


4!)4 


TIJK  STOIIY  OF  BAPT  IST  MISSIONS. 


more  common  C4nnoseimaf^cs  of  Gautama  r(‘])rcscnt  liim  as  sitf  iiij’ 
on  a throne  and  poiiitinji^  upward  witli  a liu^>^(‘r  of  liis  ri^^lit  Iiaiid. 
In  one  of  the  Chinese  ])ray(‘rs  Avhic.h  a tliief  is  des(;rih(‘(l  as 
offering  to  r>uddha  are  words  m liicJi  hav(‘.  tlius  l)(‘(‘u  translated  : 

“ lie  carved  yonder  figure,  right  hand  raised, 

Which  makes  the  guilty  find  respose.” 


The  early  Jesuit  missionaries 
to  the  East,  in  a manner  quite 
characteristic,  introduc(Hl  among 
the  Buddhists  of  China  an  image 
of  a mother  with  a child  on  h(*r 
knee.  It  is  commonly  found,  and 
Chinese  women  pray  to  it.  Our 
own  native  Karen  preacher,  Hau- 
Quala,  occupying  his  leisure,  un- 
der the  direction  of  Dr.  Mason, 
Dr.  Wade  and  others,  in  collect- 
ing the  traditions  of  the  moun- 
tain tribes,  rejiorts  one  which 
bears  on  the  face  of  it  ^Hhe  mark 
of  the  wild  beast,”  although  nei- 
ther San-Qnala  nor  the  British 
Commissioner,  McMahon,  detect- 


Chinese  Buddha. 


ed  the  fraud.  It  is  as  follows:  Before  the  arrival  of  the  white 

foreigners  a prophet  singing  said : 

‘ Great  Mother  comes  by  sea, 

Comes  with  purifying  water,  the  head  water. 

The  teacher  comes  from  the  horizon. 

He  comes  to  teach  the  little  ones.’  ” 

As  the  Karens  in  general  worship  no  images,  the  Jesuits  could 
not  clandestinely  bring  among  these  mountaineers  their  idola- 
trous worship  of  Mary,  except  in  the  form  of  popular  verse. 

As  for  the  belief  of  the  Chinese  Buddhists  concerning  Mghan, 
we  are  comiielled  to  answer  with  some  Jiesitation;  for  unhappily 


THE  WOHSIIIP  OF  ANCESTORS. 


405 


many  Avriters  on  tin's  snl)ject  have  not  yet  learned  to  distinguish 
hetween  this  term  and  the  Nirvana  of  the  Brahmins.  Chinese 
scliolars  tell  ns  that  the  word  Niphan  is  translated  hy  the  term 
won  2vei  in  tlm  sacred  hooks  of  the  Buddhists.  This  is  variously 
rendered  dissolution^  non-action,  freedom  from  self  or  a state  of 
unconsciousness.  The  term  is  also  used  ethically  for  unselfish- 
ness or  freedom  from  selhsh  desires.  Popularly  it  would  appear 
that  though  Gautama  is  annihilated,  his  iiower  is  transferred  to 
his  x>i"iesthood,  his  law,  his  images  and  his  temxdes.  In  these 
lines  .of  theirs  they  exx^ress  much  the  same  assurance : 

“ But  now  since  his  going  to  Nigban, 

By  his  bequeathed  law  he  saves  from  misery. 
****** 

. Now  in  my  great  afflictions, 

. His  sacred  image  rescues  and  redeems  me.” 

The  earlier  form  of  Buddhism  being  x)i'hctically  atheistic, 
found  a ready  accexitance  among  tlie  equally  atheistic  votaries  of 
Lao-tzu  and  Confucius.  It  gained  and  lvex)t  its  hold  on  the 
hearts  of  the  Chinese  by  the  encouragement  it  gave  to  the 
national  rites  x>ei’formed  in  honor  of  the  dead.  They  became 
the  x)riests  of  that  worshixi  of  ancestors  which  has  been  declared, 
with  much  xd^tusibility,  to  be  the  real  religion  of  the  Chinese. 
Anyhow,  it  may  be  said  to  be  almost  xieculiarly  or  distinctively 
Chinese.  The  worshix^  of  ancestors  has  x^revailed  in  some  other 
regions,  but  nowhere  else  has  it  been  so  generally  and  so  heartily 
adoxited  by  all  classes  and  sections  of  the  x^eox^le.  The  super- 
stitious beliefs  and  multitude  of  observances  which  mark  the 
devotions  fo  the  ‘^two  living  dhdnities,”  cannot  here  be 
described.  On  the  day  of  burial  a sacrifice  of  cooked  xn'ovisions 
is  laid  out,  and  the  coffin  x)lhced  near  it.  The  chief  mourners, 
clothed  in  white  sackcloth,  then  apx)roach  and  kneel,  knocking 
their  heads  ux^on  the  ground.  Two  x^ersons  dressed  in  mourning 
hand  them  incense,  which  is  x^laced  in  jars.  A band  of  music 
and  the  ancestral  tablet  accompanies  the  funeral  precession.  A 


400 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


iriiin  ^>'()(‘s  alioad  to  scattor  i)ai)or  iiioncy  on  way  to  pnrcliaso 
tlie  good-will  ol*  any  spirits  tliat  iriay  Im  ])rowliMg  al)ont  Ixnit  on 
nnscliief.  At  the  grave  eraekers  are  tired,  libations  ])onr(‘d  ont, 
prayers  recited.  Afterwards  ])ai)ers  fold(‘d  in  tlie  shape  of 
clothes,  money  and  other  p(‘rsonal  belongings — everything  that 
the  departed  can  possibly  want  in  the  land  of  shadows  (a  wise 
economy,  says  Sir  John  Davis) — are  bnrn(‘d  tor  the  nse  of  the 
deceased.  The  sacrilice,  whi(*h  is  sometimes  borne  in  tin*,  ])roe,es- 
sion,  is  carried  home  after  the  funeral,  and  the  family  feast  on  it 


The  Worship  of  Ancestors. 


or  distribute  it  among  the  i)oor  around  the  door.  The  ancestral 
tablet  is  also  brought  back  and  placed  in  the  hall  of  their  ances- 
tors. This  hall  is  found  in  the  house  of  almost  every  member  of 
a family,  but  always  in  that  of  the  eldest  son.  In  rich  families 
it  is  a separate  building j in  others,  a room  set  apart  for  the 
pur])Ose,  and  in  many  poor  families  it  is  a mere  shrine  or  shelf. 
‘‘At  the  worshi])  at  the  tombs,^’  saysd.  T.  Lay,  Esep,  “in  Spring 
ainl  Antnmn  the  graves  and  sepulchres  are  swept  and  then  gar- 
nished with  tinsel  ])aper.  Kice,  fowls,  and  sometimes  a large 


HUNGRY  DEMONS,  GHOSTS,  ETC. 


497 


roast  pig,  are  presented  at  the  tomb.  A libation  of  wine  or 
spirits  is  ponred  upon  the  ground.  Prayers  are  repeated  by  the 
sacrificer,  who  kneels  upon  a mat  and  touches  the  ground  with 
his  head.  At  present  this  is  often  done  by  proxy  5 a man  is  sent 
to  the  hills  with  a few  basins  of  rice,  fish  and  fowl,  x)erforming 
the  rites  due  to  ancestors  at  many  graves  in  succession.”  On 
one  occasion  a proxy  was  asked  by  an  audacious  missionary 
whether  he  thought  the  dead  did  not  suffer  greatly  from  hunger, 
seeing  they  had  only  two  meals  in  the  whole  year.  The  question 
made  the  proxy  angry  and  abusive. 

Much  as  atheism  and  various  forms  of  rationalism  have  done 
for  the  Chinese,  they  still  have  a horror  of  hungry  demons,  genii 
and  ghosts  of  departed  wicked  men.  They  have  no  end  of 
charms,  amulets  and  forms  of  disenchantment.  They  dread  the 
ghosts  who  have  no  children  or  friends  to  care  for  them.  The 
letters  of  the  younger  Pliny  show  how  the  Eomans  believed  that 
the  ghosts  of  the  unburied  dead  would  haunt  the  living.  As 
the  Buddhist  priests  are,  it  is  thought,  most  potent  in  laying 
these  ghosts  and  in  defending  the  people  against  all  kinds  of 
evil  demons,  their  services  are  in  great  request.  And,  naturally 
enough,  the  sapient  and  skeptical  disciples  of  Confucius,  how- 
ever much  they  may  at  times  laugh  to  scorn  these  jmests  and 
their  observances,  yet  in  the  time  of  fear  or  misfortune  they  are 
not  slow  to  resort  to  them  for  rescue  or  defence. 

Among  the  difficulties  the  Christian  missionary  has  to  encoun- 
ter are  the  love  of  money,  of  sensual  gratifications,  frivolity  and 
that  imbecility  of  mind  which  results  from  absolute  obedience- 
to  one  man.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  some  encouragements. 
Vice  is  not  here  made  a part  of  religion  5 obedience  and  industry 
are  everywhere  cultivated  j there  is  no  caste,  and  the  road  to 
advancement  is  open  to  allj  the  State  religion  is  one  of  mere 
ceremonies,  and  its  adherents,  therefore,  cannot  consistently 
persecute  sects  that  have  positive  beliefs  and  scruples  of  con- 
science. The  knowledge  of  reading  and  the  general  respect 


m 


TJIE  STOllY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


])ni(l  to  l)ooks,  ])roiniso  siico(‘ss  to  ]>ibl(3  and  tract  distribution. 
Indeed,  one  reproacli  tlie  (diinese  utter  ai^uinst  Cliristians  is, 
tliat  tbey  profanely  stc])  on  ])rint(‘d  ])a])er. 

The  prevalence  of  infanticide  vari(‘S  in  dilfenuit  i)laces.  In 
some  districts  about  one-fourtli  of  the  fcunale  infants  are  ])ut  to 
death;  in  the  worst  ])rovince  the  a\T‘ra^^e  of  this  hind  of  death 
is  about  forty  ])er  cent. 


Chinese  Goddess  of  Mercy. 


The  jHi  inanence  of  the 
Chin(‘S(3  Empire  has  been 
wronf>Iy  ascribed  to  the 
obedience  of  this  i)eople 
to  ‘Hhe  first  command- 
ment with  2)romise.”  This 
is  the  ojiinion  of  a jioxnilar 
Christian  preacher  of  to- 
day. And  yet  the  Chinese 
have  never  kept  this  com- 
mand. They  do,  indeed, 
honor  and  even  adore 
their  fathers,  but  not 
their  mothers.  For  wom- 
en three  obediences”  are 
required : While  maidens 
they  are  to  obey  their  fa- 
thers ; while  married,  their 
husbands;  while -widows, 
their  son,  or  sons.  It 
remains  for  Christianity, 
therefore,  to  emancipate 
Chinese  women  from  ser- 
vitude to  their  sons,  and 


to  (fxacl;  of  them  only  two  of  these  obediences,  and  those  regu- 
lat(*d  by  tin',  doctrines  and  2>i‘0cepts  of  the  New  Testament. 


BAPTIST  PRIORITY  IN  CHINESE  EVANGELIZATION.  499 


Among  Protestants,  Baptists  were  iierliaps  the  first  to  think 
of  evangelizing  ^^The  Middle  Kingdom.”  As  early  as  1805, 
William  Carey  proposed  to  send  his  son  Felix  and  Mr.  Mardon 
to  the  interior  of  China  hy  way  of  Deeca  and  Siam.  Upon  fur- 
ther consideration  and  counsel  the  idea  of  this  dangerous  exj)e- 
ditioii  was  abandoned.  But  in  180G  the  Kev.  Dr.  Marshman 
began  to  translate  the  Bible  into  the  Chinese  language,  and  in 

1822,  after  fifteen  years  of  labor,  he  carried  through  the  i)ress 
the  first  comi)lete  translation  of  the  Bible  into  this  tongue.  Bev. 
Dr.  Morrison  and  his  co-laborers  had,  indeed,  buuglingly  made  a 
manuscript  translation  of  the  Bible  in  1819,  three  years  before  j 
but  it  was  not  all  printed ; it  was  not  even  fully  revised.  Mr. 
Milne  spent  three  years  in  correcting  the  manuscript,  and  then, 
in  1822,  died,  leaving  the  book  of  Judges  and  II.  Chronicles 
unrevised.  i The  iwinting  was  not  finished  until  the  autumn  of 

1823.  The  Avhole  series  of  Scriptures  was  presented  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society  in  18245  whereas  Dr.  Marshmau’s 
Chinese  Bible  had  been  carefully  revised  by  himself  before  it 
was  published,  and  was  formally  presented  to  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  in  1822,  two  years  before.  Kor  was  the 
Chinese  Bible  of  Dr.  Morrison  a production  altogether  Protest- 

1.  The  attempt  to  give  Dr.  Morrison  the  honor  of  having  been  the  first 
English  missionary  to  study  the  Chinese  and  to  translate  and  print  the 
Bible  into  that  language,  has  resulted  in  gross  misstatements,  which  have 
been  repeated  for  many  years  without  contradiction.  These  began  in  the 
blunders  of  Dr.  Burder.  We  are  sorry  to  observe  that  even  Mr.  Gammell, 
in  his  excellent  History  of  American  Baptist  Missions  (note  p.  206),  has 
been  misled  by  Messrs. Medhurst  and  Williams,  Pedo-baptists  both.  We  may 
add  that,  on  the  other  hand,  Mr.  Medhurst  and  other  successors  of  Dr. 
Morrison,  as  we  have  seen,  condemned  the  version  of  the  latter,  as  unread- 
able, and  called  aloud  for  an  immediate  revision  of  it.  The  question  is 
sometimes  asked,  why  did  Dr.  Marshman  think  that  Serampore  was  the 
best  place  in  which  to  translate  the  Bible  into  Chinese?  The  answer  is  not 
far  to  seek.  One  of  the  reasons  given,  in  1815,  by  him  and  his  brethern  for 
this  undertaking  was  one  which  subsequent  events  abundantly  justified, 
namely,  that  Serampore  was  “ a place  secure  from  all  interruptions  from 
Chinese  edicts  and  mandates.” 


THE  «TORY  OF  3UPTIST  MISSIONS. 


.■>()() 

}ni<.  Jlis  translation  of  tlui  (rosja'Is  was  toniMlod  on  a lionnin 
Catliolic  llannony  of  the  (losi)els.  Tli(‘.  Acts  of  tin*,  Ai)Ostles 
and  all  the  rauline  epistl(*.s  exeei)t  Ih'brews  w(n‘(‘.  translat(‘d  by 
a,  Konian  (hitholie.  Of  thes(*.  i)arts  of  8(n  i])tin‘(‘.  he  nev(n-  [)ro- 
fessed  to  be  more  than  the  niei*(‘.  editor,  llesides,  it  shonld  be 
remembered  that  Mr.  Milne  translated  thirteen  books  of  tln^  Old 
Testament.  It  may  not  be  out  of  i)laee  here  to  mention  that  Dr. 
^lorrison’s  version  gave  little  satisfaction  to  the  Jiaptists  of 
hbigland  and  America.  They  learned  with  contemjd  and  deii- 
sion  that  in  translating  the  words  baptize  and  bajdism  ( for  he 
made  King  flames’ version,  and  not  the  Oreek  originals  his  first 
authority),  he  used  a Chinese  word  which  meant  wetting  or 
moisteuing,  thus  ignoring  the  distinctive  use  of  water  in  the 
sacred  ordinance.  We  eaniiot  here  revieAv  this  controversy.  We 
may  add,  however,  that  Dr.  Marshmaii  was  drawn  into  it,  and, 
ill  defending  his  translation  and  the  principles  on  which  it  was 
made,  acipiitted  himself  in  a candid  and  scholarly  manner. 
Some  of  his  adversaries,  tvho  were  more  eminent  by  position 
than  by  learning,  tried  to  fix  upon  him  the  stigma  of  iilagiariz- 
ing  from  Dr.  Morrison.  The  charge  was  as  groundless  as  it  was 
invidious.  Dr.  Marshman  was  known  and  respected  as  a Chinese 
scholar  before  Dr.  Morrison  had  acquired  any  reputation  in  that 
regard.  As  early  as  1816,  Dr.  Owen,  the  Secretary  of  the  Brit- 
ish and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  reminded  the  latter  of  the  import- 
ance of  enqiloying  all  the  light  he  could  get  from  the  labors  of 
his  brother  translator  at  Serampore.  It  is  curious  now  to  observe 
hmv  Dr.  Morrison  obtained  his  knowledge  of  some  of  Dr. 
]\Iarshman’s  renderings.  Thus,  M.  Eemusat,  the  great  French 
Orientalist  of  Paris,  being  one  of  Dr.  Marshman’s  regular  cor- 
res])ondents,  having  occasion  to  reply  to  Dr.  Morrison,  remarked 
(see  his  letter  of  May  2()th,  1817),  that  he  had  entered  into  a 
l uiiniiig  discussion  with  Dr.  Marshman  in  opposition  to  the  opin- 
ion of  th(i  bitter  that  the  Cddnese  word  ^^Shin”  was  the  best 
term  for  Cod.  Professor  Kidd,  the  eulogist  rather  than  the 


SUPEKIOKITY  OF  DR.  MARSHMAN’^^  WORK. 


501 


imi^artial  critic  of  Dr.  Morrisoifs  literary  labors,  considers  tliat 
tlie  latter  ^4ias  exercised  a sound  discretion  in  choosing  the  word 
^Shin/”  seemingly  ignorant  of  the  roundabout  way  Dr.  Morri- 
son obtained  Dr.  Marshmaids  mature  judgment  on  this  very 
important  (piestion. 

At  the  very  time  that  Dr.  Morrison  announced  to  Christendom 
that  he  had  comi)leted  his  translation  of  the  Bible  in  Chinese,  in 
very  fact  his  manuscript  was  in  a more  unfinished  state  than  was 
that  of  Dr.  Marshman  at  that  time.  The  meanness  and  malice 
of  some  sectarians  is  strikingly  illustrated  by  a passage  in  one 
of  Dr.  Milne’s  letters  to  Dr.  Morrison,  in  1820.  It  is  as  follows: 
“To  the  best  of  my  information,  the  chief  part,  if  not  the 
whole,  of  the  Serampore  Chinese  version,  has  been  done  by  Las- 
sar’s  hands — ours  by  our  own.”  The  widow  of  Dr.  Morrison,  to 
do  her  justice,  i)ublished  this  in  the  memoirs  of  her  idolized  hus- 
band. It  is  as  false  as  it  is  calumnious.  According  to  the  testi- 
mony of  his  eldest  son.  Dr.  Marshman  devoted  to  his  Chinese 
Bible,  for  fifteen  years,  every  moment  he  could  create  by  the 
most  rigid  economy  of  time,  and  often,  too,  by  encroaching  on 
the  hq^irs  of  rest.  Elsewhere  we  give  the  methods  of  work  pur- 
sued by  all  the  Serampore  translators.  Beyond  this,  it  was  not 
true,  as  we  have  seen,  that  the  version  of  Morrison,  Milne  and 
their  co-laborers,  Avas  theirs  by  their  oivn  hands^  as  is  here 
asserted.  It  is  curious  to  observe  hoAv  the  Christian  imblic  have 
been  decewed  by  the  ignorance  in  Avhich  they  have  been  kept 
concerning  the  difference  betAveen  making  a hurried  end  of  a 
manuscript  of  the  Bible,  which  afterwards  required  years  of  toil 
in  revision  before  it  was  tolerably  fit  for  the  jiress  ( although 
this  never  was  in  any  sense  fit),  and  the  jirinting  of  such  manu- 
script. As  early  as  1820,  the  Bev.  Dr.  George  Burder  writes  a 
letter  to  Dr.  Morrison  congratulating  him  on  “having  lived  to 
publish  a Chinese  Bible.” 

Dr.  Marshman’s  Chinese  Bible  was,  therefore,  foremost  in 
all  essential  points.  It  was  also  the  first  Chinese  work  ever 


502 


THE  STORY  OF  BARTIST  MISSION'S. 


printed  from  mov(‘al)l(‘.  metallic?  ty])(‘s.  i l)i’.  ^Moiaisoii  was  slow 
to  discover  the  siijceriority  of  this  iiiveiition,  hut  in  l.SdO  his  son, 
]Mr.  J.  Iv.  iMorrison,  and  ]\Ir.  (Intzlaff  scmt  a mannseript  N(?w  'r(‘s- 
tament  from  (diimi  to  S(*rampor(?,  that  it  might  lx?  ])i’int(‘d  fi'om 
these  imi)roved  ty])es.  Dr.  ^lorrison  was,  how(?v(‘r,  (jnick  to 
l)erceive  the  advantage  of  a IVdo -baptist  college?  in  (diina. 
Hence  his  Anglo-Cliinese  college,  in  imitation  of  the  baptist 
schools  at  !Serampor(*. 

It  is  a enrions  mark  of  the  notions  of  comity  that  weic?  (nder- 
tained  by  some  friends  of  missions  in  those  days,  that  Di-.  Alarsh- 
man  Avas  actually  reipu'stcMl  to  sto])  all  further  work  on  his 
trailslation  of  the  Chinese  liible,  on  the  ground  that  Dr.  ^Morrison 
had  commenced  his.  How  much  more  Avouhl  the  latter  and  his 
coadjutors  liave  accomplished  had  they  accejded  the  ])arts  of 
Dr.  Marshmaifs  Bible  as  they  Avere  translated,  and  occut)ied 
theniselAa‘S  in  i)reaching  and  teaching  the  same,  Avith  such  oral 
and  sacramental  ex])lanations  of  baptism  as  naturally  came  in 
their  Avay.  But  Dr.  Morrison  unhappily  set  the  examt)le  of 
attempting  impiwed  Aversions,  whi(?h  later  missionaries  Iuiax  not 
been  sIoav  to  folloAV.  J)r.  Francis  Mason  sets  this  matter  in  its 
true  light.  liaAT^,”  says  he,  ^Mieard  Dr.  ]\Iarshnian’s  transla- 
tion Avell  spoken  of  by  Chinese  missionaries,  but  it  Avas  not  satis- 
factory to  some;  so  Dr.  Morrison  made  another  Aversion.  This 
not  i)leasing  others,  a third  translation  Avas  made  by  Gutzlaft; 
but  neither  of  the  three  giAung  full  satisfaction,  Medhurst  made 
a fourth  complete  and  independent  translation.  After  these 
four  had  been  ])rinted  oft,  there  Avas  still  something  Avanting, 

1.  Dr.  Morrison's  translation  Avas  condemned  by  the  Pedo-baptist  mis- 
sionary, Dr.  Medlinrst,  and  by  his  friendly  native  Chinese  assistants,  as 
frerpiently  violating  the  idioms  of  the  Chinese  language.  Thus,  one  native 
Chinese  scholar  says-  “The Chinese  are  accustomed  to  say,  ‘Yon  with  me 
come  along,’  while  the  English  say,  ‘ You  come  along  Avitli  me.’  The  pres- 
ent version  translates  the  Chinese  words,  but  they  are  in  many  respects 
arranged  ac(‘ording  to  English  idioms.  If  the  translation  be  not  revised, 
J fear  that  tin?  ellbi-ts  of  missionaries  in  China  will  be  nnprodnetive,  and  a 
men;  waste  ol'  money.”  Sec  “Medhnrst’s  China,”  chap.  XXU. 


FOLLY  OF  MULTIPLYINO  VEESIONS  OF  SCRIPTURE.  503 


and  so  Bridgeman  undertook  a fifth  and  Goddard  a sixth.” 
How  unlike  was  this  to  the  Great  Teacher  and  His  apostles,  who, 
finding  the  Septuagint,  a very  imperfect  Greek  version  of  the  Old 
Testament,  in  common  use  in  the  synagogues  and  families  of 
Israel,  si)ent  no  time  in  criticising  it  or  in  making  an  improved 
version  (this  would  have  caused  the  Sun  of  Kighteousness  to  go 
hack  several  degrees  in  his  cloud-dispelling  career),  but  forth- 
with made  it  the  basis  of  their  sermons,  discussions  and  teach- 
ings. They  knew  that  right  api)rehensions  of  the  original 
Scriptures  depended  not  on  new  and  more  faithful  versions,  but 
on  a living  ministry,  who,  going  into  all  this  world  of  ignorance, 
neglect  and  change,  would,  by  word  of  mouth  and  by  symbolic 
ordinance,  teach  the  common  people  the  import  of  King  Mes- 
siah’s commands. 

Let  the  reader  take  particular  notice,  that  we  do  not  here  set 
down  a single  word  in  condemnation  of  the  necessity  of  making 
a version  in  a heathen  language,  where  one  is  not  already  in 
existence,  nor  ought  we  to  be  understood  as  undervaluing  what 
are  called  faithful”  versions.  Least  of  all,  do  we  intend  to 
convey  the  idea  that  our  Biblical  scholars  are  not  to  be  held  in 
the  highest  esteem.  What  we  deprecate  is  the  i)resent  rage  for 
new  versions  which  prevails  at  home  and  abroad,  as  well  in  our 
own  denomination  as  among  the  Pedo-baptists.  If  this  rage 
continues  to  spread,  the  day  seems  not  very  remote  when  many 
large  churches  will  have  their  own  peculiar  versions,  as  they 
now  have  their  own  home-made  hymnals.  Kow-a-days  too  many 
^^give  a liking  unto  nothing  but  what  is  hammered  on  their 
own  anvil.” 

Among  the  350,  000,000  of  China,  it  has  been  estimated  that 
there  are  about  14,000  converts,  most  of  whom  have  been  made 
since  the  opening  of  the  five  ports  in  1842.  The  learned  Eev* 
Dr.  James  Legge,  a missionary  in  China,  from  1839  to  1867,  under 
the  patronage  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  now  professor 

of  Chinese  at  Oxford,  England,  and  translator  of  the  Chinese 
35 


504 


THE  STOliY  OF  HAPTIHT  MISSIONS. 


I 


Classics,  lias  said,  ^^Tlie  coiiveids  liavc  laiiltipIicMl,  during  tliirty- 
live  years,  at  least  two  tliousaiid  fold,  tlie  rate,  of  iiuTease  l)einj; 
greater  year  l)y  year.  Hui)pose  it  sliould  eoidinue  th(‘.  saiiu*.  for 
the  other  thirty-five  years,  tlieii,  in  A.  1).  10h‘>,  lluai*.  will  lx*,  in 
China  2(),000,00()  of  coininunie.ants,  and  a jirofessedly  Christian 
cominnnity  of  100,000, 000.’^ 


A Chinaman’s  First  Attempt  to  Worship  Jesus. 


Tlie  missionary  in  India  and  China  often  encounters  a i^re- 
judice,  which  has  been  created  by  the  British  opium  traffic.  In 
1800,  Dr.  Scherewescky  of  the  American  Ejiiscopal  Mission, 
visited  the  capital  of  Honan,  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of  the 
remnant  of  the  Jews  residing  there.  A mob,  collected  by  the 
literati,  drove  him  from  the  city,  shouting  after  him,  You  killed 
our  Emperor 5 you  destroyed  our  Summer  Palace;  you  bring 
poison  here  to  ruin  us,  and  now  you  come  to  teach  us  virtue.” 
The  opinions  of  the  Emperors  of  China,  concerning  opiuni- 
sinoking,  are  Ireely  expressed  in  their  decrees.  As  the  govern- 
ment is  r(‘gard(Ml  as  paternal,  tlie  reigning  Emperor  is  considered 


THE  OPIUM  TKAPFIC. 


505 


responsible,  not  only  for  the  physical,  but  the  moral  welfare  of 
his  children.  The  founder  of  one  of  the  dynasties  thus  ad- 
dressed the  iieoi)le : When  guilt  is  found  anywhere  in  you  Avho 
occupy  the  myriad  regions,  it  must  rest  on  me.”  These  denounce 
opium-smoking,  as  a spreading  poison  of  very  injurious  effects. 
Before  the  Opium  War  with  Great  Britain,  they  repeatedly 
caused  many  chests  of  the  drug  to  be  seized  and  destroyed. 

In  India  the  sjwead  of  Christianity  is  not  so  much  hindered 
from  this  cause.  Before  the  British  gained  the  ascendancy  in 
Burmah,  the  use  of  the  drug  was  strictly  prohibited.  Prior  to 
the  introduction  of  the  British  rule  in  Arracan,  the  i)unishment 
for  using  opium  was  death.  Kot  only  the  Buddhists,  but  the 
Brahmins,  condemn  oiiium-smoking.  The  habit  prevails  most 
extensively  in  Hindustan,  among  the  Eajpoots  and  the  Sikhs, 
Avho  of  all  natives  are  least  friendly  to  Brahma  and  Buddha. 
In  India,  opium  is  manufactured  in  the  valley  of  the  Ganges, 
where  it  is  a government  monoi)oly,  and  on  such  table  lands  in 
Central  India  as  are  still  under  the  rule  of  the  native  chiefs. 
In  the  latter  the  cultivation  of  the  popi^y  is  only  restricted 
by  a duty  levied  on  the  opium  as  it  passes  through  the  British 
presidency  at  Bombay.  By  means  of  the  monopoly  in  Bengal, 
the  British  government  secures  to  itself,  not  only  the  tax,  but 
the  merchant’s  profit.  The  cultivators  of  the  poppy  in  Bengal 
enter  into  engagements  with  the  Government  agents,  to  sow  a 
certain  quantity  of  land  3 they  are  comi)elled  to  deliver  the 
whole  produce  at  the  agency,  and  are  paid  at  a fixed  rate,  accord- 
ing to  quality.  The  final  process  of  preparing  the  drug  in  balls 
for  the  Chinese  market,  is  conducted  at  the  two  central  agencies. 
In  1878-79,  the  chests  of  oiiium  exj)orted  from  India  were 
valued  at  £12,993,085,  giving  to  the  British  Government  a 
revenue  of  £7,700,000.  The  whole  of  this  is  exported  from 
British  India  to  China,  and  the  Chinese  settlements  in  the  Malay 
archipelago  or  Straits  settlements,  while  about  one-eleventh  of 


506 


TJIE  BTOJtY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


the  Avhole  exi)ort  to  T^eiiaiig,  Siiigapon*,  Java,  and  other 
places,  Avhere  the  resident  Chinese  are  tlie  cliief  consumers. 

Tlie  English  were  engaged  in  the  o])ium  trade  many  years  ago. 
Defoe,  who  puhlished  his  famous  hook  in  1710,  makes  Itohinson 
Crusoe  carry  opium  in  his  ship,  from  tli(‘.  Straits  to  China.  At 
that  time  the  Portuguese  had  the  monopoly  of  the  China  tradii, 
and  Defoe  regards  his  hero  in  the  light  of  a smuggler.  Tlie 
British  tratlic  Avith  China  in  this  drug  continued  the  smug- 
gling until  the  Opium  War  in  1840.  The  Chinese  Commissioner, 
Lin,  comxielled  Captain  Elliot  to  surrender  to  the  Imperial  Gov- 
ernment, 20,201  chests  of  oiiiiim,  valued  at  £2,000,000.  This 
opium  Avas  entirely  destroyed.  The  rest  of  the  narrative  is  Avell 
known.  Sullice  it  to  say  that  the  British  GoA^ernrnent  comiielled 
the  Chinese  authorities  to  receiA^e  their  importations  of  the  nox- 
ious drug 5 hut  opium-smoking,  though  generally  iiracticed,  is 
still  condemned  hy  the  hiAv  s of  China. 

The  effects  of  the  use  of  ojAium  on  the  i)eoi)le  have  been 
described  by  iihysicans  and  other  men  of  education,  iiatiA^e  and 
foreign.  An  old  Chinese  scholar  thus  summarizes  the  eAuls  of 
its  use  as  a luxury.  First,  it  destroys  and  shortens  life  j 
secondly,  it  unfits  for  the  discharge  of  all  duties;  thirdly,  it 
squanders  substance,  houses,  lands,  money,  and  sometimes,  it  is 
reported,  Avives  and  children  are  sold  to  obtain  it ; and  fourthly, 
it  retards  the  groAvth  of  the  i)oi)ulation.  The  children  of  opium- 
smokers  are  said  to  be  childless  in  the  third  generation.  More 
than  half  of  such  smokers  are  themselves  childless,  and  the 
other  half  have  fewer  children  than  others,  and  their  off'spring 
seldom  liA^e  to  become  old  men.” 

The  habit  is  said  to  groAV  insidiously  and  rapidly,  into  uncoii- 
(puuuble  strength;  for  the  amount  of  the  drug  must  be  con- 
tinually increased  to  ])roduce  its  pleasurable  effects,  so  that 
moderation  in  its  use  is  in  many  cases  A^ery  difficult,  if  one  has 
the  means  of  an  abundant  siqqily.  While  it  commonly  does  not 


THE  OPIUM  TRAFFIC. 


507 


madden  its  victims^  yet  it  is  said  to  make  the  Malays  quarrel- 
some, and  to  lire  the  Eajpoots  with  an  insane  ferocity. 

Physically,  the  habit  degrades  the  structure  of  those  nervous 
centres  on  whicli  it  has  the  most  powerful  iulluence.  As  the 
immoderate  opium  smoker  takes  very  little  food,  the  result  is 
an  unnatural  mode  of  nutrition  j the  nervous  matter  tends  more 
and  more  towards  degeneration.  The  changes  thus  induced 
may  either  lead  to  a sudden  riq^ture  of  the  brain  fibres,  or  to  a 
gradual  shrinking  of  the  brain  or  spinal  cord,  or  both.  As  the 
nervous  tissue  is  thus  contracted,  ib  presents  a narrower  surface 
to  the  action  of  the  narcotic  j hence  the  increased  demand  for  the 
narcotic  to  i)roduce  the  former  amount  of  pleasure. 

The  full  discussion  of  all  the  most  important  aspects  of  this 
question  would  require  volumes.  In  1874  was  formed  in  London 
the  Anglo-Oriental  Society  for  the  Suppression  of  the  Opium 
Trade,  numbering  among  its  vice-presidents,  council  and  com- 
mittee, many  of  the  most  distinguished  men  in  England.  Its 
secretary,  Eev.  E.  S.  Turner,  has  written  an  octavo  on  the 
“ British  Opium  Policy  and  its  Eesults  to  India  and  China.^^  He 
contends  that  England  ought  to  abandon  the  opium  monopoly, 
as  indefensible  on  moral  grounds ; that  she  should  suppress  both 
the  cultivation  of  the  poppy  and  the  exportation  of  the  drug ; 
that  the  best  way  to  suppress  the  business  is  by  heavy  taxation ; 
that  she  should  retrace  her  stejDS,  and  cease  from  coercing  the 
Chinese  to  buy  her  opium  j that  justice  requires  her  to  assume 
the  costs  of  such  a reform  j for  as  the  inhabitants  of  India  are 
not  responsible  for  the  growth  of  the  opium  revenue,  they  should 
not  be  compelled  to  suffer  the  consequences  of  its  loss.  Her 
repentance  should  not  redound  to  the  injury  of  the  innocent.  In 
the  course  of  the  discussion,  Eev.  Mr.  Johns  and  Hr.  Lockhart 
are  quoted  as  proposing  the  root-and-branch  remedy  of  prohibi- 
tion of  the  growth  of  the  poppy,  except  for  direct  medicinal  use. 
To  the  objection  that  heavy  taxation,  by  forbidding  the  consumxD- 


Tim  STORY  OF  RAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


r>()8 

tion  of  ()j)iuiii  save  at  ^reat  cost,  Avould  kill  imiltitiidcis  of  flip 
l)oor  Chinese  thus  suddenly  deprivcMl  of  the  narcotic,  Mr. 
Turner  replies  that  the  o])iuin-sinokers  iuv.  killiiij^  theinselves 
already,  and  that  if  China  could  hy  tluiir  sudden  death  he 
delivered  finally,  once  for  all,  from  this  vice,  tin*,  jnhje  jiaid  for 
emancipation  Avonld  not  he  too  high.  Ihit  still  he  disavows  all 
thoughts  of  cruelty,  and  maintains  that  he  goes  for  such  taxa- 
tion on  the  free  production  of  opium,  as  Avill  jiractically  jirevent 
India  from  further  attempts  to  make  the  iiojiiiy  crop  a source  of 
livelihood  and  profit.  As  for  China,  she  could,  if  she  must,  raise 
her  oAvn  iioppies  or  hny  her  opium  in  the  commercial  market, 
lie  contends  that  England  should  remove  this  stain  from  her 
reputation,  and  this  harrier  to  the  spread  of  Cliristianity.  He 
Avarns  her,  that  if  she  uoav  refuses  to  do  right  hy  renouncing  her 
opium  reA^enne,  she  may  he  forced  again  to  fight  for  it,  and 
rehaptize  her  drug  jirofits  in  Chinese  hlood.” 

AVe  may  add  that  the  oiiinm  hahit,  A\dien  once  deeply  seated,  is 
perhaps  proof  against  any  medicines  that  have  hitherto  heen 
administered.  At  this  stage  of  dehasement  ahstinence  from  the 
drug  is  often  fatal  to  the  Adctiin.  Hence  the  difficulty  some  of 
our  missionaries  liaA^e  encountered  in  attemiiting  tlie  reformation 
of  some  of  the  Chinese  converts.  In  his  earlier  labors  in  Siam, 
Hr.  Dean’s  mission  suifered  severely  from  the  defection  of  a Chi- 
nese discijile  whom  he  attempted  to  reform.  In  1882  a young 
American  ship-master,  ignorant  of  the  fact  above  stated,  was 
assassinated  hy  tAvo  Malays,  one  a steward,  the  other  a cook^ 
from  whom  he  had  taken  away  their  opium.  Made  insane  hy 
priAmtion,  they  killed  their  captain  and  assaulted  the  crew,  who 
in  self-defense  dispatched  the  Malays,  and  threw  their  bodies 
into  the  sea. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 


MISSIONS  IN  CHINA. 

I. — Mr.  Shuck  Dedicates  himself  to  Missions. — His  Birthplace  and  Educa- 
tion.— At  Macao,  Hong  Kong  and  Canton. — The  first  Foreign  Mission- 
ary of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention. — Sudden  Death  of  Dr.  James 
and  his  Wife. — The  First  to  Plant  a Station  in  the  Interior. — His  Return 
to  Labor  among  the  Chinese  in  California. — His  Death. — His  Widow  and 

Son. II, — Mr.  Roberts’  Conversion  and  Settlement  in  the  South. — 

Goes  out  as  a Missionary  to  China. — Labors  among  Lepers. — Amusing 
Extracts  from  his  Journal. — Takes  part  in  a Chinese  Rebellion. — Notices 

of  the  Rebellion. — Returns  to  the  United  States  and  Dies  of  Leprosy. 

III. — Dr.  Macgowan  Establishes  a Medical  Mission  at  Ningpo. — His 
Twenty  Years  of  Service. — Successors. — Present  State  of  the  Ningpo 

Mission. — Summer  Retreats  in  the  Hills. IV. — Rev.  Miles  J.  Knowl- 

ton. — A Vermonter  and  a Graduate  of  Madison. — His  Twenty  Years  of 

Missionary  Toil  in  China. — “Tlie  Confucius  of  the  West.” V.— Mr. 

Yates. — Birth  and  Education. — Goes  to  Shanghai. — His  Relation  to  the 
Chinese  Rebellion. — Official  Honors. — Translates  the  New  Testament 
into  a Popular  Chinese  Dialect. — Personal  Appearance. — Singular  Ad- 
ditions to  his  Stature. VI. — Mr.  Goddard. — A Postscript  Blessed  to 

the  Conversion  of  his  Father. — Birth  and  Education. — Events  in  the 
Earlier  Life  of  his  Wife. — Goes  out  to  Siam. — Services  as  a Translator. 

— Death. — His  Character  Delineated  by  Dr.  Dean. VII. — Mr.  and 

Mrs.  Graves  at  Canton. — A Forty  per  Cent.  Increase  in  Three  Years. — 

Difficulties. — A Chapel  Mobbed. — Miss  McCown  and  Mrs.  Yates. 

VIII. — Later  Labors  of  British  Baptists  for  the  Conversion  of -the  Chi- 
nese.— They  Enter  China  Proper  in  1859. — Picture  of  the  King  of  Hell. 
— The  Massacre  at  Tientsin. — The  Agency  of  the  Jesuits  in  that  Affair. 
How  Protestant  Missionaries  were  Compromised. — Medical  Missions. — 
Present  State  of  the  Mission . — The  American  Mission  at  Swatow. 

1. 

^/JKt  the  close  of  a ml^'sionary  meeting  a contribution  was 
called  for  as  usual  j the  boxes  went  the  rounds  and 
returned;  in  counting  the  contents  the  deacons  found  silver, 
bank-notes,  gold  and  one  card.  On  it  was  written  the  word. 
Myself.  ‘^Who  put  in  this^”  inquired  the  deacons  of  each 
other.  “ A young  man  back  in  the  congregation,”  replied  one  of 
them.  This  young  man  had  not  long  before  been  converted;  he 


510 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


could  not  ^,nve  silver  or  ^,^old  to  the  cause  of  missions,  but  made 
a more  valuable  olfering:  he  gave  himself. 

John  L.  Rhnclv,  the  snliject  of  this  anecdote  and  the  first 
American  Baptist  missionary  to  China,  was  born  at  Alexandria, 
Ya.,  September  4th,  1812.  Little  is  known  of  his  youth  except 
the  fact  that  he  was  educated  at  the  Virginia  Baptist  Seminary, 
now  Bichmond  College.  Tie  went  out  to  China  under  the  ])atron- 

age  of  tlui  Board  of  the 
Tri  en  n ial  C oi  i v(ii  1 1 i on , 
embarking  in  Se] Mem- 
ber, 1835,  and  after  tar- 
rying at  several  i)oints, 
reached  Macao  just  one 
year  after  his  embarka- 
tion. AVhile  in  Macao 
he  baptized  the  first 
Chinese  converts,  of 
whom  we  shall  have 
something  to  say  in  fu- 
ture pages.  He  began 
to  preach  in  that  city 
in  1839,  and  in  1840 
preached  in  several 
houses,  in  the  streets, 
and  in  an  idol  temple, 
ttie  same  time  giv- 
ing  away  many  tracts. 

In  1842  Mr.  Shuck  took  refuge  in  Hong  Kong,  a city  that 
had  just  come  under  the  protection  of  England.  Here  he 
was  blessed  with  an  ingathering  of  nineteen  converts,  none  of 
whom,  however,  were  natives.  Kemoving  to  Canton,  where 
Mr.  Boberts  had  already  started  a mission,  he  organized  what 
was  known  as  ^^The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Canton.” 

Ml-.  Slinc.k  attracted  very  general  notice  in  1845,  by  being  fore- 


JOHN  L.  SHUCK  IN  CHINA. 


511 


most  of  tlie  foreign  missionaries  of  tlie  Sontiiern  Bai)tist  Con- 
vention. All  tlie  rest  cast  in  their  lot  with  the  Missionary 
Union.  Of  his  visit  to  the  United  States  we  speak  elsewhere. 
Upon  his  return  in  1817  he  was  transferred  to  the  Shanghai  Mis- 
sion. He  made,  however,  a short  visit  to  Canton,  and  found  the 
little  church  in  a better  state  than  he  feared j for  which  he 
exclaimed,  God  be  praised ! ” By-the-bye,  the  year  following, 
Mr.  Eoberts  being  about  to  visit  America,  thought  it  would  be  a 
good  thing  to  unite  this  church  with  the  Uet-tung  church,  which 
he  had  himself  organized.  But,  as  almost  always  happens  in  such 
cases,  this  union  begat  nothing  but  trouble.  This  is  the  more 
curious,  as,  according  to  his  own  account,  the  First  church  at 
that  time  consisted  of  only  three  members.  He  seems  not  to 
have  considered  that  only  one  wronged  and  oppressed  Baptist  is 
sufficient  to  commence  pulling  down  a church,  and  so  making  no 
end  of  noise  and  dust.  Hear  reader,  hearken  to  the  voice  of 
experience : never  attempt  to  drive  two  swarms  of  bees  into  one 
hive. 

In  1848  Mr.  Shuck  met  with  a sad  disappointment.  A Chris- 
tian iihysician  being  much  needed,  J.  Sexton  James,  M.  D.,  of 
Philadeliihia,  was,  along  Avitli  his  wife,  sent  out  to  China.  They 
sailed  in  E'ovember,  1847,  and  reached  Hong  Kong  in  March, 
1848.  Sailing  thence  to  Canton,  they  took  jiassage  in  a schooner 
for  Shanghai.  The  A^essel  was  capsized  in  a sudden  squall,  and 
the  missionary  and  his  wife,  who  were  in  the  cabin,  went  down 
with  the  vessel.  Mr.  Shuck,  who  had  receded  several  letters 
from  Hr.  James  after  he  landed  at  Hong  Kong,  was  anxiously 
wishing  for  his  arrival.  The  present  writer  happened  to  be  at 
the  residence  of  his  father,  Israel  E.  James,  Esq.,  in  Philadel- 
phia, at  the  time  he  received  the  news  of  the  sudden  death  of 
his  son  and  his  wife.  The  agony  we  then  witnessed  put  new 
meaning  into  the  deprecation,  From  sudden  death,  good  Lord, 
deliver  us.” 

When  some  of  the  Chinese  ports  were  opened  to  Christian 


512 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


preacliiiif^,  it  was  undorstood  tliat  Christian  Avorship  was  to  be 
tolerated  at  those  ports  only.  Bnt  in  1850  ]\Ir.  Slinck  ventured 
to  establish  a station  at  Oo-Kah-JaJcj  twelve  miles  from  the  city. 
Adverting  to  this  in  one  of  Ids  hitters,  lie  said : “Let  the  brethren 
bear  in  mind  that  the  Fadeign  IMission  Hoard  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention  was  the  tirst  Ib’otestant  Board  of  Missions 
in  the  world,  avIio  ever  lield  i)r()perty  and  gain(‘d  a ])ermanent 
footing  in  the  interior  of  China.  This  is  a decided  advance  in 
the  work  of  missions  in  this  land.” 

In  addition  to  his  other  services,  lie  imblished  ten  Chinese 
tracts.  The  death  of  liis  second  wife  brought  him  home  with  ^lis 
bereaved  children.  AVishing  to  be  Avithin  hailing  distance  of  his 
little  ones,  in  1853  he  resigned  his  connection  Avith  the  foreign 
board,  and  in  1854  acceided  an  ai^pointment  from  the  domestic 
board  of  the  Sonthern  Baptist  CoiiA’cntion,  to  labor  among  the 
Chinese  in  California,  AAdiere  he  labored  for  scAxm  years  Avith 
considerable  success.  lie  baptized  AAdiile  there  sixteen  Chinese. 
The  hrst  coiwert,  AVongMni,  returned  to  Canton  and  did  faithfnl 
seiwice  as  a natiAX  preacher.  lie  died  recently  at  Canton,  and 
the  First  Baptist  Chnrch  of  Charleston  has  ordered  a mon- 
ument to  be  erected  at  his  graAX.  Mr.  Slmck  died  at  Barnwell 
Conrt-honse,  Soiitli  Carolina,  August  20th,  1803.  lie  AA^as  thrice 
married.  Ilis  first  Avife  was  Henrietta  Hall ; his  second,  Lizzie 
Sexton  j his  third,  Anna  L.  Trotti.  The  last  accompanied  him  to 
California,  and  is  now  living  AAnth  his  son,  Bev.  Dr.  L.  H.  Shuck, 
who  is  pastor  of  tlie  Baptist  church  in  Paducah,  Kentucky. 

II. 

The  first  American  Baptist,  if  not  the  first  Baptist  missionary 
in  Canton  Aras  Issachar  J.  Boberts.  lie  AA^as  born  in  Tennessee, 
1802.  Being  converted  and  baptized  in  1821,  he  pursued  studies 
])r(*i)aratory  to  the  ministry  in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  He 
S(dtl(Ml  in  AIississi])pi,  Avhere  he  0AAm(‘d  jiroperty  said  to  be  AAxrth 
thirty  thousand  dollars.  This  proiierty  he  made  the  basis  of  the 


ISSACHAR  J.  ROBERTS  IN  CHINA. 


513 


Eoberts  Fund  Society/^  on  the  strength  of  which  he  went  as  a 
missionary  to  China  in  1836.  The  donation  proving  eventually 
to  be  of  little  value,  he  connected  himself  with  the  Board  of  the 
Triennial  Convention. 

He  was  a man  of  great  audacity, 4f  not  valor.  Arriving  at 
Macao,  he  labored  partly  as  a saddler  and  partly  in  preaching  to 
a congregation  of  lejiers.  Moravian  missionaries  had  done  this 
at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  but  it  was  on  condition  that  they 
should  share  the  lot  of  these  unfortunates,  and  no  more  return 
to  society.  But  for  some  cause  Mr.  Eoberts  was  not  laid  under 
any  restrictions,  and  he  imposed  none  on  himself.  It  would 
appear,  however,  that  some  of  his  fellow  laborers  feared  that 
leprosy  was  contagious,  and  therefore  did  not  care  to  associate 
with  him.  Thus,  in  his  journal  we  find  this  entry : I feel  very 
lonely.  The  missionaries  seldom  come  to  see  me  j and  Brother 
Pearcy,  to  whom  I ai)plied  for  board,  thinks  we  can  love  each 
other  better  apart.^^  For  some  seven  years  we  find  him  now  at 
Macao  and  again  at  Hong  Kong.  In  1844  he  started  a church 
in  Canton,  of  six  or  seven  members.  Soon  after  he  leased  a lot, 
built  a chapel  and  mission-house,  and  had  collected  one  thousand 
dollars  for  this  purpose.  He  had  also  obtained  a floating  chapel, 
where  worship  was  maintained.  He  acknowledged  the  receipt 
of  a church  bell  from  Kew  York.  In  the  year  following,  a Chi- 
nese mob  assaidted  his  house,  destroyed  the  church  records,  and 
sunk  his  floating  chapel.”  Some  of  the  entries  in  his  journal 
are  marked  by  amusing  simplicity  and  frankness.  Thus,  Sent 
plum-pudding  to  sister  Pearcy,  and  two  rattan  chairs  to  sister 
Clopton  as  Kew  Year’s  gifts,  and  received  pleasant  letters  in 
return.”  * * * Brother  Johnson  and  myself  improved  a 

short  time  to-day  playing  ball  and  pitching  quoits.  Preached 
before  breakfast  to  eighteen  lepers.  I would  by  no  means  sell 
my  knowledge  of  the  trade  of  making  saddles  5 for  it  makes  me 
independent,  in  my  judgment,  as  I can  thus  make  my  own  sup- 
port.” Another  item  illustrates  a national  characteristic  of  the 


514 


THE  STORY  OF  JJAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Chinese,  which  otliers  liave  mentioned.  ^‘Fell  tliron^li  floor  of 
a lionse  over  the  river,  witli  a child,  into  tlni  nind  waist  deep. 
Nobody  ollered  assistance.  AVlam  (extricated,  J was  ])olitcly 
asked  if  I wonld  have  a boat;  ami  was  then  chargced  for  the 
sail  1 e . T h i s i s ( d 1 i 11  ese  chu  r a cter ! ” 

JMr.  Itoberts  was  nnhajipily  draAvn  into  the  ^meat  Chinese 
rebellion  of  1850-1804.  The  insnr^j^cent  JInng,  the  sovcerei^n  of 
the  new  empire,  had  been  a piijiil  of  onr  missionary,  from  whom 
he  had  acipiired  some  knowledge  of  the  Christian  ixdigion.  The 
origin  of  the  war  Avas  religions.  While  a candidate  for  literary 
examinatimi  as  condncted  liy  the  government,  he  was  moved  by 
a dream,  together  Avitli  the  dennnciations  of  the  Bible  against 
idolatry,  to  shatter  an  image  of  Confucius  in  the  Examination 
ITall  at  Canton,  and  to  urge  his  (Mmiiianions  to  go  forth  in  all 
directions  and  follow  his  examjde.  In  a little  Avhile  hundreds  of 
idols  were  cast  down  and  many  temiiles  destroyed.  When  the 
authorities  attempted  to  arrest  Hung,  they  Avere  resisted  by  his 
adherents,  Avho  replied:  ‘WVe  refuse  dictation  as  to  Avhat  Ave 
shall  AAmrshix).”  Thousands  turned  away  from  the  worship  of 
idols  and  thousands  more  became  breakers  of  images.  “ A De- 
claration of  Eights,”  embodying  the  First  Commandment,  was 
drawn  up,  and  around  it  the  leaders  knelt,  sword  in  hand,  and 
aiipealing  to  God  swore  to  defend  it  with  their  lives.  The  Scrip- 
tures were  printed  and  circulated  among  the  troops.  Grace  was 
said  at  meals,  and  Christian  worship)  regularly  maintained  in  the 
camp.  By  April,  1851,  Hung’s  forces  numbered  a well-organized 
army  of  twelve  thousand  men.  He  assumed  various  titles, 
among  which  were  ^^The  HeaA^enly  Prince”  and  ^^The  Holy 
Ghost.”  Some  rare  particulars  of  this  rebellion,  not  found  else- 
Avhere,  may  be  read  in  EeA^  Dr.  Tux)x)er’s  History  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Foreign  Missions,  [pp.  88,  181,  189,  228].  In  1860,  Mr. 
Eoberts  Avent  to  Nanking,  the  capital  of  the  revolutionists.  He 
Avas  off(*i(‘d  the  i)osition  of  Minister  of  Foreign  Adairs.  He 
ndiised  all  civil  ollices,  but  accepted  the  juivilege  of  free  access 


MEDICAL  MISSION  AT  NINGPO. 


515 


to  all  and  passage  througli  the  rebel  territory,  not  only  for  him- 
self, but  for  men  of  all  religions.  This  revolutionary  leader  also 
abolished,  by  decrees,  all  idolatry.  Of  Mr.  Eoberts’  sanguine 
expectations  and  romantic  projects  it  is  necessary  to  say  but 
little.  In  due  time  the  catastrophe  arrived.  Mr.  Eoberts  tied 
from  Nanking  for  his  life,  and  narrowly  escaping  death,  safely 
reached  Shanghai.  He  had  discovered  that  his  old  pui)il  was 
crazy.  He  denounced  the  rebels  as  robbers,  deserving  no  sym- 
pathy from  foreigners.  Mr.  Eoberts  returned  to  the  United 
States  in  1866.  His  wife  had  come  home  in  1855  with  her  two 
children,  Lillie  and  Issachar,  and  now  resides  in  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri. 

Mr.  Eoberts  died  at  Upper  Alton,  Illinois,  December  28,  1871. 
As  was  to  have  been  expected,  the  cause  of  his  death  was  leiirosy. 
In  his  last  moments  he  said,  I shall  not  be  live  minutes  in  the 
dark  valley.”  His  attendant  said,  “ Can  you  see  the  heights 
beyond?  ” He  replied  with  emphasis,  They  are  so  bright  that 
these  eyes  cannot  behold  them,  until  they  are  prepared  for  the 
sight.” 

III. 

The  Ningpo  mission  laid  its  foundation  in  the  hearts  of  the 
Chinese  rather  than  in  their  intellects.  It  commenced  by  estab- 
lishing a medical  hospital.  S.  J.  Macgowan,  M.  D.,  of  New 
York,  arrived  in  1843,  and  labored  alone  in  this  department  four 
years.  In  eight  months  of  the  year  1844,  as  many  as  2,139  cases 
of  disease  were  treated  j in  1849  the  number  was  as  high  as  12,- 
956.  In  the  same  year  the  first  native  convert  was  bai)tized. 
This  pious  i)hysician  took  every  opportunity  that  was  given  to 
apply  to  broken  hearts  the  balm  of  the  Gospel.  In  1863  Dr. 
Macgowan  retired  from  the  mission,  so  that  for  more  than  ten 
years  this  truly  Christlike  branch  of  missionary  service  was 
neglected,  until  1875,  when  the  Eev.  S.  P.  Barchet,  M.  D.,  was 
sent  out  to  revive  and  sustain  it. 

The  other  missionaries,  besides  those  already  mentioned,  who 


THE  STORY  OF  RAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


5H> 

liave  labored  in  connection  witli  tlie  JSTin^^po  mission,  are  tlie  Jlev. 
E.  O.  Lord,  ]vev.  JVI.  J.  Knowlton,  Jtev.  Ilorjic.o  Jenkins,  K(*v. 
Karl  T.  Kreyer,  Jlev.  M.  A.  Chnrcliill,  and  otlnns.  In  1872  the 
lirst  Baptist  Association  in  China  was  formed,  consisting,  at  that 
time,  of  six  churches. 

The  report  of  the  Kingim  mission  for  1884  gives  tlie  following 
statistics:  Ordained  native  jireachers,  tliree;  nnordained,  tenj 
Bible  Avomen,  sixj  chnrches,  7;  ba^itized,  sixteen ; members,  253. 

Hr.  Lord,  of  this  mission,  commends  retreats  among  the  hills 
for  the  hot  and  unhealthy  months.  It  is  jirobable  that  not  a few 
of  onr  mission  stations  in  Asia  Avill,  in  no  long  time,  establish 
such  refuges;  and  the  increase  of  railroads  in  the  East  must,  in 
many  cases,  bring  the  latter  into  near  and  easy  communication 
with  these  stations.  ^K)iir  retreat  among  the  hills,”  writes  Hr. 
Lord,  has  come  to  be  regarded  here  as  an  institution  of  much 
promise.  Already  three  of  our  four  missions  located  at  Ningpo 
have  secured,  or  are  securing,  dwellings  there  suitable  for  their 
accommodation  during  the  heat  of  Summer;  and  several  jiersous 
outside  of  the  mission  have  done,  or  are  doing,  the  same.  * * 

It  will  not,  of  course,'  prevent  missionaries  from  getting  ill,  nor 
relieA^e  them  from  the  necessity  of  returning  home;  but  one 
cannot  doubt  that  it  will  serve  to  lessen  both  these  evils.” 

In  October,  1883,  the  BeA^.  Joseph  S.  Adams,  formerly  of  the 
China  Inland  Mission,  but  accei^ted  as  a missionary  of  the  Uniom 
was  ordained  at  Kingpo,  and  in  November  moved  with  his  family 
to  occupy  KinhAva,  a neglected  but  iiromising  held  tAVO  hundred 
and  hfty  miles  from  Kiugpo. 

The  aggregate  hgures  of  the  Chinese  missions  connected  with 
the  Union  in  1884,  are  as  follows:  eleven  male  and  fourteen 
female  missionaries ; se\^en  ordained  natiA^e  preachers ; thirty- 
eight  unordained;  eighteen  churches;  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  baj)tized;  1,373  members. 


REV.  M.  J.  KNOWLTON  AT  NINGPO. 


517 


lY. 

The  Kev.  Miles  J.  Knowlton,  D.  D.,  the  excelleiit,  well-heloved 
and  successful  missionary  of  Ningpo,  China,  ^yas  horn  at  West 
Wardshoro,  Yermont,  Fehruary  8th,  1825.  In  youth  he  loved 
mathematics,  and  ’svon  a i)rize  for  x:)roficiency  in  this  study.  He 
was  converted  in  1838,  during  a revival  in  the  little  church  of 
which  his  earnest  and  strong-minded  mother  was  a member.  He 
pursued  and  completed  his  academic  studies  in  a seminary  in 
Townshend,  Yermont.  He  entered  Madison  University  in  1817, 
and  was  graduated  in  1851.  He  then  passed  into  the  theological 
department  of  the  university,  and,  after  pursuing  the  regular 
course,  was  graduated  in  1853.  As  a student  he  was  distin- 
guished for  great  industry  and  perseverance,  as  well  as  for  piety, 
earnestness  and  self-forgetting  devotedness.  During  his  last 
year  at  Hamilton,  he  did  good  service  in  a great  revival 
which  visited  that  village.  It  had  been  his  intention  to 
become  a home  missionary;  but  before  he  finished  his  theo- 
logical course,  he  was  moved  to  seek  an  appointment  to  labor 
in  Burmah.  The  Board  of  the  Missionary  Union,  however, 
determined  to  send  him  to  China,  which  was  at  that  time  a very 
unattractive  field,  but  he  was  not  slow  to  abandon  his  cherished 
plan,  and  set  out  for  that  great  Empire.  He  embarked  for 
Xiugpo  December  10th,  1853,  Avith  his  wife,  Luc}^  Ann  St.  John, 
of  Danbury,  Connecticut,  and  the  Bev.  E.  C.  Lord  and  his  wife. 
Soon  after  his  arrival  in  Ningpo,  in  1854,  the  mission  was  called 
to  suffer  a great  loss  in  the  death  of  its  head,  the  Eev.  Josiah 
Goddard.  In  1854  Mr.  Knowlton  made  a missionary  trip  to  the 
Island  of  Cliusan,  about  thirty  miles  from  B^ingpo.  On  this 
island  he  established  a mission,  and  on  December  10th,  1854, 
baptized  his  first  convert.  As  an  evangelist  he  was  very  suc- 
cessful : in  the  course  of  his  twenty-one  years  of  service  he 
baptized  nearly  three  hundred.  AYlien  Mr.  Knowlton  entered 
China  a civil  Avar  Avas  raging,  and  Avas  not  extinguished  for  many 
years  after.  In  1801  it  SAvej)t  over  Mngpo.  It  was  a time  of 


518 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPT  1ST  MISSIONS. 


^reat  alarm  and  danger.  Mrs.  Kiiowltoii’s  nervous  system 
received  sncli  a sluK^k  that  li(*r  ])liysieian  s(*nt  luir  liome.  to 
America  for  restoration.  After  remaininf^  in  lier  native  land 
two  years  she  returned  to  China.  Mr.  Knowlton’s  first  and  last 
visit  to  this  country  was  made  in  J870,  after  fifteen  years  of 
exhaustive  labor.  He  was  aceomiianicsl  by  his  Avife  and  only 
surviving  child,  Antha.  The  health  of  ^Frs.  Knowlton  had  again 
become  seriously  impaired.  His  two  years  of  sojourn  in  his 
native  land  were  crowded  with  engagements.  His  tongue  and 
pen  AAcre  much  employed  on  missionary  themes.  He  delivered 
a course  of  lectures  before  several  colleges  and  seminaries. 
These  he  collected  in  a volume  in  1872,  and  gave  to  the  press 
under  the  title  of  ^^The  Foreign  Missionary;  his  Field  and  his 
Work,’’  to  Avhich  A\ms  appended  his  iiremium  tract,  China  as  a 
Mission  Field.”  This  tract,  together  Avith  his  chai^ters  on  the 
men  reipiired  for  the  foreign  Avork,  on  the  nature  of  the  foreign 
mission  work,  and  the  trials  and  comforts  of  a foreign  missionary 
life,  AY  ill  be  of  A^ery  considerable  A^alue  to  the  student  of  to-day, 
if  read  in  connection  Avitli  later  iiroduetions  of  the  same  class 
With  characteristic  zeal  at  this  time  he  labored  in  revivals, 
particularly  in  Vermont  and  in  his  own  native  town;  not  Avithout 
con  Averts,  whom  he  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  little 
church  of  his  youth.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Knowlton  returned  to  China 
in  1872.  They  sailed  from  San  Francisco,  and  arrived  in  Kingpo 
after  a voyage  of  about  four  weeks.  But  he  was  soon  to  finish 
his  course.  After  two  years  of  further  toil  he  died  unexiDectedly^ 
of  the  disease  of  the  climate.  Alas,  said  Hr.  Macgowan,  ^^that 
he  did  not  restrain  his  zeal!  He  undertook  to  perform  the 
labors  of  two  Avell-conditioned  men,  and  thereby  prematurely 
expended  the  large  stock  of  force  with  which  he  was  endowed.” 
AVhile  on  his  Ausit  to  this  country  he  became  conAdnced  that  the 
Pacific  railroad,  crossing  the  rugged  Sierra  KcAmda  and  the  lofty 
lioeky  .Mountains,  Avas  a fulfillment  of  the  proxihecy  in  Isaiah 
lb:  11:  ^^1  will  make  all  my  mountains  a Avay,”  etc.  This  view 


REV.  M.  L.  YATES^  D.  D.,  OF  SHANaHAI. 


519 


waSj  he  heklj  confirmed  by  the  next  verse : Behold,  these  shall 
come  * * from  the  land  of  Sinim.’’  Sinim  v as  the  ancient 

Hebrew  name  for  China.  Thongli  called  home  to  heaven  at  the 
age  of  forty-nine,  he  left  behind  him  in  Kingpo  a great  name. 
His  Chinese  friends  regarded  him  as  the  Confncins  of  the  West. 
The  Chinese  language,  we  are  told,  admits  of  no  panegyric  equal 
to  this. 

Y. 

A man  of  mark  under  the  patronage  of  the  Southern  Board,  is 
Kev.  Matthew  L.  Yates,  D.  D.,  of  the  Shanghai  mission.  Born 
in  North  Carolina,  Jannary  8th,  1819,  he  was  converted  at  a 
camp-meeting  in  1836,  and  soon  after  bajitized.  His  attention 
was  first  directed  to  the  heathen  world  soon  after  his  conversion, 
from  reading  the  Memoirs  of  JMrs.  Ann  H.  Judson,  a book  which 
Kev.  Luther  Kice  circulated  in  many  parts  of  the  South.  Fre- 
quentl}",’’  says  he,  ^^did  1 weep  for  hours  while  following  my 
l)lough  or  using  my  trowel,  when  1 would  reflect  that  tlie  i^oor 
heathen  who  knew  nothing  of  Christ,  the  only  Saviour  of  the 
world,  must  die  and  api)ear  before  God,  and  be  judged  according' 
to  their  works  in  this  world.”  Kather  than  let  his  brothers  and 
father  see  him  weeping,  he  would  often  leave  his  business  and  go 
into  a grove  for  the  i)nri)ose  of  inquiring  what  the  Lord  would 
have  him  do. 

At  length  he  told  his  father  that  when  he  came  of  age,  he 
intended  to  go  to  school  if  he  had  to  make  brick  by  moonlight  to 
pay  his  way.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  sold  his  horse,  his  only 
available  property  ; the  money  he  tlins  received  enabled  him  to 
go  to  an  academy  for  one  year.  While  at  school  he  discovered 
that  it  was  his  duty  to  prepare  for  the  Gospel  ministry,  and  with 
this  view  the  Baptist  State  Convention  of  North  Carolina  sent 
him  to  Wake  Forest  College,  where  he  graduated  in  1846,  with 
much  honor.  The  same  year  he  was  married  and  designated  to 
missionary  service  in  China.  In  1847  he  embarked  for  his  field, 
and  arrived  at  Hong  Kong  in  August,  proceeding  at  once  to 


THE  STORY  OF  RAl’TIST  AIISSIONS. 


ol>() 

Slinii;;li}H,  wliere  lie  Ims  been  stationed  about  seviMi-and-tliirty 
years.  Tliree  years  alba-  his  arrival,  tlici  civil  var  leil  by  lluiij,^, 
one  of  the  former  jinjiils  of  th(‘.  JJev.  Mi’.  Ivolxats,  broke  ont  in 
China.  The  eoimnotions  occasioned  by  this  war  Avere  a ^o’eat 
hiiidranee  to  missionary  Avoik.  The  idol-breakin<?  in  which  the 
revolutionists  indul'^ed  was  shockiniL»’  and  t(*rrifyin^^  to  a large 
section  of  the  iieople.  Messrs.  Yates,  Ivoberts  and  CraAvford 
were  at  lirst  in  full  symiiathy  Avitli  tlie  revolutionists,  and 
regarded  them  as  making  a noble  struggle  against  idolatry  and 
in  behalf  of  religious  liberty.  In  1853,  ]\Ir.  Yates  baptized  a 
young  relative  of  one  of  the  insurgent  chiefs  AAdiile  on  his  Avay  to 
Yanking,  then  the  rebel  capital.  The  same  year  he  gave  aid 
and  comfort  to  a nephcAV  of  one  of  the  five  kings  under  Hung. 
The  insurgents  having  got  iiossession  of  Shanghai,  they  Avere 
besieged  by  the  imperial  forces,  and  the  fighting  AAms  in  sight  of 
the  residence  of  iMr.  Yates.  • lie  Avitnessed  sixty-eight  engage- 
ments. At  last  the  imperialists  took  possession  of  the  city.  The 

Long  Hairs,”  as  the  insurgents  Avere  called,  shaved  their  heads 
and  escaped  by  night.  During  the  fights  the  mission  iiroiierty 
was  destroyed,  for  AAhich,  lioAveA^er,  the  mission  afterAvards  re- 
ceived full  indemnity. 

In  1856  ]\Ir.  Yates  baptized  Wong  Ping  San,  aaIio  afterwards 
distinguished  himself  as  a ATuy  etficient  preacher.  For  five 
3T‘ars  (from  1860  to  1865),  ]Mr.  Yates  and  the  other  missionaries 
in  China  were  much  obstructed  in  their  work  by  ciAul  war  in 
China,  and  in  the  Laiited  States  as  well.  They  largely  supported 
themselA’CS  by  their  secular  labors,  but  in  part  from  the  continued 
aid  of  Maryland  and  Kentucky.  In  1861  Mr.  Yates  wrote;  ‘‘The 
troops  are  still  here,  and  we  can  expect  to  do  fiut  little  for  the 
next  tAvo  or  three  years.”  He  says  that  eighty  thousand  people 
d(^stroyed  their  oAvn  lives,  thinking  the  rebels  must  be  monsters, 
because  tiny  had  dared  to  treat  the  gods  Avith  such  contempt 
and  violence.  At  last,  in  July,  1861,  the  “Long  Hairs”  aaxu’c 
subdiK'd  and  Nanking  capitulated,  “ Thus,”  obser\u\s  iMr.  Yates, 


DR.  YATES^  SERVICES  IN  CHINA. 


521 


was  crushed  out,  by  foreign  aid,  a rebellion  which  in  its  begin- 
ning xiromised  so  much  for  Christian  civilization,  and  the  friendly 
intercourse  of  foreign  nations  with  all  parts  of  the  emxiire.” 

From  18G9  to  1875,  Mr.  Yates  was  affected  with  a disease  of 
the  vocal  organs.  At  first  he  sought  relief  in  a voyage  to  Man- 
churia and  America.  During  his  absence  from  Shanghai  in  18G9, 
the  native  preacher,  ]Mr.  Wong,  was  left  in  charge  of  the  mission, 
and,  with  the  very  efficient  aid  of  Mrs.  Yates,  contributed  to  the 
uxibuilding  of  the  little  native  church.  In  1871  he  was  again 
compelled  to  seek  in  travel  a remedy  for  his  feeble  voice,  which 
for  months  was  a mere  whisper,  lie  came  liome  by  the  overland 
route,  and  returned  by  way  of  San  Francisco.  Losing  his  voice 
again  in  1873,  he  accepted  the  position  of  Yice-Consul  at  Shang- 
hai, and  Chinese  interpreter  for  the  United  States.  He  appro- 
jiriated  all  the  profits  of  his  secular  offices  ( about  $3,000)  to  the 
building  of  a beautiful  and  substantial  chaxiel,  also  a xiarsonage 
for  the  native  xiastor,  Mr.  Wong.  In  187G  he  was  offered  the 
position  of  Consul-General.  As,  however,  he  could  not  acceiit 
without  giving  n^)  the  work  of  his  life,  he  refused  the  office  with 
its  honors  and  emoluments.  Hapxiily,  however,  his  voice  was 
now  fully  restored,  and  he  was  able  to  preach  again  with  regu- 
larity. Finding  no  Scrii)tures  in  the  vernacular  of  the  iirovince, 

the  spoken  language  of  the  i)eoiile  of  this  idain,”  he  has  trans- 
lated the  books  of  the  Yew  Testament  into  a dialect  which  is, 
it  seems,  spoken  by  about  forty  millions  of  xieople.  The  South- 
ern Board  bear  the  exx)ense  of  their  x>nblication. 

Mr.  Yates  was  the  first  to  commence  Baxitist  missionary  work 
at  Shanghai.  He  is  still  x>ermitted  to  carry  forward  with  his 
usual  activity  and  force,  his  various  beneficent  enterxirises  ] and 
is  resolved  to  labor  in  that  field  until  the  jMaster  calls  him  home. 
In  1884  he  says:  “We  have  increased  the  area  of  our  work 
tenfold,  and  men  and  means  should  be  increased  iji  more  than, 
corresxionding  ratio.” 

As  for  his  x>ersonal  appearance,  when  a young  man  he  was 


522 


tup:  story  of  baptist  missions. 


(lescribed  as  boiiig  a few  iiiebes  over  six  feed  bid'll,  strai^^ht, 
broad-eliested,  and  jneliiied  to  bo  S])are,  with  (‘y(‘S  and  liair 
blaek,  and  an  agreeable  eountenanee.  Wlien  Mr.  Yates  went 
out  to  Cliina,  at  tlie  age  of  seven-and-tw(nityj  liis  Innglit  we  are 
told  Avas  marked  on  the  door-post  of  his  fatlnu’s  hons(‘.  On  his 
return  a few  years  ago,  he  Avas  found  to  be  an  iinth  higher.  1I(; 
AA^ent  to  China  again,  and  returning,  aft(U‘  an  absenee  of  eleven 
years,  he  had  groAvii  tAvo  inches  more. 

The  l^eA^  Dr.  Yates  is  highly  est(*emed  by  his  felloAV-mission- 
aries  in  China.  A Presbyterian  missionary  in  Avriting  home 
testifies  that  he  is  lAliysicall^^,  mentally  and  morally  at  the  head 
of  the  Protestant  missionaries  of  that  empire,  although  there  are 
several  hundreds  of  them,  all  told. 

YI. 

lie  Avho  encamps  on  the  crests  of  the  mountains  for  tlie  first 
time,  aAvakes  early  in  order  that  he  may  witness  the  first 
dawnings  of  the  morning.  Let  not  the  reader  suppose  that  be- 
cause Ave  so  often  iuAute  him  to  mark  well  the  mountain  toAvers 
of  our  missionary  history,  we  are  indifferent  to  loAver  heights,  and 
esiiecially  to  the  earliest  gleams  of  that  light  without  which  the 
highest  iieaks  as  well  as  the  lowest  valleys  are  alike  coAUired  by 
a deluge  of  darkness.  During  the  great  revival  in  Boston  which 
commenced  in  1803,  an  obscure  young  woman,  the  first  convert 
l)ai)tized  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  wrote  a letter  to  her  female  friend  in 
AVorcester,  IMass.  In  a postscrijit  (so  often  the  most  important 
part  of  a letter)  she  added  a single  sentence  to  the  husband  of 
her  friend,  then  an  uncouA^erted  man.  That  sentence,  we  are 
told,  Avas  the  means  of  his  coiiA^ersion.  That  man  was  David 
Goddard,  afterwards  for  six-and-twenty  years  pastor  of  the  Baji- 
tist  cliureh  in  Wendell,  Mass.,  and,  A\diat  is  more  to  our  imrpose, 
the  father  of  the  Eev.  Josiah  Goddard,  the  glory  of  the  Kingpo 
mission  and  the  learned  translator  of  the  Kcav  Testament  into 
th(‘.  language  of'  Cliina. 


REV.  JOSIAH  GODDARD  AT  NINGPO. 


523 


Our  distinguished  missionary  was  horn  at  Wendell,  Mass.,  Get. 
27tli,  1813.  He  became  a member  of  the  church  of  which  his 
father  was  pastor  in  1831,  and  graduated  at  Brown  University  in 
1835.  After  completing  his  course  of  theological  study  at  'New- 
ton in  1838,  he  was  ordained,  and  a few  weeks  after  he  married 
Miss  Eliza  Ann  Abbott,  who  had  for  some  time  previous  been 
residing  in  the  family  of  the  celebrated  Professor  Eipley.  Her 
early  history  is  of  mu(;h  interest.  For  one  incident  in  it  we  are 
indebted  to  Eev.  Dr.  S.  E.  Smith.  In  earlier  years  she  labored 
for  a season  in  a cotton  factory  near  Boston.  A fellow  Christian 
in  the  same  mill,  who  made  herself  poor  that  she  might  make 
many  rich,  perceiving  that  her  youthful  friend  had  talent  and  a 
missionary  spirit,  out  of  her  scanty  earnings  and  through  great 
self-denial,  depriving  herself  even  of  necessary  food  and  clothing, 
paid  the  exi)enses  of  the  education  of  her  young  Christian  sister 
at  the  best  schools,  and  lived  long  enough  to  know  that  she  was 
prepared  to  do  effectual  work  for  Christ  in  China.  And  thus 
the  poor  spinner,  Avliose  heart  burned  with  love  to  the  Lord 
Jesus,  though  she  was  perhaps  never  ten  miles  from  home,  gave 
this  young  missionary  to  a life  of  toil  for  the  heathen  on  the 
other  side  of  the  globe.” 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goddard  reached  Siam  in  1840.  Two  years  later 
he  became  pastor  of  the  first  Chinese  church  at  Bangkok.  In 
1848  he  suffered  from  a severe  attack  of  bleeding  of  the  lungs, 
which  threatened  his  lifej  but  he  so  far  recovered  that  lie  was 
able  to  remove  his  family  to  the  cooler  climate  of  Eingpo.  He 
had  already  begun  to  translate  the  Scriptures  into  the  Chinese. 
At  one  time  a idan  was  formed  for  securing  a catholic”  trans- 
lation by  the  united  labors  of  a committee  of  the  missionaries  of 
all  denominations  in  China.  This  could  have  been  done  in  the 
twelfth  century,  when  there  was  as  yet  no  question  about  the 
Greek  terms  for  baptize  and  baptism^  but  it  could  not  be  done  in 
the  nineteenth,  when  the  Pedo-baptists  had  become  so  chop- 
pingly  sectarian  as  to  cut  themselves  off  from  the  universal  usage 


TIIK  HTORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


5l>4 

of  the  (ireek  nnd  Itommi  churches  (luring  so  many  centuries; 
cut  themselves  off  from  the  mcxhaai  (lr(‘(*k  clinrch  in  all  its 
hraiiches,  including-  the  IJussian,  and  from  the  vast  and  ever- 
growing l>a])tist  denomination — y(‘S,  and  cv(*n,  as  r(*gards  tlie 
clergy  of  the  church  of  England,  cut  themselves  off  from  olx^di- 
eiice  to  the  requirenumts  of  tlunr  own  rubrics  and  from  lid(;lity  to 
their  ordination  vows.  jMr.  (loddard  was  among  the  translators 
who  were  selected  to  make  this  “ catholic”  version.  JJut  finding 
it  was  to  be  rather  a Eomau  than  a (Ireek  catholic  translation, 
the  Baidist  missionaries  set  about  obtaining  an  inde])endent 
version,  and  acc^ordingly  ]\Ir.  Goddard  devot(‘d  himself  to  tliis 
work.  Ill  1853  he  completed  the  ISTew  Testament,  and  proceeded 
on  the  Old  as  far  as  Leviticus. 

The  Kev.  J.  K.  Wight  has  left  us  an  affecting  xiroof  of  the 
kindness  of  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Goddard.  In  the  Si)ring  of  1854,  Mr. 
and  ]\Irs.  AVight  were  obliged  for  the  sake  of  health  to  leave 
China.  ^‘AVe  had,”  says  he,  the  alternative  of  leaving  our 
youngest  child,  a babe,  behind,  or  else  submitting  to  the  pros- 
pect of  burying  it  in  the  ocean.  Though  the  Goddards  had  a 
young  tamily  of  their  own,  and  were  both  in  feelile  health,  they 
cordially  Avelcomed  our  little  one,  and  treated  it  in  every  respect 
as  if  it  wen‘.  their  own.” 

Air.  Goddard  died  on  the  4th  of  Sept., 1854.  lie  left  four  child- 
ren, who  with  their  mother  returned  to  America  in  1855.  Airs.  G. 
died  at  Providence,  llhode  Island,  on  the  28th  of  Alovember, 
1857.  Their  son,  Eev.  J.  E.  Goddard,  returned  to  Xingpo  in  18G8, 
and  is  carrying  forward  the  missionary  work  instead  of  his  la- 
mented i)areuts.  Dr.  Dean  says  of  Air.  Goddard : In  person  he 
was  the  exemplification  of  the  adage  that  ‘ A^aluable  commodities 
are  ])ut  up  in  small  parcels.^  He  was  short  and  thin,  of  pale 
comi)lexion,  with  features  and  movements  nmrked  by  rectangles, 
rather  than  by  curved  lines.  AVhen  seated  in  a common  chair 
he  needed  a footstool ; but  in  intellect  he  was  a tall  man.  His 
natives  (Midowmcmts  W(‘r(‘.  superior;  his  education  Avas  extended 


MR.  GODDARD'S  CHARACTER  AND  WORK. 


and  tliorougli^  liis  study  of  the  Chinese  language  was  patient 
and  successful  5 his  knowledge  of  the  sacred  languages  and  liter- 
ature was  accurate  and  familiar,  and  he  brought  to  his  work  a 
large  share  of  common  sense  and  sound  judgment,  as  well  as  a 
warm  heart  and  high-toned  Christian  principle.” 

The  second  revised  edition  of  Mr.  Goddard’s  translation  of  the 
New  Testament  in  the  Chinese,  after  having  been  approved  by 
the  missionaries  of  the  Union  and  of  the  Southern  Board  in 
China,  was  in  1883  brought  tlirough  the  press,  having  the 
imprint  of  the  Missionary  Union.  The  first  edition  of  this  trans- 
lation was  published  in  1872,  by  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society. 

YU. 

In  June,  1880,  Eev.  and  Mrs.  Graves,  of  the  Canton  Mission, 
returned  to  America  after  eight  j^ears  of  exhausting  toil.  Mr. 
Graves  has  served  as  missionary  in  China,  in  the  employ  of 
the  Southern  Board,  for  twenty  - four  years.  Both  returned 
to  China  in  the  fall  of  1881,  after  an  absence  of  eighteen 
months.  According  to  Mr.  Graves’  report,  the  number  of 
converts  to  Christianity  had  increased  forty -two  per  cent, 
during  the  previous  three  years.  The  Protestant  churches  of 
China  contained  between  eighteen  and  nineteen  thousand  mem- 
bers, and  there  were  about  three  thousand  Chinese  Baptists.  A 
short  time  before  his  visit  to  his  native  land.  Dr.  Graves  estab- 
lished a station  at  Tsing  Ene.  In  August,  1880,  the  chapel  was 
assaulted  by  a mob,  while  the  members  were  gathered  in  wor- 
ship. The  chapel  was  greatly  damaged,  and  some  of  the  mem- 
bers were  beaten  with  stones.  The  native  assistant  had  to  leave 
the  city  at  night  under  guard  of  soldiers.  After  several  months 
of  delay  the  missionaries  got  possession  of  this  chapel.^  On  th-eir 
first  return  to  it  they  found  the  doorway  bricked  up  and  entrance 
denied.  Thereupon  a native  assistant  called  the  few  scattered 
members  together,  and  begged  the  Lord  to  direct  and  helj)  them. 
Then  they  went  to  the  chapel,  pushed  the  bricks  out  of  the  door- 


520 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


way^  went  in  and  removed  tlie  rnbbisli,  and  re-dedicated  tlie 
place  by  holding  a three  days’  prayer-meeting.  J^ist  of  all,  the 
native  preacher  went  to  the  magistrate  and  asked  him  to  issue 
a i:)roclamation  warning  the  people  not  to  molest  tlie  (diristians 
in  their  house  of  worship.  The  officer  immediately  coinjilied 
with  the  request.  In  ISSO  the  persecutions  in  the  Canton  dis- 
trict caused  three  native  converts  to  leave*,  their  homes  and  go  to 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  where  they  could  serve  (lod  nnmolested. 

The  difficulty  of  evangelizing  the  Chinese  is  asserted  by  some 
of  the  missionaries  in  terms  that  are  worthy  of  onr  consideration. 
^^It  does  seem,”  says  Dr.  Yates,  “as  if  the  process  of  converting 
the  Chinaman,  of  bringing  him  to  the  ])oint  of  clearly  ajipre- 
hending  and  aiipreciating  the  love  of  Cod  in  Christ  Jesus,  is  a 
long  one.”  Dr.  Crawford  holds  that  “Christendom  will  yet 
learn  that  a great  heathen  nation  is  not  easily  converted  to 
Christ,  and  will  be  the  better  for  the  lesson.” 

Miss  Eutli  McCown,  of  Virginia,  is  about  to  linish  her  medical 
studies  in  Philadelphia,  preparatory  to  practice  in  Shanghai  in 
connection  with  the  mission  in  that  city.  JMrs.  Yates  has  a girls’ 
school  in  the  same  city.  She  does  not  allow  any  foot-binding. 
Some  parents  do  not  send  their  daughters  to  the  school,  because 
“they  cannot  give  up  the  gentility  of  small  feet.” 

This  Chinese  mission  is  sending  Christian  workers  to  other 
lands.  In  1882  Dr.  Graves  writes:  “One  of  the  church-members 
is  a colporteur  in  Calcutta 5 the  Canton  church  is  i^etitioned  to 
give  two  Chinese  preachers  to  California  and  Oregon.”  One  was 
already  pastor  of  a Chinese  church  in  Portland,  Oregon,  with 
a membership  of  seventy.  The  Kev.  J.  B.  Hartwell  was,  in 
1884,  still  laboring  among  the  Chinese  in  San  Francisco. 

In  1884  eleven  new  names  were  reiiorted  by  the  Southern 
Board  as  added  to  their  list  of  American  missionaries.  In  no 
one  year  in  the  history  of  the  Convention  have  so  many  foreign 
missionaries  been  enrolled  by  the  Board. 


I^RITISH  MISSIONS  IN  CHINA. 


527 


yr. 

British  Baptists,  as  we  have  seen,  were  the  first  Protestants  to 
attempt  to  commence  a mission  to  China,  and  the  first  to  trans- 
late the  entire  Bible  into  the  Chinese  language.  Bnt,  from  vari- 
ous causes,  it  was  not  until  tidings  reached  England  that  Lord 
Elgin  had  effected  a treaty  with  the  Chinese  government,  that 
they  took  up  the  subject  as  one  demanding  immediate  atten- 
tion. Previously,  missionary  exertions  had  been  confined  to  the 
natives  of  China  residing  in  the  Eastern  Archipelago,  or  in  out- 
lying places.  But  in  1859  Messrs.  Klockers  and  Hall,  both 
acquainted  with  the  language,  offered  their  services  for  this  field, 
and  were  accepted.  The  new  port  of  Chefoo  was  finally  fixed 
upon  as  the  best  i)lace  for  a station.  By  the  yeai'  1807  a small 
native  church  of  twenty  members  had  been  gathered,  and  in  two 
neighboring  villages  a permanent  footing  had  been  gained.  At 
Hankhiau  the  first  convert  was  a Buddhist,  who  for  ten  years 
had  daily  worshipped  a picture  of  the  King  of  Hell,  with  the 
hope  of  securing  a mitigation  of  the  punishment  of  his  sins. 
Soon  after  his  conversion  he  sent  the  picture  to  Mr.  Laughton, 
with  the  message  that  Jesus  had  released  him  from  the  burden 
of  his  sins.  His  confession  of  Clirist  was  followed  by  i)erse- 
cution,  but  he  remained  steadfast  in  the  faith  of  the  Gospel. 

Between  the  years  1808  and  1873,  this  mi'ksion  suffered  severe 
reverses.  The  death  or  removal  of  all  the  early  laborers,  and 
the  frightful  massacre  of  French  Boinaii  Catholic  missionaries 
at  Tientsin,  for  a while  brought  all  missionary  operations  to  a 
stand.  For  a time  it  seemed  probable  that  missionary  labor 
must  thenceforth  be  confined  to  the  treaty  i)orts. 

It  was  reasonably  expected  that  the  Chinese  authorities  would 
exclude  all  foreigners  from  the  interior  of  the  Empire.  Foreigners 
in  China  are  under  the  protection  of  the  nations  to  which  they 
belong,  and  yet  they  are  exposed  to  violence  from  local  uprisings 
for  which  the  paternal  monarch  at  Peking  is  held  accountable. 
Eoman  Catholic  missionaries  throughout  the  Empire  (taking 


528 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


advantage  of  a clause  in  the  treaty  made  witli  the  Frencl) 
government— a clause  said  to  have  been  snrre])titiously  intro- 
duced) claimed  for  their  converts  exemi)tion  from  the  control  of 
tlie  local  authorities.  Some  of  the  Catholic  priests  assumed  the 
titles,  the  dress  and  the  authority  of  nmndarius,  and  even 
claimed  the  restoration  of  jiroperty  belonging  to  the  Jesuits  and 
conliscated  centuries  ago.  As  the  Chinese  authorities  and  i)eoi)le 
saw  that  the  missionaries  of  Christ  Avere  all  Europeans,  they 
were  at  first  slow  to  discriminate  between  Catholics  and  Protest- 
ants. But  they  are  beginning  to  learn  that  Protestant  mission- 
aries do  not  claim  for  their  converts  protection  in  Avrong-doing, 
nor  encourage  them  to  disobey  the  laws  and  mandates  of  the 
ciAul  poAver. 

As  the  excitement  attending  the  massacre  at  Tientsin  abated, 
missionary  excursions  in  the  interior  Avere  resumed,  and  Mr. 
Bicliard  ventured  as  far  north  as  IManchooria,  or  that  part  of 
Southern  Tartary  Avhicli  is  uoaa^  subject  to  the  Chinese  goA^ern- 
ment.  Once  nomadic,  tlie  people  are  now  giA^en  to  agriculture. 
Chinese  farmers  are  migrating  to  this  region,  where  there  are 
vast  tracts  of  wild  land.  The  professed  religion  is  Buddhism, 
but  a A^ery  large  proportion  of  the  inhabitants  are  Moslems. 
The  lAopulation  is  thinly  scattered  over  regions  that  for  the  most 
l^art  know  no  cultivation.  Mr.  Bicliard  was  permitted  to  preach 
without  molestation,  and  to  disseminate  freely  the  kernels  of  the 
eternal  kingdom.  Formerly  it  was  not  thought  prudent  to  try 
to  translate  the  Scriptures  within  the  bounds  of  the  most  exclu- 
siA^e  and  intolerant  of  empires.  But  now  Bible  colporteurs  can 
disperse  the  Scriptures  throughout  the  Em^iire  from  centre  to 
circumference. 

The  British  Baptists,  in  imitation  of  their  American  brethren, 
in  1870  appointed  Dr.  BroAvn  as  a medical  missionary.  The 
]>rincipal  mission  is  still  Chefoo.  In  1880  there  Avere  three 
missionaries,  nineteen  chapels  and  about  fiA^e  hundred  members. 


AMERICAN  MISSION  AT  SWATOW. 


520 


The  missionaries  at  Swatow  are  translating’  the  Bible  into  the 
colloquial  language.  The  common  people  can  understand  but 
very  little  of  classical  translations  which  are  designed  for  the 
learned  and  the  gentry  of  the  emxiire.  In  another  year,  it  is 
hoped^  the  entire  Hew  Testament  in  the  colloquial  style  will  be 
in  readiness  for  the  printer.  In  December,  1883,  the  Eev.  S.  B. 
Partridge  writes : “ Mr.  Ashmore  and  I returned  this  week  from 
a trixi  of  about  two  weeks  in  the  region  northeast,  the  farthest 
station  being  about  seventy  miles  distant.  Hear  the  station  we' 
climbed  a mountain  about  three  thousand  feet  high.  A x>lain 
about  ten  miles  long  by  two  wide  lay  at  our  feet,  in  which  I 
counted  one  hundred  and  twenty -five  villages,  not  taking  xiains 
to  count  them  all.  In  not  one-tenth  of  these  villages  has  the 
Gosxiel  ever  been  x^i'cached.  * * * Ten  miles  further  on^ 

there  is  a similar  xfiain,  which  I snxqiose  no  foreigner  ever  vis- 
ited. There  is  ]io  end  to  onr  oxix^ortnnities.  There  are  more 
than  six  thousand  towns,  villages  and  hamlets  in  this  field.” 
The  statistics  of  this  mission  in  1884,  were  as  follows : Out-sta- 
tions, 31  j 97  baxitized ; membershixi,  010. 

In  1884,  Miss  Adele  M.  Pielde,  of  this  mission,  was  in  the  United 
States.  Iler  addresses  on  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Chi- 
nese women  awakened  fresh  interest  in  woman’s  work  among 
this  peox)!e. 


A Bovvl  of  Rice. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 


JAPAN ITS  KEIJGIONS  AND  MISSIONS. 

Shinto. — Sacrifices. — Burials  in  a Sitting  Posture — The  Sun-goddess. — The 
Sacred  Mirror. — Buddhism. — Tlie  Emperor  at  once  a God  and  a Medi- 
ator.— The  Three  Couplets  of  Commands. — Mechanical  Prayers  to 
Spirits. — Deceiving  the  Demon  of  Small-pox. — Temiile  of  Ameda. — 
Attempts  of  the  Jesuits  in  Japan,  and  their  Expulsion. — Trampling  on 
the  Figure  of  the  Cross. — Com.  Perry’s  Xaval  Expedition  to  Japan. — 
Mr.  Goble  in  Japan. — llev.  Dr.  Xathan  Brown  and  other  Missionaries 
go  to  this  Land. — A Japanese  'VToman  brings  to  the  Mission  an  Armful 
of  Idols. — Bible  Study  compulsory  in  Buddhist  Schools. — Bright  Hopes. 

TITHE  EAKLIEST  Iviiown  religion  of  Japan  was  like  tlnit  of 
China,  a kind  of  Shainanisin.  It  is  termed  jShinto  or  Sinto, 
— ^^the  doctrine  of  the  gods,”  or  ‘theology.”  Tlie  primitive 
Shinto  temple  Avas  a small  hnt,  ridge-pole  and  cross-beams, 
coA^ered  with  grass-thatcli.  The  doors  and  AvindoAvs  Avere  holes 
coA^ered  at  times  Avith  mats.  The  floor  was  of  hardened  earth, 
with  a fire  in  the  centre.  It  had  no  images  or  emblems  within. 
The  later  temples  had  mirrors  of  metal  hung  ii])  in  them,  before 
which  the  Avorshippers  offered  their  prayers.  These  mirrors  be- 
long, not  to  primitiA'e  Shamanism,  but  are  i)ecnliar  to  the  later 
Shintoism.  Their  origin  is  obscure,  and  the  cnrrent  legends 
AA'ere  probaldy  iiiA^ented  to  account  for  their  use  in  the  temples. 
According  to  the  legends,  this  mirror  was  a present  from  the 
siin-goddess  to  the  great-grandfather  of  the  present  Emperor  of 
Jai)an.  Concerning  it  she  said,  ^^Look  upon  this  mirror  as  my 
spirit;”  or,  according  to  another  story,  she  said,  Should  you  at 
any  future  time  desire  to  see  me,  look  in  this  mirror.” 

Anciently  the  patriarch  Avas  priest  and  proifiiet,  and  the  wor- 
ship) seems  to  liaA^e  been  offered  to  the  Suiireme  Spirit;  but  in 
later  times  this  degenerated  into  the  idolizing  of  the  Kaniis  or 
demi-gods.  In  old  times  animals  AATre  killed  for  sacrifice,  but 


THE  SHINTO  FAITH  OF  JAPAN. 


531 


after  the  advent  of  Buddhism,  about  the  middle  of  the  sixth 
Christian  century,  the  animals  were  not  slaughtered,  but  were 
hung  Lip  before  the  temple  and  then  set  free,  and  thenceforth 
were  considered  sacred.  Hence  deer,  especially  stags,  at  length 
came  to  be  protected  by  law  against  all  violence ; for  if  a man 
killed  any  of  the  species  of  animals  that  had  thus  been  suspend- 
ed by  the  legs  before  the  temples,  he  coidd  not  certainly  know 
that  it  was  not  one  that  had  been  offered  to  the  demi-gods.  In 
later  times,  white  horses,  boars  and  cocks  also  became  sacred. 
Before  each  temple  was  a perch  or  roost  for  chanticleers  to  pre- 
note  the  break  of  day.  In  earlier  ages  these  fowls  were  probably 
offered  in  sacrifice  to  the  demi-gods  or  Kamis.  Hence  foxes,  the 
natural  enemies  of  the  chanticleers,  are  believed  to  be  either 
devils  or  the  abodes  of  devils. 

Another  thing  which  is  now  partl}^  succeeded  by  cremation, 
is  that  method  of  burial  which  dates  back  to  the  age  of  Shaman- 
ism. The  body  is  buried  in  a sitting  posture  and  the  hands 
folded  as  if  in  the  attitude  of  prayer.  As  many  of  the  aborigines 
of  Il^'orth  America  were  buried  in  the  same  manner,  it  is  one 
l)roof  among  many  of  the  origin  of  the  Bed  Men  of  the  West. 
Whoever  desires  to  trace  further  this  clue,  will  find  matter  of 
great  interest  in  the  IS’otes  and  Ai)x)endices  of  ^^The  Mikado’s 
Emiiire,”  by  Professor  Griffis,  to  whose  admirable  volume,  with 
his  other  writings,  we  are  indebted  for  some  of  our  information 
on  this  subject. 

The  chief  object  of  worship)  is  Amaterasu^  the  sun-goddess. 
The  i)rincipal  temples  are  at  Ise,  in  which  was  enshrined  the 
mirror  given  by  the  sun -goddess  to  the  great-grandfather  of  the 
first  emperor  and  brought  down  from  heaven  by  him. 

The  primitive  Shintoism  has  been  almost  all  merged  in  the 
Buddhism  which  early  gained  the  ascendancy  in  Japan.  The 
Mikado  or  Emperor,  according  to  this  religion,  is  a god,  and  a 
descendant  and  representative  of  the  gods  who  created  Japan. 
The  Emperor  is  a hierarch,  who  offers  up  daily  prayers  for  his 


533 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


people^  and  these  ])etiti()ns  are  sni)])osed  to  lx*  more  efl'ectiial 
than  those  of  his  snl)Je(hs.  Tlie  ])riests  r(‘e.eiv(‘,  th(*ir  rank  and 
titles  from  the  Emperoi-.  In  LSO.S  an  att(mii)t  Avas  made  to  re- 
store the  Shinto  faitli  to  its  original  ])nrity,  and  to  make  it  tlie 
religion  of  the  State  and  of  all  the  ])(*o])l(i.  This  reform,  or 
attempted  return  to  tlie  old  religion,  was  not  v(‘ry  suecessfnl. 
A mixture  of  Buddhism  and  the  philoso])hy  of  Confueius  had  so 
leavened  the  peojde  that  practieally  it  could  not  he  S(?])arated 
from  Shiutoism.  This  i)artial  failure  did  not,  however,  prevent 
the  Mikado  from  being  still  regarded  as  the  religious  law-giver 
and  high-priest.  In  1873  he  caused  to  be  ])romulgated  the  fol- 
lowing commands  : 1.  Thou  shalt  honor  the  gods  and  love  thy 

country.  II.  Thou  shalt  clearly  understand  the  princii)les  of 
heaven,  and  the  duty  of  man.  III.  Thou  shalt  revere  the 
Mikado  as  thy  sovereign  and  obey  the  Avill  of  his  court.”  It  is 
evident  at  a glance  that,  according  to  Western  notions  here  are 
six  commands 5 but  the  object  of  the  Mikado  appears  to  be,  to 
link  together  beyond  the  possibility  of  separation,  worshij)  and 
work,  or  faith  and  obedience.  This  is  certainly  very  superior 
to  the  religion  of  Gautama,  of  Confucius,  and  of  Shinto,  all  of 
which  are  different  forms  of  atheism. 

The  ceremonial  of  elevating  sticks  or  rods  with  wooden  slips 
or  pieces  of  paper  attached,  for  the  pur^iose  of  attracting  the 
attention  of  spirits,  is  thought  to  be  of  very  ancient  origin,  possi- 
bly a relic  of  Shamanism.  Sir  Harry  S.  Parker  found  it  among 
the  hill  tribes  of  India.  The  Shinto  priest,  while  praying  to  the 
Kami,  holds  up  a number  of  these  papers  at  the  end  of  a rod. 
They  are  now  employed  as  a sort  of  vicarious  purification.  For- 
merly the  people  performed  religious  ablutions  in  a river.  At  a 
later  period  the  people  were  permitted  to  substitute  paper  figures 
of  men,  Avhich  were  cast  into  the  river.  Finally  the  Mikado 
directed  the  high-priest  to  take  an  iron  statue  of  the  size  of  the 
Mikado  and  cast  it  into  the  river,  as  a symbolical  act  to  be  per- 
formed instead  of  the  whole  nation.  Very  common  is  the  use  of 


MECHANICAL  PRAYERS, 


533 


paper  charms,  prayers,  and  images,  in  the  belief  that  they  rrill 
defend  a family  from  evil  spirits.  The  gargoyles  of  Gothic  arch- 
itecture seem  to  have  been  suggested  by  this  old-time  supersti- 


Chinese  Sending  g Paper  Prayer  to  Heaven  by  burning  it, 


5.34 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


tioii.  Pictures  of  lieads,  of  dragons  and  otlior  monsters,  arc 
l)laced  over  doors  and  elsewhere,  to  frighten  away  malignant 
demons.  But  a more  l)iisiness-lik('.  notice  is  sonietim(‘S  given  to 
evil  spirits.  \Vhen  the  small-i)ox  j)revails  in  a mn'ghhorliood, 
the  ])arents  think  they  can  keep  out  th(‘  disease  (fearfnlly  ])reva- 
lent  in  flapan),  hy  writing  a notice  and  sticking  it  on  the  front 
of  their  houses,  to  inform  the  i)estilent  devil  that  their  children 
are  not  at  home. 

The  temple  of  Amida,  or  Amidas,  near  ]\Iiako  or  Kioto,  is 
sometimes  termed  the  Jai)anese  Pantheon,  or  temph*.  of  Ten 
Thousand  Idols.  A i)ictiire  of  this  may  he  found  in  31.  PicarPs 
great  work  on  Ileligious  Ceremonies.  Tlie  great  central  image  is 
the  elapanese  Buddha,  who  is  termed  variously  Amidas  or 
Amida.  He  here  rai.ses  his  right  hand  in  benediction;  and  it 
is  to  be  observed  that  some  of  the  images  of  the  Chinese  Gau- 
tama represent  him  as  iiointing  upward  Avith  his  riglit  linger. 
In  the  great  temple  at  3Iiako  he  is  surrounded  cliiefl}^  by  images 
of  Kuanoii  or  Canon,  the  daughter,  or,  as  some  say,  the  son  of 
Amida.  Kuauon  has  power  to  assume  ATirious  forms;  sometimes 
as  a goddess  Avith  four  arms,  swalloAved  as  far  as  the  middle  by 
a lish,  holding  a sceptre  in  one  hand,  a floAver  in  another,  a ring 
in  the  third,  Avliile  the  fourth  is  closed  and  the  arm  extended, 
lie,  or  she,  for  this  diAinity  disregards  form,  is  noAv  popularly 
worshipped  in  the  character  of  the  goddess  of  mercy.  As  such 
slie  transforms  or  disguises  herself,  Proteus-like,  in  order  the 
better  to  rescue  or  protect  her  Amtary.  Now  she  appears  as  a tra\"- 
eller,  then  as  a Latly  Bountiful,  here  as  a mountain  demon,  there 
as  mermaid,  and  yonder  as  a little  i^easant  girl.  In  the  great 
temple  at  3Iiako,  a large  number  of  images  of  Kuanon  stand  in 
tAvo  roAvs,  one  aboAm  another,  along  both  sides  of  the  temple. 
Each  idol  Avears  a croAvn,  has  fourteen  arms,  AAdiile  seAxm  heads 
adorn  the  breast.  At  Tokio  is  a temi)le  of  Kuanon.  There  are 
said  to  be  thirty-tAvo  otliers  in  dai)an,  and  pilgrimages  are  made 
to  them. 


THE  JESUITS  IN  JAPAN. 


535 


The  Avorship  of  ancestors  and  many  other  religions  observ- 
ances are  like  those  of  China.  Buddhism,  the  prevailing  reli- 
gion, is  here  very  similar  to  the  religion  of  Gautama  as  we  find 
it  in  Ceylon,  Burmah  and  China. 

The  attempts  of  the  Jesuits  to  convert  the  Japanese,  and  their 
expulsion,  are  facts  familiar  to  CA^ery  reader  of  history.  It  may 
not  be  so  Avell  knoAvn,  hoAvever,  that  the  accounts  which  the 
Jesuits  themseh^^s  give  of  the  martyrdom  of  their  converts, 
particularly  of  the  vast  numbers  put  to  death  and  the  tor- 
tures to  which  many  of  them  AA'ere  subjected,  are  immeas- 
urably beyond  belief.  These  men  teach  lying  as  a part  of 
their  system  of  ethics,  and  IniA^e  practiced  it  in  almost  all 
their  historical  and  biographical  productions.  It  appears, 
howcA'Cr,  pretty  clear,  from  the  testimony  of  the  Dutch  and 
of  others  aaJio  do  not  consider  mendacity  as  a Christian  duty, 
that  the  Jesuits  and  all  Boman  Catholics  Avere  in  the  seven- 
teenth century  either  banished,  compelled  to  recant,  or  put 
to  death.  As  a sign  of  allegiance  to  the  national  faith,  the 
people  in  many  [)arts  of  the  emi)ire  AA^ere  recpiired  to  trample  on 
the  image  of  the  cross,  or  on  a copper-plate  engraved  Avith  the 
representation  of  what  Avas  called  The  Christian  criminal 
god.”  In  1G38  an  imperial  order  Avas  issued  appointing  a festi- 
val at  Avhich  the  cross  Avas  to  be  periodically  trampled  under 
foot.  The  cross  Avas  called  the  ‘‘  DeAul  of  Japan,”  and  for  two 
centuries,  whenever  foreign  travellers  and  traders  Ausited  the 
island,  a cross  Avas  laid  down  upon  the  shore  and  they  AA^ere 
compelled  to  walk  OA^er  it  in  order  to  be  admitted  to  the  empire. 
The  Protestant  Dutch,  who  regarded  it  merely  as  a relic  of 
popery,  in  this  act  did  not  Adolate  any  scruples  of  conscience. 

Since  the  period  of  from  1850  to  1802,  during  Avhich  the  Chris- 
tian poAATrs  haA^e  obtained  Irom  the  Emperor  various  acts  of  tol- 
eration for  Christian  Avorsliip  in  the  open  i)orts  of  Japan,  the 
Jesuits  have  proclaimed  to  the  world  that  they  have  found  many 

hidden  Catholics  Avho  liaA^e , continued  faithful  since  their  exi)ul- 
37 


536 


THE  STOKY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


sion  ill  1614.  ]>ut  tlieir  fonnnl  rcpfirts,  as  well  as  the  rumors 
they  set  alioat,  are,  we  reiH^at,  totally  undeserving  of  lielief. 

The  Ameri(*ans  liave  aeiinired  i^reat  ])olitieal  influence  in 
Japan  hy  methods  which  sc'mned  likely,  at  first,  to  jirevent  all 
possible  intercourse  with  that  exclusive  ])eo])le.  Our  sailors 
wrecked  on  the  long  coasts  of  Japan  had  repeatedly  complained 
to  onr  government  that  they  had  been  harshly  treated  liy  the 
Japanese  authorities.  Hence,  in  1852,  our  government  dis- 
patched an  expedition  nnder  Commodore  I^erry,  instructed  to 
demand  protection  to  onr  shipwrecked  sailors,  and  to  effect  a 
treaty  whereby  onr  sliips  could  be  allowed  to  enter  one  or  more 
of  the  ports  for  the  purposes  of  trade  and  to  obtain  necessary 
suiiplies.  In  1853  Commodore  Peny,  Avith  a squadron  of  seven 
ships  of  Avar,  anchored  off  Yedo,  and  deliA^ered  a letter  to  the 
Shogun  from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  lie  allowed 
the  Japanese  scA^en  months  to  consider  the  matters  proposed, 
and  then  left  the  coast.  At  the  end  of  the  time  appointed,  in 
1854,  he  returned  Avitli  an  augmented  fleet  of  nine  steamers.  lie 
arranged  a treaty  by  Avhich  tAAm  cities  AA^ere  opened  as  harbors  of 
supply  and  trade.  In  1857  a new  treaty  Avas  negotiated,  by 
which  a third  city  became  an  open  port.  Other  nations  noAv,  one 
after  another,  followed  the  example  of  the  United  States.  Ulti- 
mately, therefore,  as  has  been  entliusiastically  said,  when  the 
Susquehmma  sailed  np  the  bay  of  Yedo  ^^she  led‘  the  squadrons  of 
seA^enteen  nations.” 

The  Pev.  Jonatlian  Goble  has  the  honor  of  being  the  first  to 
go  out  to  Japan  as  a Baptist  missionary.  Being  a carpenter  as 
AAadl  as  preacher,  his  own  hands  often  ministered  to  his  necessi- 
ties, and  at  the  same  time  enabled  him  to  act  more  independ- 
ently and  boldly  than  they  Avere  likely  to  do  avIio  had  no  secular 
aA^ocation. 

^^The  American  Baptist  Free  Mission  Society”  (organized  and 
sui)port(‘d  by  Abolitionists),  is  worthy  of  grateful  remembrance, 
as  being  tlu^  first  Pi  otestant  missionary  society  to  enter  this  field 


B ANKEH  - BE ARINO-  IN  JAPAN. 


537 


and  break  up  the  fallow  ground.  Mr.  Goble  was  also  the  first  to 
translate  the  Gospels  into  the  language  of  the  common  people. 
The  other  versions,  made  by  Pedo-baptist  missionaries,  avoided 
the  vernacular  and  rendered  the  words  of  him  who  is  God  over 
all,  into  the  dialect  of  the  learned  and  titled  classes. 

The  Southern  Baptist  Convention  began  at  an  early  day  to 
direct  their  attention  to  Japan.  In  18G()  they  appointed  and 
fitted  out  the  Kev.  J.  Q.  A.  Kohrer  and  liev.  A.  L.  Bond,  and 
their  wives.  These  sailed  from  New  York  in  the  Edwin  For- 
rest,” and  were  never  heard  from.  What  became  of  the  ship, 
and  why  these  excellent  young  missionaries  should  have  been 
permitted  to  be  lost  at  sea,  are  two  mysteries,  like  the  shadow 
of  a mountain  covered  with  the  shadow  of  a cloud.  Equally 
mysterious  it  is  that  one  of  the  men  aiipointed  did  not  embark 
on  the  ill-fated  ship,  but  lived  at  home  to  abandon  the  Baptist 
faith  and  become  a Unitarian — we  mean  Professor  C.  H.  Toy. 

When  the  civil  war  closed,  the  American  Baptist  Free  Mission 
Society,  being  about  to  wind  up  its  afiairs,  in  1872  oflered  the 
Japan  Mission  to  the  Missionary  Union.  The  offer  was  accei^ted, 
and  the  mission  reenforced  by  the  appointment  of  the  Kev.  D. 
Nathan  Brown  and  wife,  and  Kev.  Jonathan  Goble  and  wife,  their 
missionaries.  These  arrived  at  Yokohama  in  February,  1873. 
The  same  year  Mr.  Goble  closed  his  connection  with  the  Mis- 
sionary Union.  His  exertions  had  been  almost  confined  to 
translating  and  circulating  the  Gospels.  Indeed,  he  had  been 
compelled  to  work  in  a very  quiet  way.  The  people  dared  not 
listen  to  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  it  was  not  till  a few  days  after 
the  arrival  of  the  Kev.  Dr.  Brown  that  the  old  edict  against 
Christianity  was  abrogated  by  the  JMikado’s  proclamation. 

Dr.  Brown  was  the  first  to  thiidv  of  organizing  a church.  A 
few  months  after  his  arrival,  Kev.  J.  H.  Arthur  and  wife  joined 
the  mission.  The  same  year,  Mr.  James  T.  Do^^en,  an  Episcopal 
teacher,  was  baptized  and  ordained  by  the  little  Baptist  church. 
Curiously  enough,  Mr.  Doyen  removed  to  Tokio  at  the  suggestion 


538 


THE  STOllY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


of  several  lliiddliist  ])riests,  avIio  off'erc'd  liiin  (]nartei\s  in  oiKi  of 
tlieir  temples,  and  expressed  tlieir  wish  to  Inuir  about  tlni  riiligion 
of  Clirist.  Tlie  year  l)efore,  tlie  official  h(‘a(l  of  di'partment 
of  education,  a foe  to  the  missionari(‘s,  had  dirccied  that  no 
clergyman  should  l)e  (‘inployed  in  any  goviMnnumt  school  or 
college.  The  year  following,  however,  h(‘  was  set  aside,  and  his 
place  filled  by  a Christian,  a.  young  student  who  had  been  hope- 
fully converted  in  America.  Tlui  new  comer  gav<‘.  to  Mr.  Doyen 
and  his  friends  all  needed  countenan('(‘.  and  supjiort.  ]VIr. 
Arthur,  Avho  succeeded  him,  rented  a n(‘w  building  in  a (amtral 
part  of  Tokio,  and  thus  made  a visible  Ix'ginning  at  the  capital 
of  the  Empire.  Comiielh'd  to  return  to  America  on  account  of 
ill-health,  he  died  at  Ojikland,  (hdifornia,  in  Decemlier,  1877. 

In  1875  Iavo  ladies,  IMisses  Sands  and  Kidder,  Avent  out  to 
Japan,  the  former  to  Yokohama  and  the  latter  to  Tokio.  At 
Tokio  a heathen  AA^oman,  near  the  city,  opens  her  house  for  Chris- 
tian meetings  two  eA^enings  in  the  month.  Her  reason  for  her 
course  is,  that  she  AAmnts  to  knoAV  Avhat  this  iieAv  religion  is.  The 
church  at  Tokio  numbers  thirty-seA^en  members.  One  of  the 
members  of  this  church  is  a AAaunan  of  much  energy  of  char- 
acter, who  AATis  formerly  a Aany  zealous  Acorshiiiper  of  idols. 
The  evening  before  her  baptism  she  brought  to  the  mission-house 
a great  armful  of  various  idols.  In  telling  her  experience,  she 
said  she  had  Avorshipped  the  fox  ( one  of  the  Japanese  devils ),  the 
snake  and  the  badger.  When  she  AA-ent  to  her  house  and  suay 
the  things  she  had  adored,  she  Avas  so  ashamed,  even  if  no  one 
Avas  present,  that  she  hardly  kneAv  Avhat  to  do.  She  had  torn 
doAAii  the  god-shelf,”  and  had  destroyed  many  of  her  idols; 
and  as  a jiroof  of  her  sincerity  she  brought  the  rest  to  those  who 
had  led  her  to  the  only  Saviour  of  the  world. 

Not  long  since,  a iiatiA^e  assistant  made  a preaching  tour 
among  the  Aullages  near  the  capital.  On  his  return  he  received 
a h‘(ter  from  the  gOATU*nor  of  one  toAAm,  asking  him  to  come 
again  and  ^M(‘ll  the  ])(‘ople  more  about  the  religion  of  Jesus.” 


PROaRESS  IN  JAPAN. 


539 


One  of  the  last  converts  l)ai)tize(l  at  Yokohama  was  a man  of 
wealth  and  influence^  belonging  to  the  province  of  Shin  Shn. 
Taken  sick,  he  went  to  Yokohama  to  imt  himself  under  the 
treatment  of  an  old  friend,  a physician,  who  had,  to  his  snri)rise, 
become  a Christian  and  a member  of  the  church.  The  physician 
gave  him  the  Scriptures  to  read,  and  was  untiring  in  his  exer- 
tions for  his  conversion, 
into  the  country,  and 
spent  the  whole  day  in 
prayer  for  his  soul.  At 
length  he  was  converted 
and  returned  to  his  own 
l)rovince,  taking  with 
him  a large  quantity  of 
Scriptures  for  distribu- 
tion among  his  country 
men. 

Dr.  Brown,  who  had 
formerly  been  a success- 
ful missionary  in  Assam, 
has  been  much  blessed 
in  his  work  in  Japan. 

The  church  at  Yokoha- 
ma numbers  ninety  mem- 
bers. The  pastor,  who 
is  a very  distinguished  linguist,  has  been  much  emiiloyed  in 
translating  the  Yew  Testament  into  Japanese.  The  first  Gospel 
ever  printed  in  this  Empire  was  issued  by  the  Baptist  mission. 
Thirteen  of  the  Epistles  of  Paul  and  the  General  Epistles  have 
also  been  translated  by  our  missionaries  in  advance  of  Pedo- 
baptist  translators.  Within  three  recent  years  the  Japanese 
mission  press  has  jirinted  more  than  a million  pages  of  Scriiiture, 
including  the  first  three  Gospels  and  iiortions  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. It  is  reported  that  Dr.  Brown  has  found  Japanese  terms 


On  one  occasion  he  took  his  patient 


Japanese  Bonzes  or  Priests  of  Buddha. 


THE  STOTIY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


5M) 


for  haptize  and  haptlwi,  wliic'.li  will  1)0  o(!co])tal)l(^  as  well  to  the 
Baptists  as  to  tlic  redo-bnptists.  11’  this  is  tnie^  it  is  l)otli  new 
and  edifying.  Even  Avhere  tlnn-e  are  no  sei  nples  of  eonse.ience, 
there  is  generally  enough  otherwiseniindedness”  among  Pedo- 
baptist  missionaries  to  foree  them  to  disallow  any  v(*rsion,  liow- 
ever  excellent,  which  has  been  made  by  l}a})tist  scholars. 

At  present,  American  Baptists  have  missions  at  Yokohama, 
Tokio,  Kobe  and  Xorth  of  Jai)an.”  British  Baptists  have  a 
mission  at  Ybdvobama.  According  to  the  report  of  1<S84,  then* 
were,  in  1883,  tciiBaiitist  churches  in  Japan,  with  amembershi]) 
of  two  hundred  and  eighty-six. 

In  the  year  1883,  Japan  enjoyed  such  a lefreshing  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  as  this  nation  had  never  known  before. 
About  two  thousand  were  added  to  the  different  churches,  includ- 
ing seventy-seven  to  Baptist  church(‘s.  Th(*i  e was  also  an  unex- 
ampled demand  for  the  Bible,  and  instruction  on  (Jiristian 
subjects.  There  is,’’  says  a missionary,  ^^no  subject  Avhich  will 
call  the  people  together  in  such  large  numbers  as  the  announce- 
ment of  addresses  upon  Christianity.”  In  many  cases,  candi- 
dates for  the  Buddhist  priesthood  are  required  to  pass  an 
examination  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  that  they  may  be 
prepared  to  answer  the  arguments  of  the  missionaries.  The 
younger  Japanese  are  forsaking  the  idols  of  their  fathers;  and 
even  the  priests  are  losing  their  confidence  in  the  images  before 
which  they  minister.  One  of  these  priests  is  reported  to  have 
said:  ^^By  the  time  the  present  generation  of  grandfathers  and 
grandmothers  has  passed  away,  Christianity  will  have  conquered, 
and  become  the  lU’evailing  religion  of  Japan.”  The  father  of  a 
recent  convert  iiersecuted  his  son,  and  became  very  bitter  at  the 
new  faith.  As  he  could  not  answer  the  arguments  of  his  son, 
he  went  to  a i^riest  to  obtain  matter  for  replies.  The  priest  said : 
^‘One  cannot  say  anything  evil  of  this  religion.  It  is  a good 
one,— as  good  as  Buddhism;  and  if  they  are  both  believed  and 
practiced,  it  will  be  a good  thing  for  Japan.” 


A PARLIAMENT  IN  JAPAN. 


541 


The  zenana  schools  are  not  needed  here  as  they  are  in  India. 
Women  and  girls  go  to  inihlic  meetings,  churches  and  schools, 
with  the  same  freedom  that  is  accorded  to  men  and  hoys.  An 
additional  ground  of  hoi)e  is  the  reform  in  the  government  which 
the  Mikado  has  set  on  foot.  He  has  voluntarily  fixed  a date  at 
which  a parliament  will  he  assembled  and  the  governing  i)ower 
will  he  shared  hy  the  people. 


" Dai  Butz,"  an  Idol  of  Japan, 


pC  to 

is’n 


0-  :r 
0-  2 


A living  l)abe  exjmsed  to  vultures. 
A PAGE  OF  HINDU  HORRORS. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 


BRITISH  MISSIONS  IN  HINDUSTAN,  CEYLON,  AND  ORISSA. 

Messrs.  Pearce  and  Yates  in  Calcutta. — The  Horrors  of  the  Sepoy  Mutiny.— 
Its  Effects  on  the  Various  Missions. — Tlie  Murder  of  Mr.  Mackay  and 
Walayat  Ali. — The  Narrative  of  the  Wife  of  WalayatAli. — Her  Suffer- 
ings.— The  Killing  of  Mrs.  Thompson  and  her  two  Daughters. — The 
Eelief  of  Lucknow. — Crazy  Jessie  Brown  hears  the  far-off  slogan  of  the 
Highlanders. — The  College  at  Serampore. — Persecution  and  Justice  in 
Bengal. — Mission  among  the  Sonthals.— Zenana  Schools. — Mission  in 
Ceylon. — A Ceylonese's  Bold  Confession  before  the  Priests. — Orissa  and 
the  Temple  of  Juggernaut. — A Missionary  of  the  General  Baptists  of 
England. — Kev.  Amos  Sutton. — Elder  Buzzell,  of  the  American  Free- 
Will  Baptists,  takes  an  Interest  in  the  Orissa  Mission. — Mr.  Sutton  visits 
the  United  States. — Mr.  Koyes’  Description  of  Juggernaut  and  its  Be- 
longings.— The  Skill  of  Mr.  Kojes  in  Addressing  tlie  Natives. — The 
Kajali  wants  Tribute. — A Drowning  Man  Trying  to  Seize  too  many 
Ropes  at  once  — A Beautiful  Jewel  Found. — The  Gifts  of  Mr.  Palmer,  of 
Norwalk,  Ohio. — The  Present  State  of  the  Orissa  Mission. 


^flKFTER  the  death  of  Dr.  Marshman  the  work  at  Serampore^ 
except  that  of  the  college,  was  transferred  to  Calcutta, 
where  a mission  press  was  estahlisbed  by  ]\Ir.  W.  II.  Pearce.  In 
1839  he  transferred  the  property  of  the  mission  in  Calcutta  to  the 
Baptist  Missionary  Society.  A fund  for  the  benefit  of  widows 
and  orphans  has  been  accumulated  from  the  profits  of  this  press. 
It  has  likewise  contributed  scores  of  thousands  of  pounds  to  the 
work  of  missions.  Dr.  Yates  took  up  and  carried  forward  the 
work  of  translating  the  Bible,  which  had  been  so  successfully 
conducted  l)y  IMessrs.  Carey  and  Marshman. 

The  year  1857  marked  an  epoch  in  tlie  history  of  Bajitist  mis- 
sions in  the  East.  In  our  cabinet  outline  of  the  life  of  Sir  Henry 
Havelock,  we  have  given  the  reader  some  glimi^ses  of  the  mili- 
tary and  social  aspects  of  the  great  mutiny  in  India.  AYe  would 
now  confine  our  attention  to  its  effects  oii  the  British  Baptist 
missions.  For  many  months  missionary  work  was  at  a stand 


TEMPLES  AT  BENARES. 


RUINS  OF  BEJAPOOR,  NEAR  BOMBAY, 


THE  SEPOY  MUTINY. 


543 


througliout  tlie  Bengal  Presidency.  In  Calcutta  and  its  suburbs 
repeated  i)auicSj  the  threatening  aspect  of  the  natives,  and  the 
proximity  of  mutinous  regiments  in  the  fort  at  Barrackpore,  on 
the  Hoogly  opposite  Serampore,  put  a stop  to  evangelistic 
work.  At  Monghyr  the  missionaries  were  enabled  to  remain  at 
their  posts,  although  conspiracies  were  known  to  be  rife  around 
them.  In  Chittagong,  Decca,  Jessore,  Barisaul  and  Hinagepore, 
all  missionary  excursions  were  for  a time  suspended.  In  the 
first  three  places  above  mentioned  actual  danger  menaced  the 


A College  at  Calcutta. 


lives  of  missionaries,  but  was  mercifully  averted  by  Him  who  is 
a sun  and  a shield.  From  Patna  the  missionary  was  obliged  to 
flee.  At  Benares,  the  fires  of  revolt  were  extinguished  before 
they  had  done  any  damage,  but  the  smoke  lingered  among  the 
people,  and  thus  for  a time  hindered  missionary  labor.  In  the 
north-west  provinces  the  missionaries  had  to  flee  for  their  lives. 
They  and  the  native  Christians  found  a refuge  in  the  fort  at 
Agra.  Delhi  was  the  scene  of  Moslem  murders  such  as  must 
forever  remain  as  stains  of  blood  upon  the  Crescent.  The  Eev. 
J.  Mackay,  a young  missionary  who  had  not  long  resided  in 
Delhi,  was  assassinated  by  the  mutineers.  Ilis  death  was  much 


oU 


THE  S'I'ORY  OF  BAP'J'IST  MISSIONS. 


lamented.  He  liad  (‘xliihited  some  of  tl)(‘  finest  traits  of  the 
missionary  eliaraetin*,  and  liavin.ij^  rapidly  mastmed  the  Urdie 
and  Hindustani  lan^uai^es,  he  f*av(‘-  ])romis(‘.  ol’  ext(‘nsiv(‘,  us(‘.- 
fuliiess.  Of  those  nativ(‘.  Oliristians  wlio  suflenMl  at  ])(*lhi,  our 
British  brethren  hold  in  tcmder  and  adniii  in.i»’  memory  an  evau- 
i;elist  named  Walayat  Ali.  Warned  by  a friend  of  the  near 
ajiproaeh  of  lifty  mutinous  horsemen,  he  refused  to  lh‘e.  ‘‘This 
is  no  time  to  llee,”  said  In*,  “exe.eiit  to  the  Lord  in  jirayer.” 
‘‘]\ry  husband,’^  eontinues  liis  devoted  wife,  “called  us  all  to 
jirayer,  when,  as  far  as  I can  recollect,  he  said,  ‘O  Lord,  many 
of  Thy  people  have  been  slain  before  this  by  the  sword,  and 
.burned  in  the  tire  for  Thy  name’s  sake.  Thou  didst  j;ive  them 
help  to  hold  fast  in  the  faith.  Xow,  ()  Lord,  Ave  have  talleu  into 
the  fiery  trial.  Lord!  may  it  please  Tlu'e  to  lu'lp  us  to  suffer 
with  firmness.  J^et  us  not  lall  nor  faint  in  heart  under  this  sore 
temptation.  Even  to  the  death,  oh!  hel[)  us  to  confess  and  not 
to  deny  Thee,  our  dear  Lord.  Oh  ! help  us  to  liear  this  cross, 
that  we  may,  if  we  die,  obtain  the  crown  of  glory.’ 

“ After  prayer  my  husliand  kissed  us  all,  and  said,  ‘ See  that 
whatever  comes,  you  do  not  deny  Christy  for  if  you  coidide  in 
Him  and  confess  Him,  juau  will  be  blessed  ami  have  a crown  of 
glory.  Come  Avhat  Avill,  donH  deny  Christ!^  Xow  I began  to 
Aveep  bitterly,  Avhen  he  said,  ‘AVife,  dear,  1 thouglit  your  faith  in 
the  SaAuour  was  stronger  than  mine.  Why  are  you  so  troubled? 
Uememlier  God’s  Avord  and  be  comforted.  Kiioav  that  if  you  die 
you  go  to  Jesus.  And  if  you  are  spared,  Christ  is  your  keeper. 
1 teel  confident  if  any  of  our  missionaries  liA^e  they  aa  ill  take 
care  of  you.  And  should  they  all  perish,  yet  Christ  lives  for- 
(‘Aau\  If  the  children  are  killed  before  your  face,  oh!  then  take 
care  you  do  not  deny  Him  Avho  died  for  us.  This  is  my  last 
charge,  and  God  help  you!” 

Some  Fakirs  pointed  out  their  dwelling  to  some  of  the  Mahom- 
(‘tan  ti'oojiers.  Tlu'y  came  to  the  house  and  urged  AA^alayat  Ali 
to  r(*peat  the  Moslem  confession  of  faith.  He  refused.  They 


MAKTYRDOM  OF  WALAYAT  ALI. 


545 


fired  shots  at  Idiii ; he  still  remained  true.  But  the  children  lied 
ill  terror  to  the  friendly  shelter  of  the  house  of  the  royal  family 
of  Delhi.  They  knew  that  the  jirince  was  fond  of  hearing  of 
the  love  of  God  through  the  mediation  of  Christ  from  the  lips 
of  their  father.  Again 
(luestioned  and  pressed 
•to  forsake  his  Lord, 

Walayat  Ali  replied : 

was  once  blind,  but 
now  I see.  God  merci- 
fully opened  my  eyes, 
and  I have  found  a ref- 
uge in  Christ.  Yes,  I 
am  a Christian.” 

For  a short  time  his 
doom  was  suspended, 
while  the  troopers  has- 
tened to  slaughter  some 
flying  Europeans.  The 
wife  and  mother,  at  her 
husband’s  urgent  re- 
quest, made  an  attempt 
to  escape,  and  her  life 
was  spared  through  the 
interposition  of  the 
same  Delhi  x^rince  to 
whom  the  children  had 

The  Last  Prince  of  Delhi. 

gone  for  protection. 

Presently,  however,  she  followed  her  husband,  who  had  gone  to 
Mr.  Mackay’s  house,  to  try  and  save  him.  On  the  way,”  to 
use  her  own  simple  words,  “ I saw  a crowd  of  Mahometans,  and 
my  husband  in  the  midst  of  them.  They  were  dragging  him 
about  on  the  ground,  beating  him  on  the  head  and  in  the  face 


540 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  IVTTSRTONS. 


with  their  shoes;  some  sayiii^j^,  ^Now  i)reneli  Clirist  to  iis.  Now 
wliere  is  the  Christ  in  wiiom  you  l)oastr  And  otluu’s  were  ask- 
ing l)im  to  forsake  Cliristianity  and  rc'peat  tlie  Kulma  or  Moslem 
creed.  My  liusband  said,  ^No ; I never  will.  My  8avioiir  took 
ni)  his  cross  and  went  to  God.  I take  up  my  cross  and  follow 
Ilim  to  heaven.’” 

Mockeries  and  taunts  assailed  Walayat  Ali,  and  he  was  often 
told  with  threats  to  recant.  Now  a trooper  came  up  and  asked, 
‘AYhat  is  all  this  about?”  The  ]\rahometaus  rei)lied, ‘Glere  we 
have  a devil  of  a Christian,  who  will  not  recant,  so  do  you  kill 
him.”  Whereupon  the  brutal  Sepoy  aimed  a blow  Avith  Ids  sword 
and  nearly  cut  off  his  head.  Tlis  last  AAwds  Avere,  Jesus, 
receive  my  spirit.”  Thus  did  this  heroic  man  proAm  faithful  unto 
death,  testifying  to  the  adversaries  of  Christ  in  Delhi  the  grace 
and  truth  of  the  Gospel. 

Ilis  noble-hearted  Avife  saw  him  die.  After  severe  i)ersonal 
suffering,  she  made  her  escape.  The  lives  of  her  children  AA^ere 
often  endangered  by  feA^er  and  hunger ; one  of  them  she  depos- 
ited Avith  her  OAvn  hands  in  a desert  grave.  Her  touching  narra- 
tlA^e  contains  one  incident  concerning  the  tragic  destruction  of 
the  family  of  the  misssionary  Thompson.  Before  I left  Delhi,” 
she  adds,  I went  to  Mrs.  Thompson’s  house,  where  I saw  a sight 
which  horrified  me  — Mrs.  Thompson  and  one  of  her  daughters 
lying  dead  on  a bed,  grasping  each  other,  and  the  other  daughter 
on  the  door  by  the  side  of  the  bed.  The  heads  were  quite  severed 
from  the  Trunks.”  This  was  one  of  the  many  instances  in  which 
the  Se})oys  mutilated  their  victims.  General  Havelock  found 
murdered  women  and  children  whose  feet  had  been  cut  off*  and 
ranged  in  roAA^s  upon  the  door. 

The  aAvful  anxieties  and  i)ainful  forebodings  of  these  English 
AAU)mei),  before  they  Avere  slaughtered,  are  Auvidly  illustrated  by 
the  folloAving  letter,  Avhich  narrates  some  touching  incidents  that 
occurred  in  LucknoAv  just  before  Gcmeral  HaA^elock  came  to  its 
rescue : — 


THE  RELIEF  OF  LUCKNOW. 


547 


Calcutta,  Thursday,  Oct.  8,  1857. 

I give  you  the  following  account  of  the  relief  of  Lucknow,  as  described 
by  a lady,  one  of  the  rescued  party : On  every  side  death  stared  us  in  the 
face;  no  human  skill  could  avert  it  any  longer.  We  saw  the  moment  ap- 
proach when  we  must  bid  farewell  to  earth,  yet  without  leeling  that  unut- 
terable horror  which  must  have  been  experienced  by  the  unhappy  victims 
at  Cawnpore.  We  were  resolved  rather  to  die  than  to  yield,  and  were  fully 
persuaded  that  in  twenty-four  hours  all  would  be  over.  The  engineers  had 
said  so,  and  all  knew  the  worst.  We  women  strove  to  encourage  each 
other,  and  to  perform  the  light  duties  which  had  been  assigned  to  us,  such 
as  conveying  orders  to  the  batteries  and  supplying  the  men  with  provisions, 
especially  cups  of  coffee,  which  we  prepared  day  and  night.  I had  gone 
out  to  try  and  make  myself  useful,  in  company  with  Jessie  Brown,  the 
wife  of  a corporal  in  my  husband’s  regiment.  Poor  Jessie  had  been  in  a 
state  of  restless  excitement  all  through  the  siege,  and  had  fallen  away 
visibly  within  the  last  few  days.  A constant  fever  consumed  her,  and  her 
mind  wandered  occasionally,  especially  that  day,  when  the  recollections  of 
home  seemed  powerfully  present  to  her.  At  last,  overcome  with  fatigue , 
she  lay  down  on  the  ground,  w'rapped  up  in  her  plaid.  I sat  beside  her, 
promising  to  awaken  her  when,  as  she  said,  “ her  father  should  return  from 
the  plowing.”  She  fell  at  length  into  a profound  slumber,  motionless,  and 
apparently  breathless,  her  head  resting  in  my  lap.  I myself  could  no 
longer  resist  the  inclination  to  sleep,  in  spite  of  the  continual  roar  of  the 
cannon.  Suddenly  I was  aroused  by  a wild,  unearthly  scream  close  to  my 
ear;  my  companion  stood  upright  beside  me,  her  arms  raised,  and  her  head 
bent  forward  in  the  attitude  of  listening.  A look  of  intense  delight  broke 
over  her  countenance,  she  grasped  1113'’ hand,  drew  me  towards  her,  and 
exclaimed:  “Dinna  ye  hear  it?  dinna  3'e  hear  it?  A3",  I’m  no  dreamin’, 
it’s  the  slogan  o’  the  Highlanders!  We’re  saved,  we’re  saved!  ” Then 
flinging  herself  on  her  knees,  she  thanked  God  with  passionate  fervor.  I 
felt  utterly  bewildered;  my  English  ears  heard  only  the  roar  of  artillery, 
and  I thought  my  poor  Jessie  was  still  raving,  but  she  darted  to  the  batter- 
ies, and  I heard  her  cry  incessantly  to  the  men:  “Courage!  courage;  hark 
to  the  slogan  — to  the  Macgregor,  the  grandest  of  them  a’.  Here’s  help  at 
last ! ” To  describe  the  effect  of  these  words  upon  the  soldiers  would  be  im- 
possible. For  a moment  they  ceased  firing,  and  every  soul  listened  in  intense 
anxiety.  Gradually,  however,  there  arose  a murmur  of  bitter  disappoint- 
ment, and  the  wailing  of  the  women  who  had  flocked  to  the  spot  burst  out 
anew  as  the  Colonel  shook  his  head.  Our  dull  Lowland  ears  heard  nothing 
but  the  rattle  of  the  musketry.  A few  moments  more  of  this  death-like 
suspense,  of  this  agonizing  hope,  and  Jessie,  who  had  sank  on  the  ground, 
sprang  to  her  feet,  and  cried,  in  a voice  so  clear  and  piercing  that  it  was 
heard  along  the  whole  line:  “Will  ye  no  believe  it  noo?  The  slogan  has 
ceased  indeed,  but  the  Campbells  are  comin* ! D‘3"e  hear,  d'3"e  hear?”  At 

that  moment  we  seemed  indeed  to  hear  the  voice  of  God  in  the  distance, 
when  the  pibroch  of  the  Highlanders  brought  us  tidings  of  deliverance,  for 


.■54S 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


now  there  was  no  longer  anj’-  doubt  of  the  fact.  That  slirlll,  penetrating, 
ceaseless  sound,  which  rose  above  all  other  sounds,  could  come  neither  from 
the  advance  of  the  enemy,  nor  from  the  work  of  the  sapjau  s.  No,  it  was 
indeed  the  blast  of  the  Scottish  bagpipes,  now  shrill  and  harsh,  as  threat- 
ening vengeance  on  the  foe,  then  in  softer  tones  seeming  to  promise  succor 
to  their  friends  in  need.  Never  surely  was  there  sucli  a scene  as  that  which 
followed.  Not  a heart  in  the  Residency  of  Lucknow  but  bowed  itself  before 
God.  All,  by  one  simultaneous  imi)ulse,  fell  upon  their  knees,  and  nothing 
was  heard  hut  bursting  sobs  and  the  murmured  voice  of  prayer.  Then  all 
arose,  and  there  rang  out  from  a thousand  lips  a great  shout  of  joy  which 
resounded  far  and  wide,  and  lent  new  vigor  to  that  blessed  pibroch.  To 
our  cheer  of  “ God  save  tlu'  Queen,'’  they  replied  by  tlie  well-known  strain 
that  moves  every  Scot  to  tears,  ‘‘ Should  auld  ac(piaintauce  be  forgot,”  etc. 
After  that  nothing  else  inade  any  impression  on  me.  I scarcely  remember 
what  followed.  Jessie  was  presented  to  the  General  on  liis  entrance  into  the 
fort,  and  at  the  olilcers’ bampiet  h'u*  health  was  drunk  by  all  present,  while 
the  pipers  marched  round  the  table  playing  once  more  the  familiar  air  of 
” Auld  lang  syne.” 

In  1855  Rev.  Dr.  lIiKhirhill  visiGal  tlin  British  and  American 
Baptist  missions  in  the  East,  and  spent  nearly  two  years  in 
performing  the  duties  which  the  state  of  the  British  mission 
required.  Soon  after  his  arrival  5Ir.  ,L  C.  5[arshman  brought 
under  his  consideration  the  (piestion  of  a total  transfer  of  tin* 
college  at  Serampore  to  the  Missionary  Society.  Hitherto,  Avitli 
great  and  habitual  liberality,  he  had  snpi)lied  all  deficiencies  in 
the  fnnds  of  the  college,  but  being  no  longer  a resident  in  India, 
a continuance  of  this  support  was  not  to  be  expected.  And 
therefore  measures  were  taken  for  a transfer  of  the  college  to 
the  Society. 

Dnriiig  Dr.  Hnderhill’s  stay  in  Bengal  an  event  occurred  which 
illustrated  the  venality  of  the  policemen  and  judges,  as  well  as 
the  open  lawlessness  of  the  landholders.  In  July,  1855,  twelve 
houses  of  native  Christians  in  one  of  the  villages  were  surrounded 
by  night  and  entered  by  a band  of  armed  men.  Fourteen  of  the 
i]imates,  men,  women  and  children,  were  carried  off.  All  their 
litthi  proi)crty  was  stolen.  They  Avere  driven  into  boats,  crushed 
beneath  the  dedvs  for  comTalment,  and  for  six  wctdvS  Avere 
hnrri(Ml  about  tlui  country  in  sc'parate  ])arties  and  subjected  to 


A Street  in  Delhi. 


WORK  AMONG  THE  SONTHALS. 


o49 


shameful  indignities  and  cruelties.  The  missionary,  Mr.  Page, 
took  every  possible  means  for  their  recovery.  After  a long 
search,  they  Avere  found  and  brought  before  the  magistrate  of 
Barisal.  Tliey  were  in  a wretched  condition,  and  their  persons 
terribly  abused.  After  trial,  five  of  the  ringleaders  in  crime  were 
convicted,  but  they  appealed  to  the  Judge^s  Court.  After  six 
months’  delay  the  judge  reversed  the  decision  of  the  magistrate, 
released  the  prisoners  and  declared  the  charges  fraudulent. 
There  was  another  court  which,  though  it  had  no  i^ower  to 
reverse  this  judgment,  yet  condemned  it,  and  the  judge  received 
a reprimand  from  the  Lieutenant-Governor  General  of  Bengal. 

Our  British  brethren  have  a mission  of  much  interest  among 
the  Sonthal  tribes,  who  inhabit  the  mountains  west  of  Bengal. 
Many  years  ago  they  were  visited  by  Mr.  Leslie,  of  Monghyr, 
but  it  was  not  until  the  year  1805  that  Mr.  Johnson  went  to  live 
among  them,  and  erected  a bungalow.  He  was  subsequently 
joined  by  tAvo  others,  one  a Norwegian  and  the  other  a Dane. 
Mr.  Johnson  soon  left  for  England,  OAving  to  a frightful  injury  he 
received  in  a bold  attempt  to  kill  a tiger  which  was  ravaging  the 
herds  of  the  villagers  and  occasionally  destroying  human  life, 
other  brethren  at  Amrious  times  came  to  the  help  of  those  who 
remained  in  the  field,  and  the  enlarged  operations  commenced 
Avere  sustained  by  the  Indian  Home  Mission,”  a society  formed 
in  Bengal  for  this  purpose.  Large  numbers  of  the  Sonthals  haA^e 
been  converted.  These,  like  the  Karens,  come  to  the  stations 
from  considerable  distances,  return  to  their  Aullages  and  iiwite 
their  neighbors  to  Christ,  and  in  no  long  time  erect  their  own 
jfiaces  of  Avorship  and  instruction. 

About  ten  years  ago,  the  British  Baptist  Missionary  Society 
began  to  take  an  interest  in  zenana  education,  and  an  association 
Avas  formed  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  this  important  object. 
Formerly  it  Avas  very  difficult  for  female  missionaries  to  gain 
access  to  the  Hindu  seraglios,  or  even  to  obtain  the  attendance 
of  girls  of  caste  at  schools  especially  opened  for  them.  But  now 


550 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


th(*i’C  arp  many  linii(lr(*(ls  of  houses  in  Caleutta-  and  otlier  lar^e 
towns  open  to  the  Christian  t<;aeli(*r. 

Of  late  years  the  llritish  Baptist  missionaries  liave  (ivine.ed 
muelL  aetivity  in  Bilde  distrihution.  Ai(h*d  hy  th(‘.  lihciral  grants 
of  the  Bible  Translation  Hoeiety,  they  have  ^one  into  all  the 
l)arts  of  the  country  whieb  lay  within  the  range  of  tlnhr  stations. 
They  have  left  behind  them  immerous  copies  of  the  sacred  vol- 
ume, either  as  gifts  or 
as  pui'chased  by  their 
heai  ers.  The  Bev.  John 
Page  has  entered  the 
dominions  of  the  Sik- 
kim Bajah,  under  the 
shadows  of  the  Uinia- 
layas,  and  been  cordi- 
ally received  by  the 
Lamas,  or  Buddhist 
l)riests,  and  their  nu- 
merous adherents. 

The  Baptist  mission 
ill  Ceylon  was  com- 
menced by  Mr.  Chater 
in  1812.  His  labors  in 
Christianizing  the  peo- 
ple and  in  systematiz- 
ing the  study  of  the 
Singhalese,  have  made  his  name  memorable.  He  died  in 
1829.  Through  the  Idessing  of  the  Lord  on  the  exertions  of 
his  successors,  many  converts  have  been  added  to  the  church- 
(*s.  In  the  two  districts  into  which  the  mission  is  divided, 
tli('r(!>  existed  in  1873  nineteen  Baptist  churches,  having  a 
total  im;mb(*i‘shi])  of  913  ])ersons.  There  were  three  missioii- 
ari<'S  and  (‘iglib'cn  native  assistants.  In  1881  there  were  tour 
missionaries,  twmdy-niiKi  stations,  twenty  chapels,  thirty-three 


An  Idol  of  Ceylon, 


CEYLON  AND  ORISSA. 


551 


school  houses  and  a total  of  670  members.  For  some  reason 
which  is  not  given,  the  growth  of  these  churches  during  the  last 
seven  years  has  been  very  slow.  Possibly  too  much  time  is 
given  to  debates  and  too  little  to  sermons.  The  parent  church 
of  the  mission,  that  of  Grand  Pass,  in  Colombo,  has  for  fifteen 
years  sustained  itself.  The  church  in  Kandy  has  also  for  some 
years,  though  with  some  difficulty,  provided  for  itself  the  means 
of  grace.  In  the  central  province,  of  which  Kandy  is  the  chief 
town,  our  missionaries  have  recently  held  several  prolonged  dis- 
cussions with  the  Buddhist  priests,  at  which  hundreds  of  iieople 
were  present.  It  is  a cheering  sign  of  progress  that  the  fol- 
lowers of  Buddha  no  longer  look  on  the  exertions  of  the  mission- 
aries with  apathy  and  contempt,  but  feel  compelled  to  enter  the 
arena  of  discussion.  ‘^What  made  you  give  up  Buddhism 
was  the  question  put  to  a convert,  in  the  presence  of  four 
priests  at  the  Galli  temple.  A few  years  ago,’’  was  the  reply, 
“ I felt  that  I was  a sinner,  and  sought  salvation  in  Buddhism, 
but  without  success.  I sought  it  in  the  religion  of  Christ,  and 
there  I found  it  to  my  satisfaction,  and  surrendered  my  heart 
to  Jesus;  and  am  now  enjoying  the  ‘peace  of  God  which  passeth 
all  understanding.’  ” 

Orissa  is  a province  of  British  India,  near  the  head  of  the  Bay 
of  Bengal,  a short  distance  southwest  from  Calcutta.  Pooree, 
the  site  of  the  great  temple  of  Juggernaut,  is  in  this  province. 
The  mission  was  founded  by  Mr.  Lacey,  who  was  sent  out  in 
1821  by  the  “ General  ” or  Arminian  Baptists  of  England.  The 
Bev.  Amos  Sutton  went  out  in  1824.  Six  long  years  passed 
before  the  first  convert  appeared,  but  he  was  followed  by  many 
others.  Mr.  Sutton  translated  in  a scholarly  manner  the  entire 
Bible  into  the  language  of  the  iii’ovince,  the  Oriya.  He  also 
prepared  a dictionary  and  a grammar  of  the  same  tongue. 
While  stationed  at  Pooree,  he  met  with  the  name  of  Elder  John 
Buzzell,  of  the  Free  W^ill  Baiitists  of  America,  and  learning  that 
his  co-religionists  held  the  same  sentiments  as  the  General  Bap- 


TTIK  STOHA"  OF  JiAFTlST  MISSIONS. 


lists  of  in  lio  nddrossisl  a lidtor  to  ^Ir.  I>nzz(‘ll 

containing-  a ])atliotic.  aiipi^al  to  tin*  Fn*(‘.-Will  or  Anninian  linp- 
tistsE)f  Aincri<*.a  to  Indp  sjii-i'ad  tli(‘,  (Josp(‘l  liglit  in  tin*,  dnrk 
province  of  Orissa.  Ills  hridlinni  in  Ain(‘ri(*Jir(‘spond(‘d  proinjdly 
and  gciieronsly  to  the  (‘-all.  In  tli(‘  year  following,  a inissionnry 
so(*i(dy  was  organized.  Mr.  Snlton,  IxMiig  (X)in])(‘ll(‘d  by  failing 

lienltli,  rdni  iK'd  to  Eng- 
land, and  tli(‘nc.(‘  c,ain(‘. 
to  the  I In  i ted  States  in 
I83.‘).  He  Sjanit  several 
inontlis  in  jirepai  ingfor 
publication  bis  bistory 
of  tbe  Orissa  mission, 
and  in  travelling  among 
tbe  Eree-AVill  cbiircbes 
in  order  to  engage  tbem 
in  tbe  work  of  foreign 
missions.  Eeturning  to 
England,  be  revisited 
America  in  1834.  Du- 
ring bis  voyage  be  was 
elected  Corresponding 
Secretary  of  tbe  Foreign 
Mission  Society  of  tbe 
Free-AVill  Baptists,  and 
as  soon  as  be  arrived 
be  began  to  lecture  on 

A Pearl  Merchant  of  Ceylon.  MiSSiollS,  aiul  tO  take 

u])  collections  in  bebalf  of  tbe  cause.  He  devoted  a year  to 
these  arduous  labors,  and  tben  embarked  tor  Orissa.  Tbe  first 
Aimu  ican  missionaries  that  went  out  to  this  field  Avere  Messrs. 
Xoy(ts  and  Bbillips.  Tlu^y  arrivcM  in  Cabmtta  in  1830. 

In  narrating  bis  jourm^y  to  Cuttack,  jMi*.  Aoyes  says:  ibe 
mild  bills  wbicb  wa  jiassed  after  leaAung  Balasore  Avere  more 
] . Sc<t  Appendix. 


THE  FESTIVAL  OF  JUOOEKxNAUT. 


r>r>;i 

miserable  than  any  we  had  hitherto  seen,  and  were  surrounded 
by  throngs  of  Juggernaut’s  pilgrims,  many  of  whom  were  in  a 
state  of  starvation  and  extreme  misery.  As  we  ai)proached  Jug- 
gernaut the  number  of  pilgrims,  of  human  bones  and  dead  bodies 
greatly  increased.  Walking  by  the  river  side,  only  four  or  live 
rods  from  the  inn  where  we  stopped,  I could  scarcely  step  with- 
out placing  my  feet  ux)on  human  bones.  While  standing  in  one 
place  I could  count  eight  or  ten  bodies  recently  deceased.  The 
vultures  adjutants ’),  ravens  and  dogs  were  devouring  them, 
and  they  were  increased  to  an  unusual  size  by  reason  of  their 
luxurious  fare  of  human  flesh.  They  were  the  bodies  of  pilgrims 
Avho  on  their  way  to  Juggernaut,  stopping  at  the  place  where  we 
were  resting,  had  died  there.” 

In  July  Mr.  iJloyes  accompanied  Mr.  Sutton  to  Pooree,  to 
attend  the  Euth  Jattra,  the  great  annual  festival  of  Juggernaut. 
^‘Arriving  at  the  gate  a\  here  the  pilgrims  pay  their  pilgrim  tax  to 
the  English  Government,  I saw  thousands  who,  without  money, 
were  seeking  admission  in  vain.  On  Thursday  we  rode  into  town 
and  saw  the  deluded  people  preparing  the  three  cars  on  which  to 
haul  the  idols  — Juggernaut,  his  brother,  Bullub-hudra,  and  his 
sister,  Soob-hudra.  The  cars  were  about  twenty  feet  high,  sur- 
mounted with  platforms  about  six  feet  high,  on  which  the  idols 
were  placed.  * * * Friday — This  afternoon  went  to  witness 

the  procession  of  Juggernaut.  The  street,  which  was  sixty  yards 
wide,  was  filled  with  people  for  nearly  half  a mile ; and  the 
houses  and  temples  near  were  literally  covered  with  men,  women 
and  children,  waiting  for  the  moving  of  the  gods.  After  much 
delay  they  dragged  out  Bullub-hudra;  then,  with  much  pulling 
of  ropes  and  lifting,  they  brought  out  Juggernaut  himself — a 
huge  block  of  wood,  with  form  and  features  uncouthly  hewn  and 
hideously  painted.  * * * Saturday — The  sand  in  some 

places  was  covered  with  human  bones,  and  solemn  were  my 
thoughts  when  I considered  that  they  had  all  been  of  those  con- 
cerning whom  it  is  written,  ‘ Their  sorrows  shall  be  multiplied 


TllK  STOIIV  OF  JJAP'I'IS'I'  MISSIONS. 


that  liasteii  after  anotlua’ ^od.”  W(i  may  add  lliat  in  limidi(‘ds 
of  other  ^daoes  in  J^eiigal  this  festival  is  k(*j)t.  'J’lie  ima‘^^(‘s  and 
cars,  although  of  smaller  size,  are  fashioned  aft(*r  those  of  Pooree. 
On  the  same  day,  even  in  many  places  Avhere  tlnae  are  no  tem- 
ples, hundreds  of  these  cars  are  dragged  along,  through  vddcdy 
scattered  villages  and  cities.  Tims  millions  of  Hindus  ai‘(‘,  at 
the  same  hour  eelebrating  this  festival  of  c.rindty  and  lust. 


Dressing  Juggernaut. 


In  October,  1836,  the  American  missionaries,  with  the  cordial 
concurrence  of  Mr.  Sutton,  resolved  to  establish  a separate  mis; 
sion  at  Sumb-hul-pore,  two  hundred  miles  from  Cuttack,  a dis- 
trict governed  by  a native  rajah.  While  preaching  the  Gospel 
and  distributing  tracts  in  this  district,  the  following  incident 
occurred : A native  preacher  was  sitting  with  Mr.  l^oyes  under 
a large  imingo  tree  before  the  door  of  the  mission  house,  talking 
to  tl)(i  peojde,  who  Avere  passing  in  great  numbers  to  attend  a 
festival,  Avh(‘re  lambs  and  goats  AV(‘re  sacrificed  to  a goddess. 
\llcr  (*xj)I;iiiiiiig  to  one  man  tlie  Avay  of  life  through  Christ,  that 


^^TIIE  RAJAH  WANT.S  TRIBUTE.'^  r)."),") 


lie  is  the  true  sacrifice  for  siii,  and  that  all  these  festivals  were 
of  no  use,  he  arose  quickly,  saying  to  his  sou:  ^^This  is  the 
knowledge  I have  been  seeking  all  ]uy  days  5 and  now  that  I have 
found  it,  I will  go  home,  and  will  never  go  to  another  festival.’’ 

By  reason  of  the  insalnhrity  of  this  station,  the  American 
missionaries  left  it  in  18.38,  and  transferred  their  labors  to  Ba- 
lasore.  JMr.  Aoyes 
showed  a happy  skill 
in  arresting  and  de- 
taining the  attention 
of  the  natives.  At 
one  place  he  asked 
the  i)eoi^le  Have 
you  heard  the  news  f ’ 

No,”  said  they,  we 
have  heard  no  news.” 

Mr.  Noyes  replied: 

^^The  llajali  wants 
tribute.”  The  sen- 
tence had  scarcely 
escaped  his  lips 
when  they  were  so 
alarmed  that  they 
looked  around  to 
see  which  way  they 
should  flee  from  op- 
pression. Stop  a 
moment,”  said  ]Mr. 

Noyes:  ^dt  is  the 

Hea^  en  ^ Hindu  Rajah. — Costume  of  Native  Gentleman. 

and  Earth  who  wishes  the  tribute  of  your  hearts.”  Their 
tears  were  gone,  and  Mr.  Noyes  went  on  to  improve  the 
impression  he  had  thus  made.  After  j)reacliiug  at  one  time 
in  a village,  he  was  followed  to  his  tent  by  a man  of  the 
Qualla  caste.  He  told  Mr.  Noyes  and  his  comimnions  that  his 


THE  STORY  OE  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


55() 

iiiotlier  was  Imriit  upon  the  fuiKwal  pile*,  with  tin*.  (;oi’])se  of  his 
fiithor.  Saidlio:  was  a little  hoy  wImmi  tli(‘.  Jlrahiiiiiis  c.aiiu*, 

to  persuade  her  to  he  hiirnt.  I seiz(‘d  tin*,  shirts  of  Iko-  dr(‘ss  and 
cried  hithn’ly,  hut  she  r(‘^’arded  me  not.”  He  d(‘.elared  his  inten- 
tion to  renounee  nindiiism.  heard  you  say,”  said  h(‘,  to  Mr. 
Noyes,  that  should  a person  Avho  had  fall(*n  into  a well  try  to 
seize  all  at  onee  a thousand  ro])es,  he  wonld  (certainly  jxn'isli  j 
Avhereas  if  he  seized  one  stron<^  roi)e,  he  iniglit  he  drawn  n])  and 
saved;  so,  hy  helieving  in  many  gods,  no  one  ean  find  salvation, 
Avhile  if  Ave  believe  in  the  one  SaAioiir  Av^e  may  he  saved.  Tliat 
word,”  continued  he,  ^‘fastened  on  my  mind.” 

Tlie  first  Hindu  eouAmrt  baptized  hy  Noyes  Avas  Chuc.k- 
Kadhur.  He  Avas  brought  to  Christ  through  the  mission  school. 
II is  son  Silas,  a hoy  of  ten  years  old,  taught  him  the  alphabet 
and  so  euahled  him  to  read  the  Scri])tnr(‘s.  It  AA^as  during  his 
visit  to  the  mission  school  to  see  his  cldldren,  that  he  heard  'Sir. 
Noyes  daily  talk  about  the  Saviour.  .Vfter  his  (miiA^ersion,  he 
said:  IniAm  found  a beautiful  jeAvel,  and  may  I iieA^er  lose  it.” 

An  CAT^ut  of  much  interest  in  the  history  of  the  Free-Will 
I>a])tist  Mission,  was  the  proposal  of  Mi\  Luther  Palmer,  of 
NorAvalk,  Ohio,  in  1839,  to  giA^e  himself  to  the  Avork  of  the  mis- 
sion, togetlier  with  his  entire  estate,  valued  at  five  thousand 
dollars,  the  money  to  he  deAmted  to  the  estahlishmeiit  of  a 
printing-press  in  connection  AAdtli  the  Orissa  mission.  He  had 
come  to  heliev^e  that  Christians  should  have  all  things  in  com- 
mon. Ilis  services  and  the  property  were  receiA^ed  according  to 
his  earnest  desire.  The  same  year  the  ExecutiA^e  Board  laid 
doAvn  the  same  anti-slavery  rule  Avhich  the  Free  Missionary 
Society  adopted  at  its  organization  in  1843. 

Tlie  Orissa  mission  of  the  “ Oeneral”  Baptists  of  England 
had,  in  1880,  sixteen  missionaries  and  twenty  nattye  preachers, 
it  has  twelve  cha])els,  and  a total  membership  of  994. 


THE  PERILS  OF  MISSIONARY  TRAVEL  — An  actual  Adventure  cf  R-.  • Dr.  L -i  gstc 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 


THE  RELIGIONS  OP  AFRICA. 


I, — Fetichism. — The  Worship  of  our  Shadows. — The  Antiquity  of  Fetich- 
ism. — Description  of  it. — Toteniism. — The  Word  as  used  by  Purchas. — 
Tree  Worship. — Serpent  Worship. — Witchcraft. — Fetich  at  Cape  Coast. — 
How  an  Oracle  was  Silenced. — The  Puppets  of  his  Religion. — Abusing 
the  Fetich. — Fetichism  and  Obeahism  in  the  West  Indies. — Soulouque 
and  Witchcraft. — The  Worship  of  a Snake. — The  Atrocities  Committed 
by  Soulouque. — The  Debasing  Influence  of  Fetichism  and  Witchcraft. — 

Cannibalism. — The  Present  State  of  the  Slave  Trade  in  Africa. II. — 

Mahometanism. — Relation  of  Islam  to  our  Missions. — Invasions  of  Ma- 
hometans via  India. — Liberalism  of  Mahometans. — Number  of  Missions 
in  India,  Burmah,  China,  and  Dutch  East  Indies. — Islam  in  Africa. — 
Modern  Mohometan  Aggressiveness  in  Heathen  Lands  Viewed  in  the 
Light  of  the  Apocalypse. — Dutch  and  English  Encouragement  to  Pil- 
grims.— Hopeful  Signs  and  Considerations. 

I. 


E ARE  told  that  the  uegioes  of  Benin,  in  Western  Africa, 
worship  their  oivn  shadows.  The  cheapest  and  most  con- 
venient this  of  all  forms  of  idolatry!  More  commendable  is  it 


than  the  Japanese  adoration  of  one’s  shadow  as  reflected  in  a 
mirror.  We  smile  at  a superstition  so  absurd  ; and  yet — if  the 


rationalists  of  to-day  are  to  be  our  chosen  teachers,  and  we  are 
to  spin  our  religion  ont  of  our  inner  consciousness,”  as  a spider 
spins  its  web  ont  of  its  body,  rather  than  receive  onr  faith  as  a 
divine  revelation  from  heaven,  however  much  it  may  be  in  dis- 
harmony with  our  fallen  and  unstrung  harps — what  better  are  we 
in  principle  or  in  tendency  than  these  i^oor  sable  votaries  of 


Fetichism!  In  either  case  self,  not  G-od,  is  the  centrality  of 
our  religion;  we  sink  down  and  coil  in  upon  ourselves  like  the 


worm ; whereas  we  ought,  on  the  stout  and  steady  wings  of  an 
eagle,  to  wind  our  way  up  towards  the  Sun  of  Righteouness, 
and  endeavor  to  reach  such  a height  that  we  shall  quite  forget 
our  little  self-hood  and  appear  to  ourselves  like  small  pieces  of 
gold-leaf  floating  on  heaven’s  blue  sea. 


THE  STOllY  OE  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


55<S 


Tills  rude  kind  of  idobdry,  to  vvliic.li  our  inissioiuiries  so  often 
invite  our  uttentioiij  is  of  very  ancjent  origin.  It  is  allied  to  tlie 
aninnil-worsldp  of  old  Egyjitj  Niin^.veli  and  Ibibylon,  the  Slia- 
nianism  of  ancient  Scythia,  and  some  of  the  idolatries  of  the 
early  Greek  and  Lafin  tribes  j Avliile  it  is  still  found  in  all  parts 
of  Africa,  in  the  West  Indies,  in  our  Soutlnnai  States,  and 
among  the  red  men  of  the  West.  It  may  still  be  traced  (‘atmi 
in  the  minds  of  civilized  jieople,  who  will  keep  a crooked  piecMi 


of  money  or  an  old  horse- 
shoe for  luck.  In  Scotland 
and  in  Italy  men  still  believe 
in  the  iiower  of  the  ^dvil  ey(i.” 

‘G)ne  of  the  lirst  things,’’ 
sa3^s  Mr.  Wilson,  Avho  long 
resided  as  a missionary  on 
the  Avest  coast  of  Africa, 
“ Avhich  salutes  the  eyes  of  ti 
stranger,  eA^en  before  plant- 
ing his  feet  on  the  shores  of 
Africa,  is  some  symbol  of 
this  religion.  He  steps  forth 
from  the  boat  under  a can- 
opy of  fetiches,  not  only  as 
security  for  his  own  safety, 
but  as  a guarantee  that  he  does  not  carry  the  elements  of 
mischief  among  the  people  j he  finds  them  suspended  along 
every  path  he  Avalksj  at  every  junction  of  two  or  more  roads; 
at  the  crossing-idace  of  every  stream;  at  the  base  of  every  large 
rock  or  oAUWgroAAui  forest  tree;  at  the  gate  of  every  A^illage;  OA^er 
the  door  of  every  house,  aud  around  the  neck  of  CA^ery  human 
being  ANdiom  he  meets.  They  are  set  up  on  their  farms,  tied 
nround  their  fruit  trees,  and  fastened  to  the  necks  of  their  slieei) 
and  goats  to  ]>revent  them  from  being  stolen.  If  a man  tres- 
jiasses  upon  the  proiieihy  of  his  neighbor  iii  defiance  of  the 


A Popular  American  Fetich. 


FETIOHISM. 


559 


feticlies  lie  lias  set  up  to  protect  itj  lie  is  confidently  expected  to 
suffer  the  iienalty  of  liis  temerity^  some  time  or  other.  If  he  is 
overtaken  by  a formidable  malady^  even  if  it  should  be  after  the 
lapse  of  twenty^  thirty  or  forty  years,  he  is  believed  to  be  suffer- 
ing the  consequences  of  his  own  rashness.’’ 

And  though  we  are  told  an  African  may  lose  his  faith  in  a par- 
ticular fetich  and  throw  it  away,  yet  his  misfortune  does  not 
impair  his  confidence  in  the  efficacy  of  fetiches  in  general.  Any 
piece  of  good  fortune  is  sufficient  to  establish  the  character  of 
such  an  object,  for  the  negro  gives  it  the  credit  of  every  success. 

A fetich  formerly  signified  an  object  of  worshii)  not  represent- 
ing a living  creature  j but  now  it  includes  snakes  and  such  other 
living  objects  as  the  later  fetichmen  have  invested  with  super- 
human powers  and  associated  with  magic.  Fetichism  is  a word 
derived  from  an  African  corruption  of  the  Portugese  term 
feitieo,  signifying  a charm  or  sorcery.  i The  word  came  into 
England  from  Holland.  Purchas,  in  his  Pilgrimage,  published 
in  1G13,  translating  from  a nameless  Dutch  author,  calls  a fetich 
a fetisso.  A fetich  is  something  that  will  bewitch  a person. 
The  Dutch  author  just  mentioned  published  his  book,  a descrip- 
tion of  Guinea,  in  1000.  According  to  his  account,  when  a child 
was  a month  old  it  was  clad  in  a garment  of  bark  thread,  to 
which  many  fetiches  were  attached,  each  one  having  a separate 
name  and  object  j one  guarded  against  a fall,  another  against 
vomiting,  this  prevented  loss  of  sleep,  that  kept  the  child  from 
being  carried  away  by  a wild  beast,  the  other  prevented  it  from 
being  stolen  by  a demon.  The  women  of  Guinea  wore  on  their 
garments  and  about  their  feet  fetiches  made  of  straw.  Pings  of 
straw  as  fetiches  protected  the  dead  on  their  journey  to  another 
world.  The  sword  of  the  sword-fish  was  held  in  great  veneration. 

1.  Popularly  the  word  includes  Totemism,  or  the  worship  of  natural 
objects,  although  not  usually  the  most  sublime,  but  snakes,  stones,  and 
such  like  familiar  works  of  nature. 


THE  STOUY  OF  liAPTl^ST  MISSIONS. 


r)()() 

Almost  every  iiatina]  objeet  mi^lit  Ixi  an  instruimmt  of  demoiiie 
])owerj  from  a shell  on  the  sea-shor(5  to  the  loftiest  monnfain. 
The  most  usual  shape  of  a fetich  is  thatof  tli(i  h(‘a(l  of  a brute  or 
of  a mail,  sujiplied  with  a lai-^e  iiair  of  horns. 

]\Iost  remarkable  it  is  that  this  rudest  of  r<;li^ions,  by  a kind 
of  tree-worship  evinces  a relalionshii)  to  the  more  refim*d  idolatry 
of  ancient  Assyria.  According  to  the  old  Dutch  author,  whom 
we  still  folloAV,  when  the  king  Avoiild  sacrifice  to  his  god  he  (;om- 
mands  the  fetUssero  (or  iiroplud)  to  imjuire  of  a divine  tree 
what  he  demands.  Whereupon  the  jiroidiet  comes  to  the  tree 
and  iducks  a branch,  and  sticks  it  in  a heap  of  ash(‘s,  and  drink- 
ing Avater  out  of  a basin,  iiours  it  out  on  the  branch  and  then 
smears  his  face  Avith  the  ashes.  Xoav  he  is  ready  to  declare  the 
king’s  (piestion  to  the  tree,  and  the  demon  in  the  tree  gives 
answer.  The  nobles  also  adore  certain  trees  and  consult  them 
as  oracles.  It  AA^ould  seem  that  the  tallest  trees  are  the  idols  and 
oracles  of  the  king. 

Our  missionaries  liaA^e  found  in  Africa  the  worsliip  of  serpents, 
like  that  which  x>i'GA^ailed  in  ancient  Egyxit  and  Assyria,  of 
AAliich  representations  haA^e  been  discoA^ered  by  recent  ex^ilorers. 
The  snake  is  numbered  among  the  fetiches,  and  is  endowed  with 
suxierhuman  iioAver  either  to  benefit  or  to  injure. 

As  for  sacrifices,  the  cow  and  the  hen  are  offered  ux)  at  the 
religious  services  x^erformed  at  funerals,  Avhile  at  every  meal 
meat  and  drink  are  offered  to  the  fetiches. 

These  objects  of  worshix)  are  either  natural  or  artificial,  as  a 
tree,  a stone,  a tuft  of  hair,  or  a chiAv,  or  else  a boat,  a weapon, 
or  a tool.  Sometimes  it  is  the  head  of  a beast  fiistened  to  a x><^>Eb 
or  it  may  be  a combination  of  objects  both  natural  and  artificial, 
into  some  frightful  form. 

It  is  the  oxiinion  of  the  best  authorities  that  these  fetiches 
were  not  originally  instruments  of  aa  itchcraft,  but  real  idols.  As 
the  more  reA^erent  AA^orship  of  images  decayed,  the  x^i’^xfiiets 
d(*gen(uut(‘d  into  sorcerers  and  the  images  into  sources  of  incan- 


AFRICAN  FETIOHISM. 


501 


tiitioii.  These  objects  of  superstition  may  bo  either  personal, 
family,  local  or  national.  A local  or  tutelary  fetich  at  Cape 
Coast  is  believed  to  protect  the  fishing^interests  of  the  adjacent 
coast.  This  is  a rock  that  projects  into  the  sea  from  the  bottom 
of  the  cliff  on  which  the  castle  is  built.  To  this  rock  annual 
sacrifices  are  offered  by  a iirophet  of  fetichism,  with  frantic  ges- 
tures and  mystical  invocations.  From  Tahra  ( probably  a cor- 
ruption of  the  Portuguese  Tahoa^  meaning  table),  the  prophet 
assures  the  fishermen  he  has  received  responses  as  to  what  times 
and  seasons  will  be  i^ropitious.  For  these  oracular  communica- 
tions every  fisherman  presents  him  a gift  proj)ortionate  to  his 
ability.  i 

The  national  or  tribal  fetich  is  considered  as  more  trustworthy 
than  any  other,  and  is  exalted  as  an  oracle  when  the  individual, 
or  family,  or  local  fetich,  has  failed  to  give  a satisfactory 
response.  Thus,  among  the  Fantees,  there  was  formerly  an 
oracle  at  Mankassim,  the  headquarters  of  the  Fantee  chief. 
This  object  of  superstition  (we  can  not  learn  what  it  was)  the 
fetich-men,  five  in  number,  kept  hid  in  a temjole  amidst  a gloomy 
forest.  Into  this  the  suiter stitious  inquirer  was  led  blindfolded 
along  a i)ath  that  resounded  with  unearthly  cries  and  groans, 
which  proceeded  from  holes  underground  and  from  the  leafy 
branches  of  trees.  It  was  not  till  after  violent  dancing  and  con- 

1.  The  religion  of  the  tribes  on  the  Congo  and  its  tributaries  is  less  tinc- 
tured with  Romanism  and  Mahometanism  than  that  of  many  other  Afri- 
cans. For  the  most  part  they  believe  in  a Supreme  Creator,  but  also  in 
many  lesser  gods,  which  they  represent  by  images,  and  honor  with  priests 
and  temples.  They  likewise  practice  Fetichism  and  witchcraft,  as  well  as 
offer  human  sacrifices.  Some  tribes  hold  that  they  were  created  by  the 
“ Sky  Spirit,”  but  have  no  notions  concerning  a future  state.  Among  other 
festivals  they  observe  a dance  in  honor  of  the  moon.  Cameron  found  the 
inhabitants  of  Urva,  a Kingdom  west  of  Lake  Taganyika,  worshipping  an 
idol  supposed  to  represent  the  founder  of  the  royal  family,  and  to  be  all- 
powerful  for  good  or  evil.  The  idol  was  kept  in  a hut  in  the  midst  of  a 
jungle.  This  image  was  sometimes  consulted  as  an  oracle.  A number  of 
priests  guard  the  sacred  grove,  but  were  never  permitted  to  see  the  face  of 
the  idol.  All  the  villages  had  devil-huts,  before  which  offerings  were  set. 


THE  STO]iY  OF  liAl’TIST  MISSIONS. 


5(>13 

vulsivc  struggl(‘s  that  tlio.  five  i)rei)h(‘is  told  tin*,  hdich  th(‘,  ohjeet 
of  the  eoiisidtatioii. 

Tlie  Avay  tliis  oraele  Avas  i cMluec^d  to  an  i^nioiniiiioiis  sihaiee  lias 
been  related  by  a missionary^  th(i  IJev.  INFr.  Freeman,  of  th(‘.  Wes- 
leyan Methodist  mission.  Tie  had  organiz(‘d  a small  ehnre.h  not 
far  from  the  great  African  oracle  and  its  awful  for(‘st.  Omi  of 
the  converts  shot  a deer  Avithin  the  precincts  of  the  sacred  grov(‘, 
and  thus  insulted  the  oracle  and  roused  the  indignation  of  th(‘. 
prophets.  Soon  after,  another  com^ert  cut  some  sticks  in  the  holy 
grove.  Whereui)on  the  fetich-men  moA^ed  Adoo,  the  chief  of  the 
tribe,  to  snmmon  his  retainers  and  attack  the  Christian  setth*.- 
meiit  and  carry  aAvay  captiA^e  the  converts.  The  British  author- 
ities noAV  interposed.  Afterwards  a number  of  fetichmen  and 
fetichwomeii  met  during  the  night  in  a lonely  si)ot,  and  laid  a 
idaii  to  poison  four  leading  members  of  the  church.  This  plot 
was  exposed  by  a trial  before  the  colonial  court.  The  native 
Fantee  chiefs  themseh^es  Avere  so  enraged  at  the  guilty  minis- 
trants  of  the  great  fetich,  that  they  Avished  that  they  might  be 
put  to  death,  but  they  were  condemned  to  be  wliipiied  on  the 
market-place  of  Cape  Coast,  and  to  be  imprisoned  for  fiA^e  years. 
This  CA^ent  proved  the  ruin  of  this  fetich  oracle,  and  led  to  the 
decay  of  this  superstitious  worship  among  the  Fantee  people. 

The  lU’ophets  of  fetichism  are  a regular  order,  and  when  a 
young  man  aspires  to  the  office,  he  is  put  into  training  under  the 
care  of  some  aged  i)rophet.  But  before  he  can  be  recewed  as  a 
candidate,  his  power  is  first  tested  by  being  made  to  take  i)art  in 
that  wild,  protracted  dance  Avhich  excites  them  to  such  frantic 
madness  as  prepares  them  to  giA^e  forth  the  oracles  of  their  god. 
The  young  man  is  also  taught  the  rude  art  of  healing,  as  Avell  as 
jugglery  and  fortune-telling. 

AVdien  misl’ortune  oA^ertakes  a man,  his  fetich  is  either  throAAui 
aAvay  as  Avorthless,  or  treated  AAith  insult  and  abuse,  reminding 
th(i  l(*ariied  ](‘ader  of  the  ])unishmeiit  Xerxes  inllicted  upon  the 
Hellespont,  th(i  rescaitmeiit  the  old  pagan  Bomans  A^ented  against 


fetiohism:  in  the  west  indies. 


5()3 


tlieir  gods  because  of  their  reverses,  and  the  chidings  and  blows 
occasionally  given  by  modern  Koman  Catholics  to  the  images  of 
their  delinquent  saints.  If  any  one  has  a fetich  which  is  sui)- 
posed  to  have  the  i)ower  to  injure  his  neighbor,  the  latter  spares 
no  pains  to  become  its  owner.  Large  collections  of  these  objects 
are  esteemed  of  great  value  j a traveller  found  on  the  coast  of 
Guinea  one  negro  who  possessed  several  thousands.  Some 
fetiches  are  worshipped  by  an  entire  tribe,  as  the  tiger  in  North 
Guinea  and  Dahomey,  and  the  serpent  by  the  negroes  of  Whydah 
and  their  descendants  in  Hayti. 

And  this  leads  us  to  notice  the  manifestations  of  fetichism  as 
observed  by  British  Baptist  missionaries  in  the  West  Indies, 
where  it  takes  the  name  of  Oheah,  or  OM,  or  Kissey.  To  the 
Eev.  W.  H.  Webley,  Bai)tist  missionary  in  Hayti,  we  are  chiefly 
indebted  for  the  substance  of  the  following  account.  On  the 
occasion  of  a festival  he  happened  to  pass  a booth  from  which 
came  the  sound  of  singing  and  dancing,  accomx)anied  by  tom- 
toms, calabashes  filled  with  dry  seeds  shaken  violently,  and 
sheets  of  rusty  tin  or  iron  beaten  with  a stick.  As  he  ap- 
l)roached,  he  found  men,  women  and  children  ranged  in  a circle, 
all  prostrate  on  their  knees,  as  if  in  profound  adoration,  singing 
in  chorus  a jargon  song.  The  object  of  their  worshij)  was  a 
small  green  snake.  This  reptile  is  enclosed  in  a small  chest,  one 
side  of  which  is  barred  so  as  to  admit  a view  of  the  interior. 
His  ministers,  mediators,  prophets  or  indests  are  a man  and  a 
woman,  who  are  called  indifferently  king  and  queen,  master  and 
mistress,  or  papa  and  mamma.  The  worship)  of  this  fetich  was 
brought  from  Whydah,  where  the  French  once  had  a settlement. 
It  was  called  the  religion  of  the  Youdoux.  Why  it  was  so 
called  we  cannot  find  out.i  Mr.  Webley,  writing  in  1850,  during 
the  reign  of  the  monster  Soulouque,  says  : These  dancers  form 
themselves  into  one  vast  society  called  Les  Youdoux,  which 
almost  deluges  the  Haytien  part  of  the  island.  They  practice 
witchcraft,  and  are  singular  ade^ffs  at  poisoning.  The  Emperor 

1.  See  Appendix. 


THE  STOJIY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


sometimes  pays  tliem  liir^e  sums  of  money,  and  f^ivcs  tlicm 
almost  unlimited  ])ower  iu  the  ^ovcu'umeiit  of  the  eouiitry  and  in 
the  destruction  of  pr(;])eTty  and  life.”  A secret  oath  hound  all 
the  Youdoux,  taken  under  eireumstanc(‘s  (ailculated  to  in^piro 
terror.  On  taking  the  oath,  tlie  lips  of  the  neophite  are  touched 
Avith  warm  goat’s  hlood.  lie  promises  to  siihinit  to  dc^ath  should 
he  ever  hetray  the  brotherhood,  and  to  i)ut  to  death  any  such 
revealer  of  the  mysteries  of  the  sect.  The  Youdoux  met  iu  a 
retired  spot,  designated  at  a previous  meeting.  The  prophet  Avas 
known  by  a scarlet  band  around  his  headj  the  ])rophetess  Avore 
a scarf  of  the  same  color.  After  the  snak(5  Avas  Avorshipped,  his 
box  Avas  transferred  from  a stand  to  the  ground,  and  theai  the 
prophetess  stands  upon  the  box,  Avhere  she  is  seized  Avith  violent 
trembling,  and  so  gives  utterance  to  oracles  in  response  to  the 
prayers  of  the  AAWshii)pers.  A dance  closes  the  ceremony.  The 
l)rophet  now  i)uts  his  hand  on  the  serpent’s  boxj  he  is  seized  by 
a tremor  which  is  communicated  to  the  circle.  A delirious  whirl 
or  dance  ensues,  heightened  by  a free  nse  of  a kind  of  rum  called 
tafia.  The  scenes  Avhich  sometimes  follow  are  too  horril)le  to 
uncurtain. 

The  infamous  Soulouque  Avas  a member  of  this  sect.  AYhen  he 
took  the  oath  his  lips  were  touched  with  a mixture  of  ox- blood 
and  tafia,  the  ox  being  killed  for  the  purjjose  during  the  cere- 
monies. lie  became  the  prey  of  these  old  superstitions.  He 
imagined  that  the  throne  of  his  predecessors  was  enchanted,  and 
refused  to  sit  upon  it.  A sorceress  told  him  that  President 
Boyer  had  hidden  an  enchanted  doll  in  the  palace  grounds,  to 
the  end  that  no  one  of  his  successors  might  eA^er  remain  in 
])ower  three  months,  or  might  suddenly  die.  Soulouque  accord- 
ingly ordered  a search  for  the  doll,  and  had  all  his  gardens  dug 
up  for  the  x)urpose.  The  palace  and  the  grounds  were  finally,  in 
1812,  ])ui*ified  by  the  slaughter  of  almost  all  the  people  of  mixed 
color  b(‘.  had  in  bis  em])loy.  Ibna'iig  assembled  in  his  palace  his 
cabinet  and  tlie  chief  inhal)itants  of  Port-au-Prince,  he  ordered 


BETERIORATINa  INFLUENCE  OF  FETICHISM. 


505 


liis  black  {Soldiers  to  fire  uiion  tliem.  The  offices  of  the  govern- 
ment were  actually  closed  for  want  of  clerks.  For  several  days 
the  butchery  continued,  and  extended  to  the  surrounding  coun- 
try. He  made  the  peninsula  a vast  solitude,  half  desert,  half 
cemetery.  ” After  this  tyrant’s  dei^arture  into  exile,  many  hun- 
dred skeletons  were  found  in  the  cells  of  Fort  Labouque,  where 
the  victims  had  died  of  starvation.  The  black  peoi^le  had 
employed  fetichisnr  to  move  Soulouque  to  avenge  them  of  their 
supposed  adversaries,  the  Mulattoes.  Born  a slave,  with  all  the 
superstitions  of  the  African,  he  was  impelled  by  the  terrors 
which  witchcraft  had  created  to  a massacre  that  would  have 
disgraced  even  the  King  of  Dahomey. 

It  is  said  by  the  Eev.  Mr.  Wilson,  that  the  witchcraft  which 
attends  fetichism  jiroduces  more  deaths  in  Africa  than  all  other 
causes  combined.  Kowhere  in  the  world  is  the  demoralizing  and 
debasing  influence  of  a false  religion  more  markedly  visible  than 
in  Africa.  The  incessant  strife,  occasioned  partly  by  witchcraft 
and  other  forms  of  superstition,  greatly  enfeebled  the  minds  of 
many  Africans  by  dei)riving  them  of  nightly  rest.  When  Dr. 
Livingstone  was  exploring  this  spasmodic  land,  he  came  to  a 
village  where  the  women,  regarding  him  as  some  thrice-great 
enchanter,  begged,  ^^Oh,  give  us  sleep.”  The  jealousies,  evil 
surmisings,  terrors  and  sudden  commotions  occasioned  bj^ 
this  form  of  superstition  rendered  life  a burden.  It  also  cheap- 
ened human  life.  Fetichism  and  witchcraft,  by  operating 
amongst  these  tribes  for  hundreds  of  generations,  at  length 
reduced  many  of  the  Africans  to  the  worst  barbarism.  As  they 
became  more  ignorant  and  debased  they  were  the  more  liable  to 
mistake  one  another  for  wild  beasts,  so  that  when  they  killed 
each  other  it  seemed  much  like  destroying  any  other  animal. 
The  present  writer  was  formerly  acquainted  with  a deist  who 
had  so  brutified  himself  by  lust,  avarice,  and  other  selfish  i)as- 
sions,  that  when  he  was  angry  he  would  throw  himself  into  the 
attitudes  and  assume  the  exxwessions  of  an  enraged  lion  5 inso- 


566 


THE  STOliY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


much  that  liad  any  one  kilh‘(l  liim  while*,  lie  was  tlius  distorted, 
and  said  in  apolo^^^y  that  for  tlie  moineiit  he  for^,^ot  tliat  Ik*,  was  a 
liuman  being,  I eonld  easily  have  believed  him,  esi)eeially  if  I 
knew  that  lie  was  familiar  Avitli  the  b(*havior  of  wild  beasts 
whilst  in  the  jiaroxysms  of  rage.  Yet  wonld  I ev(*r  bear  in  mind 
that  “ a man’s  a man  lor  a’  that,”  and  n(*.ver  cease*  to  hope*,  that — 

“ It’s  coming  yet,  for  a’  that, 

That  man  to  man  tlie  warld  o’er 

Shall  brothers  he  for  a’  that.” 

Cannibalism  still  prevails  among  the  tribes  that  dwell  arounel 
the  sources  of  the  Nile  anel  the  Congo.  Dr.  8chweinfnrth  femnel 
the  Yiam-Yiam  man-eaters  frenn  choice  anel  neit  from  lack  of 
other  food.  The  elector  gravely  eliscusses  the  ejuestion  whether 
a white  man  (most  African  tribes  sujipose  liiin  to  peissess  a 
charmeel  life ),  could  fiass  alone  safely  from  Central  Africa  to  the 
west  coast.  lie  elecieles  in  the  affirmative,  if  the  traveller  be 
not  too  fat ; for  fatness,  whether  in  Idack  or  white,  makes  every 
cannibal  lick  his  lips  and  pat  upon  his  microcosm,  into  which 
choice  slices  from  any  very  fal  pilgrim  are  extremely  liable  to 
descend. 

As  the  Slave-Trade  in  Africa  has  an  important  bearing  uiion 
various  missionary  operations,  a few  words  regarding  its  present 
state  will  not  be  amiss.  The  naval  guard  maintained  on  the 
western  coast  of  Africa  by  England  and  the  United  States  did 
not,  in  the  judgment  of  naval  officers,  do  much  to  check  the 
barbarous  traffic.  Its  principal  effect  was  to  increase  the  trade 
on  the  east,  and  notably  on  the  north-east  coast  of  the  continent. 
Xor  have  the  more  recent  efforts  of  the  British  Government, 
made  through  the  agency  of  General  Baker  and  General  Gordon, 
served  to  put  an  end  to  the  commerce  in  the  Egyptian  provinces 
of  the  Soudan.  After  the  retirement  of  Gen.  Gordon  from  the 
governorship  of  the  Soudan,  in  1880,  the  trade  revived,  and  since 
tin*.  as(M*ndancy  of  the  Mahdi  it  i)romises  to  be  more  flourishing 
than  lor  many  years  before,  llis  most  zealous  adherents,  the 


NIAM-NIAMS,  WITH  AKKA  OR  PIGMY. 


THE  MAKERS  OF  EUNUCHS.  507 

Fakirs,  have  always  been  great  2)romoters  of  the  traffic  5 and 
they  are  the  makers  of  those  ennnehs  wliicli  tlie  provinces  of 
Tvordofan  and  Barfonr  send  to  the  markets  of  Egypt,  Arabia 
and  Turkey.  Tlie  insincerity  of  the  Snltan  of  Turkey  and  of  tlie 
Khedive  of  Egypt,  in  stipulating  to  sni)press  this  kind  of  c.om- 
merce,  has  been  fully  demonstrated.  So  long  as  there  is  a 
demand  for  ennnehs  ami  Al)yssinian  girls  for  the  harems  of  the 


A Group  of  Fakirs. 

Snltan,  the  Khedive  and  the  Pashas  (and  this  demand  is  to-day 
as  active  as  ever),  we  cannot  expect  that  these  authorities  will 
in  good  faith  afford  any  assistance  to  English  and  French  offi- 
cials in  their  attempts  to  put  an  end  to  dealings  of  this  kind. 

Indeed,  slavery  is  bound  up  not  only  in  the  domestic  life  of 
the  Mahometans,  bnt  in  their  religion  itself.  Ennnclis  are  the 
official  guardians  of  the  tomb  of  Mahomet  at  Medina,  and  of  the 


5G8 


THE  STORY  OF  HAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


^Toat  Moslem  tem])l(i  at  Mee.ea.  Tli(‘se  are  bi'en^-lit  as  slaves 
from  the  interior  of  AiVica.  M(‘(;(;a,  (Jonstantiiiople.  ami  otlier 
Maliometaii  markets  are  snj)i)li(‘(l  through  the  ports  of  the  KcmI 
►Sea.  Amon^  these  is  (leilali,  on  tin*.  (Inlf  of  A(l(*n.  Abou  Jlekr, 
the  Governor^  has  a large  family  of  sons  (mgagcMl  in  this  eom- 
meree.  Tliere  are  seveial  j)atlis  ibr  slavm  (mravans  whieJi  t(*r- 
minate  at  the  K(‘(l  S(‘a.  Along  these  tracks  slaves  are  e.onv(iy(Ml 
from  Abyssinia  and  from  the  Gallas  trib(‘s  which  oecnpy  tiie 
region  which  lies  between  Abyssinia,  and  Zanzibar.  The*,  slave* 
caravans  do  not  come  directly  to  the  landings  on  the  Ii(‘d  Sea, 
but  turn  aside  to  places  a short  distance*  bae*k  fre)m  the*,  coast, 
where  the  captives  are  alloweel  to  re*.st  and  fntte'ii  alter  their  long 
journeys,  anel  are  then  bre)ught  elown  to  the  she)re  eluring  elark 
nights,  put  oil  boarel  swift-sailing  vessels  calleel  ellmws,  aiiel  car- 
rieel  across  the  sea  te)  Arabian  ports,  v hence  the*y  are  feu'wareled 
to  ^lecca,  Constantinoiile  anel  e)ther  iMeislem  markets. 

In  Zanzibar  the  traele  still  goes  forwarel.  Englanel,  by  treaty 
anel  threats  eif  Avar,  has  maele  three  attempts  to  luing  it  to  an 
enel.  For  scAxral  years  it  Avas  greatly  diminisheel  j but  as  slaAX*s 
are  in  demauel  for  the  islanel  of  Pemba  and  for  the  Comoro 
islands,  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar  has  alloAA'eel  his  religion  and  his 
loA^e  e)f  money  to  Auolate  his  pledges  to  Great  Britain.  The  traele 
has  also  recently  rcAUA^ed  in  Morocco:  captives  brought  from  the 
coast  of  Guinea  are  sohl  in  the  streets  of  some  eif  the  toAvns. 

But  the  bad  faith  of  the  Moslems  in  this  regard  is  eeiualled  by 
that  of  the  Portuguese  Catholics.  By  treaties  maele  in  1815,' 
1817  and  182G,  Portugal  ami  Brazil  made  the  sla\"e-traele  inrat- 
ical  after  1830  j but  the  Portuguese  liaA^e  ncA^er  fully  elischarged 
the  obligations  by  AAiiich  they  bounel  themselAA^s.  Their  ji^H'ti^^i 
and  intermittent  attemiits  to  abolish  the  traffic,  particularly  in 
the*ir  e:olonies,  are  Avell  illustrated  in  Southey’s  History  of  Bra- 
zil.” To  turn  eiver  again  the  pages  of  that  History  AAmuld  carry 
us  teio  far  afield.  iMozambieiue,  Benguela  anel  Angola,  Portu- 
guese i>ossessions  in  Africa,  are  coA^ertly  engaged  in  this  trade. 


CAMP  OF  ARAB  SLAVE-TRADERS. 


SLAVE-IIUNTINa  IN  AFllICA. 


5G0 


Portuguese  slave-dealers  from  these  States  are  found  hy  English 
travellers  in  the  interior  of  the  continent,  kidnai^ping  and  col- 
lecting captives,  to  he  transported  hy  caravans  to  the  i)orts  of 
the  eastern  or  western  coast.  On  the  arrival  of  a caravan  at  the 
west  coast,  the  slaves  are  quartered  about  the  town  in  small 
parties,  and  so  held  in  readiness  for  emharkation  on  a lighter  or 
steamer,  hy  which  they  are  carried  to  shix)s  hound  x>erhaps  for 
South  America  or  the  West  Indies. 

Some  of  the  sources  of  the  trade  are  found  among  the  wild 
tribes  that  inhabit  the  western  shores  of  Lake  Nyassa,  and  in 
Ussamhi,  four  hundred  miles  south-east  of  Lake  Tanganyika, 
the  banks  of  the  river  Gazelle,  or  Bahr-el-Ghazel,  Abyssinia,  the, 
Gallas  tribes  already  mentioned,  and  the  negroes  of  the  lands 
drained  by  the  ux^xier  affluents  of  the  Kile  and  the  Congo.  Some 
regions  once  imimlous  have  been  desolated  by  this  traffic ; the 
inhabitants  have  been  partly  carried  away  and  have  partly  fled 
to  places  of  greater  security. 

The  region  between  Lake  Kyassa  and  Lake  Tanganyika  is  oc- 
cupied by  a slave-hunting  tribe  called  the  Mazitus,  who  are 
descendants  of  the  Zulus.  Dr.  Laws,  who  has  a Scotch  Presby- 
terian mission  station  at  Marenga,  on  the  west  shore  of  Lake 
Kyassa,  describes  this  tribe  as  very  cruel,  having  no  more 
hesitation  in  killing  a captive  than  in  slaughtering  an  ox  or 
chopiiing  oft  the  head  of  a chicken.  He  is  oidy  able  to  sustain 
friendly  relations  with  them  by  shutting  his  eyes  to  their  deeds 
of  inhumanity.  These  hunters  supi)ly  the  dealers,  some  of  whom 
are  Arabs  and  some  Portuguese.  When  a lot  of  negroes  is  de- 
manded, they  attack  a village  and  capture  such  men,  women  and 
children  as  fill  the  order.  The  chief  outlet  of  the  traffic  is  down 
the  Itovuma,  a river  which  forms  the  boundary  between  Mozam- 
bique and  Zanzibar. 

There  are  several  mission  stations  on  the  banks  of  the  great 
lakes  of  Central  Africa,  but  the  missionaries  are  regarded  with 
suspicion  by  the  slave-hunters.  The  Scottish  mission  on  Lake 


570 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Nyassa-  was  organized  in  1874,  and  now  (1881)  nninlxa's  nine 
converts.  It  lias  in  service  on  tlie  Inke  a small  ste.anna’,  (um- 
structed  in  sections,  like  those  employed  on  the  Nile  and  11i(‘. 
Congo.  On  the  latter  there  are  no  h‘ss  than  fourteen  mission 
stations;  hut  those  which  have  heen  attemjited  on  the  Upjier 
Nile  have  for  the  most  ])art  heen  unsuc(u‘ssfnl.  The  Romanists 
formerly  had  a missicm  at  St.  Croix,  on  the  TTpjier  Nile,  six  days’ 
sail  helow  Gondokoro.  Rut  the  shop-keepers  who  gatherd 
around  the  mission  either  turned  slave-traders  themselves  or 
protected  those  engaged  in  the  inhuman  traflic,  so  that  eventu- 
all}^  the  negroes  lost  faith  in  all  Europeans,  and  abused  the 
missionaries  as  the  precursors  of  man-stealers.  The  mission  was 
ahandoned  at  the  end  of  thirteen  years  of  endeavor ; not  a single 
convert  was  made.  The  Romanists  had  another  mission  in  Kor- 
dofan,  hut  twelve  memhers  of  it  Avere  taken  captiA^e  hy  El  ^Malidi 
in  1883,  and  carried  to  El-Oheid,  Avhere  they  AA^ere  ransomed  for 
£2,800  and  sent  to  Khartoum. 

It  was  the  opinion  of  LiAungstone  that  no  mission  could  thrive 
among  any  trihe  that  was  exposed  to  the  incursions  of  slave- 
traders.  And  it  is  the  Judgment  of  Gen.  Gordon  that  the  hest 
Avay  to  destroy  the  traffic  is  to  strike  at  its  hegiunings  among  the 
negroes  of  Central  Africa.  He  marched  into  the  remote  parts 
of  the  Soudan,  attacked  the  dealers,  and  either  liberated  the 
captiA^es,  or,  if  capahle,  enlisted  them  as  soldiers.  Nor  did  he 
hesitate  to  buy  negro  slaves  for  the  puriAose  of  putting  them  into 
the  ranks  of  his  forces.  But  we  are  convinced  that,  while  war 
and  the  advance  of  a material  civilization  may  contribute  much 
to  diminisli  the  trade,  nothing  but  the  doAAmfall  of  Rome  and 
Mecca  Avill  be  the  signal  for  its  destruction. 

II. 

Our  missionaries  in  Asia  and  Africa  are  brought  face  to  face 
with  the  Mahometans,  Avhile  they  detect  traces  of  Islam  in  the 
Rrahminism  and  Buddhism  of  India,  and  in  the  Eetich-AAmrship 
ol'  C'entral  and  \V(ist(‘rn  Africa.  And  as  the  IMahometans  are 


AGGRESSIVE  MAHOMETANS. 


571 


almost  tlie  ouly  false  religionists  who  are  making  proselytes 
among  the  heathen,  it  is  worth  our  while  to  glance  at  the  lights 
and  shadows  of  the  Crescent  as  they  now  rest  upon  our  mission 
fields. 

The  earlier  Mahometan  invaders  of  India  were  iconoclasts. 

But  after  their  power  was  established,  they  tolerated  image- 

• 

worship,  and  at  length  many  nominal  Aloslems  learned  to  join  in 
keeping  Hindu  festivals.  When  Sultan  Mahmud  of  Gazni  in- 
vaded Guzerat  in  1024,  he  entered  the  great  temple  of  Shiva  at 
Somnath  and  struck  the  image  of  the  Destroyer  with  his  club, 
and  as  he  shattered  it  to  i^ieces  a vast  number  of  diamonds  and 
other  precious  stones  fell  at  his  feet.  He  demolished  many 
temi^les  and  idols.  In  all  his  expeditions  and  battles,  from  the 
Tigris  to  the  Ganges,  he  appears  to  have  been  ambitious  to  em- 
ulate the  iconoclastic  zeal  of  his  great  Prophet  and  namesake. 
The  Caliph  of  Bagdad  conferred  uj^on  him  the  title  of  Protector 
of  the  Faithful.  Later  Mahometan  masters  of  India  tolerated 
Brahminism,  Buddhism  and  other  forms  of  Eastern  idolatry,  but 
made  multitudes  of  proselytes  from  among  mountain  tribes,  out- 
casts, i)ariahs  and  slaves.  The  traces  of  Judaism  which  have 
been  detected  among  the  tribes  of  Afghanistan  are,  we  think, 
owing  to  the  influence  of  the  teachers  of  Islam  rather  than  to 
ethnic  lineage.  The  amount  of  Old  Testament  matter  incorpo- 
rated in  the  Koran  is  greater  than  is  commonly  supposed. 

The  Emi^eror  Akbar  encouraged  the  Hindu  sect  called  Sikhs, 
who  attempted  to  unite  the  Hindus  and  Mahometans  on  the 
basis  of  a compromise  of  religions.  Mahomet  himself  was  loud 
for  a union  of  religions.  Akbar  carried  his  liberalism  so  far  as 
to  undertake  to  reconcile  the  Moslem,  Hindu,  Hebrew  and 
Christian  religions.  To  what  extent  the  Mahometans  and  Brah- 
mins can  affiliate  against  Christianity,  is  shown  in  the  history  of 
the  Sepoy  mutiny.  And  the  influence  of  Islam  in  India,  where, 
from  the  eleventh  to  the  eighteenth  century,  it  was  the  religion 
of  the  rulers,  ought  not  to  be  overlooked  by  those  who  would 


573 


THE  STOUY'  OH  HAriTST  M18SIONS. 


understand  its  share  as  a formative  agency  in  the.  traditions  of 
some  mountain  tribes,  as  Avell  as  in  the  ech'ctic  systems  which 
are  known  as  Brahminism  and  ibiddhism.  Koi’  should  avc  forget 
that  there  are  to-day  more  than*  forty  millions  of  avow(*d  and 
aggressive  IMoslems  living  and  moving  witliin  the  limits  of 
British  India. 


In  British  Burmah  there  were,  in  1872,  99,846  Mahometans. 
In  Independent  Burmah  they  are  less  numerous,  although  their 
mosques  are  seen  in  all  the  large  cities  of  both  parts  of  the 
emj)ire. 

B1i(5  iMaliometan  element  in  the  x)Oi^ulation  of  China  has  to  be 
taken  into  account  in  our  attempts  to  evangelize  that  A^ast  and 
bieming  emj)ir(‘..  Islamisni  has  obtained  a footing  in  the  north- 
CJii  and  western  j)rovinces.  In  two  or  three  instances,  as  in 


CONQUESTS  OF  ISLAM. 


57.‘> 

Kansiili  a century  ago,  and  in  Pautliay  within  a fcAV  j^ears  past, 
the  standard  of  Mahometan  conquest  has  been  raised,  but  not 
advanced  to  any  permanent  power.  More  is  here  to  be  feared 
from  the  ancient  leaven  of  the  Koran,  the  iiilieritaiice  of  earlier 
times,  Avhich  is  to  be  detected  in  the  popular  superstitious.  The 
folloAvers  of  the  Arabian  Proi)het  commenced  the  diffusion  of 
their  doctrines  iii  China  in  the  eighth  century,  and  to  the  end  of 
the  Tang  dynasty,  tAvo  hundred  years  later,  enjoyed  toleration, 
if  not  religious  liberty.  Their  mosques  are  seen  in  the  largest 
cities.  They  are  scattered  over  all  the  i)roAdnces,  and  some  of 
them  are  office-holders.  Their  present  numbers  in  China  proper 
Ave  kuoAV  not  j about  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago  they  were 
roundly  estimated  at  500,000.  Their  numbers  to-day  have  been 
variously  conjectured  to  be  from  fiA^e  to  twenty  millions ! 

Of  the  Dutch  East  Indies,  namely,  JaA^a,  Sumatra,  Borneo, 
the  -Celebes  and  KeAv^  Guinea,  a majority  of  the  inhabitants  are 
Mahometans;  and,  AA  liat  is  to  be  deplored,  although  these  islands 
have  so  long  been  under  the  supremacy  of  Christian  nations,  and 
so  many  missionaries  liaA^e  long  labored  among  these  peoples, 
yet  Mahometanism  is  to-day  actually  gaining  ground  in  these 
islands,  so  remote  from  Mecca. 

Eetracing  the  footsteps  of  Mahomet,  and  passing  from  Mecca 
westward,  Ave  find  the  Moslems  occupying  almost  all  Northern 
Africa  (except  Abyssinia),  the  oases  of  Sahara,  and  the  States 
of  the  central  Soudan.  The  southern  limits  of  this  extensive 
region  haA^e  been  indicated  in  a general  way  as  follows : A line 
from  Gambia,  on  the  Avest,  passing  eastward  to  the  confluence 
of  the  Niger  and  Benue;  thence  eastAvard,  folloAving  the  tenth 
parallel  of  north  latitude,  to  the  Nile,  below  the  junction  of  the 
river  Gliazal;  thence  south-east,  including  the  coast-land  in  the 
Mahometan  region,  to  Cape  Delgado.  The  Baiitist  missionaries 
in  Yoruba  encounter  the  Moslems.  In  our  account  of  the  adven- 
tures of  Mr.  BoAven,  Ave  have  occasion  to  observe  an  admixture 
40 


571 


TIIK  ST()1^V  OF  3JAFTJST  ]\IISSIO^’S. 


of  Islam  and  the  aboriginal  sni)ersl itions  of  Africn.  Anion^tlic 
negro  tribes^  this  delusion  has  during  the  last  niiudy  years  been 
spreading  on  every  side.  Tlui  s(‘eds  of  this  mnv  harvest  were 
sown  as  early  as  the  bmtli  ('entury.  In  1<S71^  the  Maliometan 
l)opnlatiou  of  the  central  Sondaii  was  estimated  at  .‘ISjSOOjOOO. 
Cape  Colony  nnml)ers  al)out  15,000  moi’c.  It  has  b(*en  estimat(*d 
that  about  one-half  of  th(‘.  ])opulation  of  Afri(;a  are  ^Mahometans. 

AVe  have  touelied  upon  Maliometanism  mostly  in  in  its  relation 
to  Protestant  missions.  JIad  our  si)aee  ])ermitt(Ml,  we  would 
gladly  have  discussed  the  subject  in  a more  full  and  particular 
manner.  jMany  important  questions  naturally  arise,  but  they 
cannot  be  answered  here. 

Yet  to  all  who  pray  and  lal)or  for  the  conversion  of  Aloslems, 
very  welcome  is  any  light  which  the  history  of  the  spread  of 
Islam  in  pagan  lands  may  throw  on  a very  obscure  portion  of  the 
Apocalyi)se.  The  whole  of  the  ninth  chai)ter  of  Pevelation  has 
hitherto  been  studied  with  almost  exclusive  reference  to  Moslem 
armies  as  invading  Palestine  and  the  border-lands  of  Christen- 
dom. After  long  and  patient  study,  w'e  venture  to  suggest 
Avhether  the  i)redictiou  extending  from  the  1.3th  to  the  21st  verse 
does  not  apply  to  the  operations  of  Islam  in  non-Christian  re- 
gions? This  view  is  favored  by  verses  2()th  and  21st,  which  are 
descriptive  of  heathen  idolatries,  sorceries  and  other  crimes; 
whereas  the  earlier  armies,  w hich  move  at  the  signal  of  the  fifth 
angelic  trum2)et,  advance  against  such  nominal  Christians  as 
have  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads. 

Then,  again,  the  encroachments  of  the  Mahometan  powers  on 
the  w est  were  to  come  to  a perpetual  end  at  the  close  of  five 
l)rophetic  months.  And  accordingly  history  informs  us  that  the 
hostile  movements  of  the  Moslems  in  their  relation  to  Greek  and 
Latin  Christendom  long  since  exhansted  their  appointed  strength. 
Otherwise  is  it  w ith  the  expeditions  and  campaigns  of  the  JMos- 
l(Mus  that  ai(‘.  dir(‘ct(‘d  against  ])agau  tribes  and  nations.  The 


ISLAM  IN  RF.VELATION. 


575 


nuiiibor  of  the  horsemen  is  literally  ^Hwice  ten  thousand  times 
ten  thousand/’  in  other  words,  innunierahle,  and  they  are  to  slay 
a third  part  of  idolaters,  without  any  iutiniation  of  the  times  or 
places  in  which  they  live.  It  may  he  objected  that  verse  15  very 
l)articularly  fixes  the  duration  of  four  invasions.  But  if  the 
phrase,  ‘^the  hour  and  day  and  mouth  and  year,”  refers  to  the 
opportune  momeut  for  setting  out,  as  Ave  understand  it,  then  this 
objection  does  not  hold  good. 

As  idolatry,  sorcery  and  their  attendaiit  Auces  set  at  naught 
the  mediation  of  Jesus  through  His  atoning  blood  and  Ills 
priestly  intercession,  it 
was  one  united  Amice 
from  the  golden  altar 
of  incense  to  the  sixth 
angel,  saying,  Loose 
the  four  angels  that  are 
bound  at  (not  in)  the 
great  river  Eui)hrates.” 

The  inroads  of  the  Ma- 
hometans into  the  re- 
mote and  pagan  parts  of 
Asia  and  Africa  did 
not  well  commence  until 
the  Abbassides  fixed 
their  court  either  upon 
or  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Euphrates.  These  great  Caliphs 
established  their  capital  at  Kiifa,  tAventy-five  miles  south 
of  the  ruins  of  Babylon,  west  of  the  Euphrates  and  connected 
Avith  it  by  a canal.  Thence  they  transferred  their  capital 
to  A1  - Ilashemiyah,  on  the  banks  of  the  Euphrates,  and 
finally  they  settled  at  Bagdad,  on  the  Tigris.  Eormeiiy  the 
waters  of  the  Eux)hrates  and  the  Tigris  Avere  blended  by  many 


576 


TIIK  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


canals.  Tliey  ibnncMl  wliat  lias  l)eeii  tmried ‘^a  double  river.” 
Once  the  bitter  was  consid(;red  a,  tributary  of  tlie  former.  Not 
only  were  the  waters  one,  but  tlie  eJties  on  the  banks  of  both 
were  otherwise  curiously  related  to  one  anotlnn-.  One  city  was 
often  built  out  of  th(‘.  ruins  of  anotlH*r;  and  it  is  i)rol)able  tliat 
Al-Uasbemiyah  contributed  many  a hewn  stone  and  marble 
column  towards  the  mosques  and  i)alaces  of  Ilagdad.  Even  at 
the  present  day,  the  traveller  observes,  five  miles  below  the  (uty, 
a canal  which  unites  these  rivers,  and  is  duriiiji^  the  Spring  Hoods 
navigable  for  large  boats.  Bagdad  was  for  live  hundred  yiiars 
the  capital  of  the  Abbassides,  tlui  most  powerful  and  celebrated 
sovereigns  of  the  Mahometan  enqiire,  including  the  great  Ilaroun 
al-Baschid.  And  long  after  their  temporal  power  was  Aveakened, 
they  Avere  still,  as  Caliphs,  the  religious  and  intellectual  heads 
of  the  Moslem  kingdoms. 

In  Scripture,  the  horse  is  the  symbol  of  Avarj  but  in  respect  of 
the  Mahometans  the  ^yaT  has  been  a tAvo-fold  system  of  propa* 
gandisni:  one  by  the  sword  and  the  other  by' the  Koran.  Fn 
Averse  17,  fire,  smoke  and  brimstone  are  emblems  of  the  Aveapons, 
both  offensive  and  defensive.  For  the  hyacinth  ” of  the  breast- 
plates or  armor  is  of  the  color  of  smoke.  The  word  ^Cirimstone ’’ 
Avould  iierhaiAs  be  best  rendered  lightning  • such  is  often  the 
import  of  the  original  Avord.  These  emblems  can  only  be  under- 
stood by  a recurrence  to  the  outset  of  the  first  great  aggressiA^e 
movement  of  Mahomet,  as  represented  in  the  fallen  star  oiiening 
the  bottomless  pit,  out  of  which  arises  smoke  Avhich  darkens  the 
sun  and  sends  forth  armies  of  locusts.  The  smoke  is  perhaps 
the  symbol  of  those  teachings  of  the  Arabian  Proiihet  which 
serA^e  to  obscure  the  light  of  the  Gospel.  The  light  of  this  star 
re-appears  in  the  lire  proceeding  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  horse- 
men and  the  horses.  This  lire  is,  according  to  the  old  IlebreAv 
symbolism,  the  hiAV  of  God.  The  figuratiA^e  caAmlry  of  Mahomet 
have  owed  their  comjuests  in  heathen  lands  in  great  measure  to 


ISLAM  IN  KEVELATION. 


577 


the  fcict  tliat  they  taught  and  enforced  a part  of  the  moral  code 
of  the  Old  Testament.  Commending  themselves  first  to  the 
general  conscience,  they  prepared  the  way  for  the  false  doctrines 
which  are  peculiar  to  Islam.  In  other  words,  the  fire  was  so 
welcome  to  the  idolatrous  barbarians  and  anarchical  tribes,  that 
they  first  tolerated  and  then  approved  the  smoke  which  followed. 
But  the  full  effect  of  this  proselyting  system  would  not  be  ac- 
complished without  the  lightning,  a j)ower  appealing  to  fear  and 
threatening  swift  destruction.  It  is  to  be  observed  that  these 
elements  are  not  described  as  mixed,  but  as  separate  iilagues 
(verse  18).  They  have  indeed  evidently  combined  as  motives  in 
multitudes  of  pagan  minds,  but  they  have  frequently  operated 
almost  independently  of  one  another.  The  killing,  we  hardly 
need  to  add,  is  here  a figurative  slaying,  or  complete  subjection 
to  Mahometanism.  The  first  great  movement  of  Islam  was  for 
temporal  suiiremacy.  Hence  the  warriors  wear  crowns  like  gold 
(verse  7),  and  they  injure  and  torment,  but  do  not  kill,  the 
passive  and  false  professors  of  Judaism  and  Christianity.  They 
only  invade,  deface,  despoil,  enslave  and  lay  under  intoler- 
able taxation.  According  to  the  best  Greek  text,  the  chief 
power  of  the  locust-like  army  is  in  the  tails  of  the  horses  ( verse 
10 ) ; in  other  words  the  first  wars  were  mostly  troublesome  in 
the  vexatious  consequences  of  them,  as  politically,  ecclesiasti- 
cally, financially  and  socially  considered.  But  it  is  very  notice- 
able that,  in  the  second  or  proselyting  series  of  wars,  the  power 
of  the  horses  is  not  only  in  their  tails,  but  in  their  mouths  as 
wellj  while  their  riders  join  them  in  their  outgivings  of  fire  and 
smoke  and  lightning,  and  in  wearing  a defensive  armor  of  like 
materials.  The  open  and  bold  avowal  of  their  doctrines  by  the 
Moslem  iiroselytersis  represented  by  the  heads  of  the  horses, 
which  are  now  lion-like,  whereas  in  the  first  series  of  wars  the 
heads  are  human  and  even  feminine;  it  is  only  in  the  teeth  that 
the  lion  appears. 


578 


THE  STORY  OF  lUR'I'lST  MISSIONS. 


Tlie  s(‘ri)eiit-likc  tails  of  tlui  lioi’sos  liaviii^^  ]i(*a(ls  (v(*i'se  10) 
reiniiid  us  of  tlic  seriXMit  tlirou^li  wliicOi  Satan  t(‘nii)t(*(l  Kvo,  and 
of  Avliat  Isaiah  (9: 15)  says — i)roi)li(d  tliat  si)(‘.aks  tln*<  lies, 
he  is  the  tail.”  The  Mahometan  Fakirs  or  Dervishes,  that  have 
ever  followed  the  traek  of  Moslem  eominest  to  make  ])roselytes, 
are  truly  serpent-like  in  their  (ainiiiii^'  compliama's  and  insinu- 
ating ways;  while  their  lalsehoods  are  frecinent  and  shameless. 

There  are,  however,  (‘ven  in  these  x)i‘<)selyting  (conquests,  left 
behind  hurtful  and  vexations  conseqnene(‘s.  h]ven  in  these,  the 
tails  of  the  horses  have  power  to  injure  those  Avhom  they  eaniiot 
kill.  Islam  draws  aft(‘r  it  polygamy  and  slavery,  and  (‘very 
social  vice.  Two-thirds  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  regions  they 
have  over-run  remain  idolaters  still,  and  such  as  profess  subjec- 
tion to  Islam  are  bnrden(‘d  with  excessive  tax(‘s  for  pious  uses, 
austere  abstinences,  numberless  observances  and  expensive  i)il- 
grimages,  to  say  nothing  of  the  natural  effects  of  the  vice  and 
})rofligacy  and  crime  which  Islam  fosters  and  promises  to  reward. 
If  onr  iiiterpretation  of  the  Ai)ocalypse  is  (correct,  .Mahonielanism 
is  still  to  send  forth  into  heathen  lands  nnml)erless  i)ropagand- 
ists.  It  has  in  recent  times  made  rapid  conquests  in  Java  and 
other  parts  of  the  Malayan  Archii)elago,  Avhere  it  numbers  about 
thirty  millions,  (diiefly  Dntvh  subjects,  and  sending  annnally 
some  twelve  thonsand  ])ilgrims  to  Mecca.  It  is  also  advancing 
in  the  Soudan  and  in  Zanzibar,  counting,  it  is  conjectured,  ten 
millions  in  the  former  and  a million  and  a half  in  the  latter. 
Tlie  negroes  of  Central  Africa  appear  to  be  bronglrt  to  profess 
Islam  chiefly  throngh  fear.  It  is  said,  indeed,  that  their  Arabian 
(M)mpierors  are  offering  them  social  equality  as  a condition  of 
conformity.  The  Arab,  Ave  are  told,  says  to  the  Xegro,  ^^Conie 
11])  and  sit  beside  me.  Take  my  danghters  and  give  me  yours.” 
lint  ])robably  rei)orts  in  favor  of  this  ])rofessed  eqnalit}^  are 
givatly  exaggerated.  Certain  it  is  that  in  India  ]\[ahometans 
maintain  very  high  notions  of  (‘aste  in  regard  of  intermarriage 


MAHOMETANISM  AND  SLAVERY. 


579 


and  fellowship  at  table,  in  spite  of  the  laet  that  the  Koran 
declares  all  Moslems  religiously  and  socially  equal. ^ The  negro 
may  by  turning  Mahometan  save  himself  from  being  sold  into 
captivity,  but  if  he  become  a Moslem  while  in  bondage,  he  can- 
not thereby  obtain  his  freedom;  although  high  authorities  have 
decided  that  such  jiroselyte  ought  not  to  be  held  in  servitude 
more  than  a few  years  after  conversion. 

There  are,  to  be  sure,  several  precepts  in  the  Koran  favorable 
to  believing  slaves,  but  these  precepts  are  often  ignored;  and 
to-day  Moslem  kings  and  chiefs  encourage  slavery  as  a natural 
condition  of  human  society,  and  they  are  the  principal  bars  to 
the  abolition  of  the  African  slave-trade.  The  English  and  other 
European  powers  have  made  numerous  treaties  on  the  subject 
with  the  Sultans  of  Turkey,  Zanzibar  and  Oman,  and  the  Khe- 
dives of  Egypt ; but  it  is  said  to  be  more  active  now  than  for 
many  years  past.  The  Sultan,  since  his  quarrel  with  the  English, 
has  given  full  license  to  the  traffic  on  the  Bed  Sea.  Mr.  Wilfrid 
S.  Blunt,  who  has  resided  at  Jeddah,  the  sea-port  of  JMecca,  and 
has  spent  some  time  among  the  iMussulmans  of  Egypt  and  Syria, 
says  that,  without  the  occupation  by  European  garrisons  of  all 
the  villages  on  the  shores  of  the  Bed  Sea,  and  from  Gardafui 
southward  to  Mozambicpie,  a real  check  cannot  be  put  on  the 
traffic,  except  through  tlie  co-operation  of  the  Moslems  them- 
selves. The  same  author,  in  liis  ^‘‘Future  of  Islam would  have 
the  British  Government,  as  a good  stroke  of  policy,  promote  and 
protect  the  annual  pilgrimage  of  some  fifteen  thousand  Moslem 
pilgrims  on  the  voyage  from  India  to  Mecca.  He  even  complains 
of  the  negligence  of  English  authorities  in  helping  these  i)ilgTims 


1.  See  an  article  in  the  Nineteenth  Century  for  July,  1881,  on  “Mahomet 
and  his  Teaching,”  the  learned  Moiiier  AVilliains,  professor  of  Sanscrit 
at  Oxford.  Prof.  W.'s  familiarity  with  Hindu  life  makes  pages  80-83  of 
extraordinary  value. 


580 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


forward.  P>nt  perhaps  some  of  the  English  ofTnaals  remember 
that  though  these  Mahometans  of  India  are  llritish  snbjcM'.ts,  yet 
they  liave  proved  unfaithful  and  nuu'eiless  subjects,  and  tliat 
there  are  to-day  residing  in  Meeea  the  funcci  descendants  of  tlie 
Sepoy  refugees  who  tied  thither  in  1857.  Mr.  lUunt  would  shame 
the  British  Government  into  affording  aid  to  these  pilgrims,  by 
holding  up  to  praise  the  exami)le  of  the  Butch  authorities  in 
Java,  who  eneourage  and  further  these  voyages  to  the  lH)ly  me- 
tropolis of  the  Moslems.  The  Butch  apologize  for  this  amazing 
course  by  saying  that  to  send  a IVIaliometan  to  Mecca  serves  oidy 
to  disillusionize  him,  and  that  he  ndurns  to  remain  evermore 
content  with  his  lot  as  the  snbjecd  of  a Christian  power.  The 
satisfactory  reply  to  this  is  that  nowhere,  i)erhai)s,  is  Islam 
spreading  more  rapidly  than  in  the  Butch  possessions  of  India. 

Some  of  the  predictions  of  the  successors  of  the  False  Prophet 
are  curious.  They  foretell  the  fall  of  Turkey,  as  corrupting  the 
true  fjiith  and  usurping  the  Caliphate.  They  fixed  on  1883  as 
the  year  of  doom.  With  e(pial  hardihood,  Bohrbacher,  in  his 

History  of  the  Church,’’  as  the  result  of  his  calculations,  fore- 
told that  the  end  of  the  Turkish  Empire  would  take  place  in  1882. 

At  all  events  it  is  onr  duty  to  seek  the  conversion  of  IVIoslems. 
Xor  are  we  without  encouragements.  The  first  xierson  Mr.  Com- 
stock baptized  at  Eamree  was  a Mussulman.  lias  not  the  time 
come  for  Baxitists  to  take  nj)  the  work  in  good  earnest?  ‘^Is 
anything  too  hard  for  the  Lord  ?” 

There  is  one  hopeful  consideration  in  the  fact  that  the  con- 
quests of  ]\Iahometanism  are  mostly  x^artial  and  not  ])ermanent. 
According  to  the  book  of  Eevelation,  the}"  are  to  subdue  only 
a third  jiart  of  idolaters.  And  even  niion  the  hearts  of  these  the 
impressions  they  make  are  often  suxierficial  and  formal.  ITnat- 
teudcMl  as  they  ever  must  be  by  the  regenerating  power  of  the 
Biviiie  Si)irit,  these  marks  are  like  the  letters  which  Arabian 


ISLAM  IN  IIEVELATION 


581 


children  lejirn  by  tracing  them  on  the  face  of  the  desert.  They 
may  be  instantly  and  forever  removed  by  a stroke  of  the  fingers 
or  a gust  of  drifting  sand. 


Arab  Children  Learning  to  Write  by  Making  Letters  in  the  Sand, 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 


SKINNER,  CROCKER  AND  BOWEN,  OF  THE  AFRICAN  MISSIONS. 

I. — Dr.  Skinner  .among  Afric.an  Flowers. — Ilis  Childliood. — Studies  Medi- 
cine in  Pliiladelphiji. — A Young  Deist. — His  Pastor.ate. — Ilis  Missionary 
Son. — His  Work  in  Liberia  as  Physician  and  Preacher. — Personal  Ap- 
liearance. — His  Skill  as  a Surgeon. — Governor  of  IJheria. — Return  to 

America. — Resumes  a Pastoral  Care. — Death. — Ilis  Grandson. II. — 

The  Rev.  William  G.  Crocker. — A Conditional  Gift  to  Missions.— Mr. 
Crocker’s  E.arly  Life  and  Education. — The  Eflect  of  a Revival  on  a Stu- 
dent of  Theology. — Goes  out  to  Africa  and  Settles  at  B.assa  Cove. — 
Witchcraft. — Serpent  Worship. — Mr.  C.  Removes  to  Edina. — Marries 
Miss  Warren. — Her  Death.  — Voyage  to  Cape  Palmas. — Return  to 
America. — Long  Sickness  and  Partial  Recovery. — Goes  hack  to  Africa  to 
Die. III. — Origin  of  our  Missions  in  Africa. — Present  State. — Mys- 
terious Reverses. — African  Missions  of  Southern  Baptists. — Rev.  John 
Day. — Light  Sown  in  Liberia. — Africa  to  be  Evangelized  by  Her  Own 
Children. — Grounds  of  Hope. — What  May  Come  of  Moslem  Conriuests  in 
Africa.  — Mr.  Bowen’s  Early  Days. — Christian  Experience. — Military 
Life. — A Home  Missionary. — Goes  out  to  Yoruha. — At  War  with  the 
King  of  Dahomey. — How  Mahometans  Listened  to  the  Gospel. — The 
Religion  of  Yoruha. — The  Explorations  of  Mr.  B. — Returns  to  America. — 
Goes  back  w ith  Additional  Missionaries  — His  Book  on  Central  Africa. — 
Return  to  the  United  States. — Completes  his  AFork  on  the  Grammar  and 
Vocabulary  of  the  Yoruha  Language. — It  is  published  by  the  Smithson- 
ian Institute. — Death  and  Character. — Later  Accounts  of  the  Yoruha 
Missions. — Origin  of  British  Missions  in  Africa. — Driven  from  Fernando 
Po  by  the  Jesuits. — Career  of  Mr.  and  Mrs  Saker. — Death  of  Mrs. 
Underhill. — Recent  Operations  of  the  Southern  Board. — The  Missionary 
Union  and  the  Congo  Field. 

I. 

DAY",  while  wearing  away  the  hot  season  of  Xew  Y^ork 
city,  at  that  pleasant  sea-side  resort,  Greenport,  L.  I.,  a 
lady  who  had  spent  some  time  as  a missionary  in  West  Africa 
jdaced  Before  itie  for  my  amnsement  a number  of  herbariums, 
hlled  with  specimens  of  the  flowers  of  Liberia.  The  novel,  or 
tlui  strang(‘,  or  the  Avonderfid,  was  revealed  by  almost  every  turn 
of  tluj  j)ag(*s.  d'h(‘.  collection  had  been  made  by  the  lady’s  father 


EZEKIEL  SKINNER  IN  AFRICA. 


583 


while  Colonial  Physician.  He  had  William  Carey’s  love  for 
flowers,  but  it  specially  manifested  itself  in  the  search  after  such 
as  possessed  medicinal  virtues.  As  he  walked  about  the  flelds 
with  his  saddle-bags  on  his  arm,  or  paddled  up  and  down  the 
rivers  in  his  canoe,  his  quick  eye  would  detect  from  afar  any 
new  beauty  among  the  daughters  of  the  African  Plora.  Then  he 
would  approach  with  lens  in  hand,  minutely  examine  it,  and 
finally  pluck  a few  stems  or  leaves,  wherewith  to  enrich  his  bot- 
anical stores.  Thus  and  then  was  my  curiosity  excited  to  learn 
more  about  this  medical  missionary  to  Liberia.  Who  v/as  he  f 

Ezekiel  Skinner  was  an  only  child,  born  in  Glastonbury, 
Conn.,  June  27th,  1777.  . He  was  left  an  orphan  early  in  life,  his 
mother  dying  when  he  was  five  years  old,  and  his  father  when  he 
was  only  ten.  He  was  then  committed  to  the  care  of  an  uncle. 
The  good  man,  seeing  the  lad  grow  up  tall  and  energetic,  and 
considering  that  he  was  predisposed  to  consumption,  and  would 
at  any  rate  find  good  use  for  muscular  Christianity,”  appren- 
ticed him  to  a blacksmith.  It  was  perhaps,  in  his  earlier  years, 
the  best  of  academies  for  young  Skinner.  But  he  had  a strong 
thirst  for  knowledge,  gave  his  spare  time  to  study,  and  bought 
the  last  year  of  his  apprenticeshii)  and  spent  it  in  school.  We 
next  find  him  studying  medicine  under  the  direction  of  Doctor, 
afterwards  Governor,  Peters,  of  Hebron,  Conn.  He  then  com- 
pleted his  medical  studies  under  the  great  Dr.  Push  and  his 
associates  in  Philadelphia.  At  this  period,  Skinner,  following 
the  fashion,  became  a Deist,  and  at  leugth  an  advocate  of 
Deism.  He  commenced  practice  in  Granville;  then  he  removed 
to  Lebanon,  Mass.,  where  he  was  converted,  and  united  with  the 
Congregational  church.  He  had  for  some  time  been  troubled 
with  doubts  about  baptism,  yet  he  had  never  heard  a sermon 
from  a Baptist  preacher  until  he  removed  to  Lebanon,  where  he 
was  baptized  and  became  a member  of  the  Baptist  church. 

He  took  an  active  part  in  the  war  of  1812.  On  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  men,  he  enlisted  himself,  not  as  a surgeon,  as  he 


584 


THE  e^TORY  OF  JiARTIST  MISSIONS. 


ini'iiit  jMstifialily  luive  dono,  l)ut  ns  a serc^eant.  TIo,  liad  not 
heoii  long  in  the  army  hetore  it  was  dis(*.over(‘d  that  he  Avas  a 
skillful  jiliysieiaiij  and  lie  Avas  takcMi  out  of  th(‘.  ranks  and  trans- 
ferred to  the  hospitals.  He  was  hhmnscMl  to  ])r(‘aeh  in  18H).  As 
liastor^  he  was  settled  at  Ashford,  Conn.,  nin(‘.  years,  and  at 
Westford  fourteen  years.  But  in  eoniuadion  with  his  jiastoral 
duties  he  still  continued  his  medical  jiracdiee.  After  he  Ixaaiine 
a preacher,  he  once  remarked  that  there  weie  two  phua^s  in 
which  he  greatly  desired  to  ])reach  hefore  he  di(‘d— one  was 
Ilehron,  where  lie  was  brought  ujij  the  other  was  Philadeljihia, 
where  he  had  ouee  stood  up  in  an  assembly  of  three  thousand 
people  and  declared  to  them  that  he  wislcal  to  have  his  inlidel 
sentiments  engraved  on  his  tombstone.  lie  wanted,  he  said,  to 
preach  in  that  city  and  take  his  words  back,  llis  wish  in  res- 
pect of  ])reaching  in  both  places  was  gratilied. 

lie  had  the  honor  to  be  the  father  of  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Rush 
Skinner,  who  in  1830  Avent  out  as  a missionary  to  West  Africa, 
only  to  fall  a Auetini  to  the  climate  Avithiu  less  than  a year  after 
he  left  home.  Ills  wife  and  child  had  died  aliout  ten  days  liefore. 
When  the  sad  tidings  of  his  death  reached  the  father,  the  effect 
was  different  from  Avhat  one  would  have  expected.  Very  soon 
after,  he  expressed  a strong  desire  to  go  to  Africa.  His  sole 
motiAm  was  to  do  good.  He  did  not  ask  an  appointment  as  a 
missionary  to  go  out  under  the  patronage  of  any  society.  He 
embarked  as  Physician  to  the  Colony  of  Liberia,  on  the  21st  day 
of  June,  1834,  and  continued  in  the  seiwice  of  the  Colonization 
Society  four  years,  and  Avithont  salary. 

Dr.  Skinner  found  the  Baptists  of  Liberia  to  be  more  numer- 
ous than  any  other  denomination.  Of  the  churches  of  the 
colony,  eight  Avere  Baptist,  six  Methodist,  three  Presbyterian 
ami  one  E[)iscopalian.  Although  he  at  first  acted  as  Medical 
Chief,  still  he  Avas  iuAuted  to  ])reach  in  some  pulpit  almost  CA^ery 
Sunday.  His  sermons  Avere  marked  by  simxilicity,  candor  and 


ANECDOTE  OF  DR.  SKINNER. 


585 


energy  5 liis  entire  delivery  declared  that  lie  believed  with  all  his 
heart  every  word  he  spoke. 

In  personal  appearance  he  was  tall  and  thin,  with  clear  and 
bright  grey  eyes.  In  manner  he  was  bold  and  frank.  While 
practicing  medicine,  he  had  acquired  the  odd  but  convenient 
habit  of  notifying  his  patients  of  his  approach  by  thinking  aloud 
and  with  a full  voice,  giving  early  notice  of  his  coming.  This 
habit  continued  after  his  arrival  in  Liberia  and  even  while  he 
was  acting  Governor  of  the  Colony.  The  practice  was  also  con- 
ducive to  his  own  health.  In  1835  he  exerted  a strong  inliuence 
in  favor  of  total  abstinence,  and  in  the  course  of  two  months 
persuaded  more  than  five  hundred  persons  to  sign  pledges. 
Lender  his  care  as  Colonial  Physician,  the  number  of  the  helpless 
and  feeble  was  diminislied  nine-tenths. 

At  length  he  was  elected  Governor  of  the  Colony,  and  he 
discharged  the  duties  of  the  office  with  fidelity  and  untiring 
diligence. 

Dr.  Skinner  was  of  that  admirable  courage  which  is  the  result 
of  blended  physical,  mental  and  moral  excellences.  Hence  he 
■ was  distinguished,  not  only  in  Africa  but  among  the  physicians 
of  Connecticut,  for  his  skill  as  a surgeon.  The  following  anec- 
dote in  point  is  related  by  the  Kev.  Gurdon  Kobins,  at  that  time 
a publisher  and  bookseller  in  Hartford  : ^Must  before  informa- 
tion of  Dr.  Skinner’s  arrival  from  Liberia  was  received  in  this 
city.  Dr.  Silas  Fuller  called  at  my  book-store,  having  just  re- 
turned from  a visit  to  a patient  in  a very  critical  situation  at 
Middletown.  Her  danger  arose  from  a tumor,  so  intimately 
connected  with  the  main  artery  that  Dr.  Fuller  did  not  dare  to 
attempt  its  removal.  He  knew  but  one  man  in  the  world  whom 
he  could  trust  to  x)erform  the  operation,  and  that  was  Dr.  Eze- 
kiel Skinner.  ^^He,”  said  Dr.  F.,  combines  both  the  requisite 
courage  and  skill,  but  unfortunately  he  is  in  Liberia.”  Dr. 
Fuller  soon  left  my  store,  and  within  about  an  hour  Dr.  Skinner 
came  in,  having  just  arrived  from  Liberia,  and  then  on  his  way 


TIIK  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


58() 

to  liis  ill  Aslilord.  I ineiitioiiod  tlo*,  (‘osc.  to  liiin,  and  told 

liini  wliat  Dr.  Fuller  liad  said.  He  inquired  where- tlie  jiatieiit 
lived^  and  said  he  would  j;()  and  see  her  at  once.  He  did  so  that 
evening,  and  on  his  return  tin*.  n(*xt  fonuioon,  In*,  told  me  that  lui 
had  iierfornied  the  op(‘ration  suecesstully.”  It  may  be  add(;d 
that  Middletown  was  twelve  miles  away.  “I  have  related  this 
incident,”  continnes  IVIr.  Robins,  ^^as  illustrative  not  only  of  Dr. 
Skinner’s  skill  and  courage,  but  especially  of  his  Ixuuivohmt  and 
self-sacriticing  spiritj  for  in  order  to  visit  his  patient  he  was 
obliged  to  turn  aside  from  his  homeward  journey,  and  thus  delay 
meeting  with  his  famih",  after  a pi'otracted  absemai  from  them.” 

The  health  of  Dr.  Skinner  began  to  give  way  soon  after  he 
became  Governor  of  Liberia.  Intense  ajqilication  to  the  multi- 
form business  of  his  office,  and  to  his  i-eformatory  enteiqirises, 
compelled  him,  alter  a few  months,  to  return  to  the  United 
States.  He  had  once  before  (in  1834)  visited  his  native  land. 
On  his  tlnal  return  from  Africa  in  1837,  he  resumed  his  ])astoral 
charge  in  Westford,  Conn.,  Avhere  he  remained  until  1800.  He 
then  resigned  as  pastor  of  the  (dinrch,  and  went  to  reside  with 
his  only  surviving  son.  Dr.  E.  D.  Skinner,  at  Greenport,  L.  I. 
Here  his  health  gradually  declined,  though  he  did  not  entirely 
desist  from  active  service  till  two  weeks  before  he  died,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-eight.  His  excellent  son  has  since  followed  him, 
but  a grand-son,  a young  physician,  promises  to  maintain  the 
high  reputation  for  medical  talents  and  skill  which  has  so  long 
been  associated  with  his  honored  name. 

II. 

^AVe  dedicate  our  daughter,”  said  a father  and  mother,  ^Ho 
the  cause  of  missions,  ])rovided  she  be  not  sent  to  Africa.”  Kot 
a few  have  blamed  this  Christian  pair  for  accompanying  their 
sacrifice  Avith  this  reservation.  But  the  sacrilice  needed  was  for 
living  service,  and  not  the  mere  ^Cashes  of  a heifer.”  These  pa- 
i-ents  th(*r(d()r(q  not  unwisely,  nor  in  any  lack  of  interest  in  the 


WILLIAM  G.  CROCKER  IN  AFRICA. 


587 


real  furtherance  of  the  Gospel,  could  not  consider  it  either  duty 
or  charity  to  send  their  beloved  daughter  to  a coast  that  had  be- 
come little  better  than  a cemetery  for  missionaries.  Mr.  William 
G.  Crocker  counted  the  last  resting-places  of  twenty  missionaries 
in  the  grave-yard  at  Monrovia. 

The  missionary  martyr  just  now  mentioned  was  born  at  Kew- 
buryport,  Mass.,  February  10th,  1805.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he 
obtained  a good  hope,  and  united  with  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Kewbury.  He  made 
the  best  of  his  oppor- 
tunities to  improve  his 
mind.  Though  poor, 
and  comiielled  to  spend 
half  of  each  day  with 
his  father  in  a shoe- 
shop,  yet  he  made 
greater  progress  in  his 
studies  than  most  of 
his  more  highly-favor- 
ed school-mates.  For 
two  years,  later,  he 
served  as  an  appren- 
tice to  a printer.  At 
length,  deeming  it  his 
duty  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel, he  received  a li- 
cense, and  commenced  his  studies  at  Newton  Theological  Insti- 
tution. Here  he  was  remembered  for  pantings  after  the  higher 
life,  and  for  secret  prayer.  Sometimes  he  would  continue  five  or 
six  hours,  and  once  he  was  known  to  devote  a whole  afternoon 
and  succeeding  night  in  persevering  prayer.  These  vigils,  and 
too  close  an  attention  to  certain  difficult  theological  questions, 
impaired  his  health,  insomuch  that  he  was  compelled  for  a season 
to  suspend  his  studies.  On  reaching  home,  he  found  a revival 


588 


THE  STOKY  OF  liAFTIST  AIISSIONS. 


ill  pr();;r(‘S8,  ;ni(l  Joiiu'd  lu*artily  in  tin*  cxcnt ions  r(*(jiiii(‘(l  hy  tliis 
work  of  gra(;e.  Ilis  inarkc'd  notions  about  ])(n\sonal  liolincss, 
and  Ids  liabits  of  inetaiibysical  sixHadation,  w(*r(‘.  waft(*d  away 
by  this  r(‘fresldng  br(M‘Z(‘  from  prosemai  ol*  tin*.  Lord. 

As  early  as  18.>),  be  decided  tliat  it  was  liis  duty  to  [neacli  tin*. 
Gospel  to  tlie  b(‘atben.  At  lirst  bis  ])nr])os<‘-  Avas  to  go  to  Bnr- 
inab,  blit  (‘ventiially  be  (diose  Africa  for  bis  field  of  lalior.  In 
company  Avitb  l\eA\  AV.  jMylne  and  Avif(‘,  Mr.  Crock(*r  embarked 
for  Africa  on  tbe  lltb  of  July,  1855.  Aftm-  a voyage  of  tbirty- 
two  days,  tbe  brig  in  Avliicb  tliey  sailed  droppial  anclior  in  tli(‘. 
port  of  MonroAda.  It  aa  jis  tbongbt  tliat  a tmipiorary  residence  at 
Milisburg,  tAA^nty  miles  nxi  tbe  riAXw,  AAonld  favor  tlieir  acclima- 
tion. Tbitber,  tberefore,  tbey  proceeded;  but  they  bad  been 
settled  scarcely  a iiiontb  AAdien  ]\Irs.  3Iylne,  seized  Avitb  tbe 
African  IcA^er,  died  after  an  illness  of  ten  days.  Tben  Mr. 
Crocker  bad  a mild  attaidcj  and  on  bis  recovery,  Mr.  Mylne  Avas 
seized  and  broiigbt  so  Ioav  tliat  bis  life  aa  as  despaired  of.  In 
writing  an  account  of  tbese  adA^ersities,  Mr.  Crocker  says:  ^^Yqu 
Avill  perbaps  ask  if  I am  not  by  tliis  time  sorry  that  1 came  to 
Africa.  I can  truly  say,  Ko.  Every  day  I bless  God  for  bring- 
ing me  bitber.”  i^’ot  only  aa  ere  tbey  in  ])eril  from  tbe  diseases  of 
tbe  climate,  but  from  tbe  natives,  ayIio  bad  violated  tbe  treaty 
AAdiicb  tbe  colony  bad  made  with  them,  and  tbreatened  them 
with  AA’ar. 

At  tbe  suggestion  of  Dr.  Skinner,  now  Governor  of  tbe  Colony, 
Messrs.  Crocker  and  Milne  Avere  directed  to  attempt  to  establisb 
a station  at  Bassa  Cove,  a village  on  tbe  soiitb  side  of  tbe  Mech- 
lin river,  at  its  moutb,  and  opposite  tbe  mission  station  of  Edina. 

Bassa  Cove  was  colonized  by  tbe  maimmitted  slaves  of  Dr. 
Hawes,  of  Virginia.  Tbey  numbered  one  bnndred  and  ten. 
AVitb  tliis  little  commnnity  Messrs.  Crocker  and  Mylne  remained 
until  tbey  could  make  arrangements  for  living  at  Edina.  Tbe 
village  baving  been  destroyed  by  an  attack  of  tbe  iiatiA^es,  tbe 
cburcli  tbcre  Avas  left  Avilbout  a iiastor  or  a ])lace  of  A\mrsbip, 


CRUELTIES  OF  WITCHCRAFT. 


589 


Mr.  Crocker  preached  to  them  under  the  shade  of  the  trees.  In 
March,  1830,  Mr.  Crocker,  accompanied  by^Dr.  Skinner,  went  to 
Monrovia  for  the  pnrj)ose  of  obtaining  aid  to  erect  a house  of 
worship  at  Bassa  Cove.  The  journey  was  performed  mainly 
overland,  and  Avhen  he  returned  the  fatigues  and  exposure  from 
which  he  had  suffered  threw  him  into  a fever,  which  for  a time 
dei)rived  him  of  reason. 

With  a view  to  establish  a school,  he  went  into  the  interior,  to 
Saute  Will’s  town,  twenty  miles  from  Bassa  Cove,  on  the  jMechlin 
river.  It  was  afterwards  called  Madeoli,  which  signifies  ^‘Head 
Man’s  Place.”  Here  Mr.  Crocker  established  a mission,  reduced 
the  language  to  writing,  and  compiled  a spelling-book.  While 
here,  he  lived  in  a little  bamboo  hut,  the  ground  being  his  bed. 
His  school  was  prosperous,  the  Chief,  Saute  AYill,  sending  to  it 
his  two  sous.  But  the  i)eople  were  indolent,  fickle  and  very 
superstitious.  Witchcraft  i)revailed  there,  as  in  other  i^arts  of 
Africa,  in  Madagascar  and  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Saute  Will’s 
eldest  son  having  died,  four  natives  were  put  to  death  by  order 
of  the  greegree  or  conjurer,  who  had  by  his  sorceries  singled 
them  out  as  the  jiersons  that  had  bewitched  him.  The  belief  of 
these  Africans  is  that  no  one  is  born  to  die,  and  that  every  one 
who  departs  this  life  is  sent  hence  by  one  or  more  persons  who 
have  bewitched  him.  On  one  occasion,  when  Mr.  Crocker  told 
him  he  was  afraid  he  would  die  and  go  to  hell,  he  rejdied,  We 
cannot  die.”  B}^  this  he  meant  that  no  man  can  die  except  by 
witchcraft. 

The  following  example  illustrates  the  nature  of  a superstition 
which  is  said  to  destroy  more  lives  in  Africa  than  war,  i)estilence 
or  famine  : One  of  the  children  of  the  town  having  been  carried 
off  by  a tiger,  the  natives,  as  usual,  supposed  that  some  one  had 
bewitched  the  tiger  and  in  that  way  called  him  to  seize  the  child. 
They  therefore  looked  around  to  find  the  witch.  Having  found 
the  supposed  witch,  they  then  looked  for  the  men  that  advised 

her  to  do  it.  The  process  of  finding  them  was  this : Some  head 
41 


590 


THE  STOllY  OF  UAPTIST  MISSIONS, 


men  caused  ahont  fifty  men  to  sit  down  in  a v(‘ry  large  circle. 
A conjurer  now  ai)i)ears  in  the  circle.  goes  through  his 
ceremonies,  and  then  jiasses  around  the  circle,  looking  at  th(‘, 
individuals  that  compose  it.  Again  and  again  he  went  around 


Execution  for  Witchcraft. 


the  circle,  nearly  a hundred  times,  till  he  had  selected  four  per- 
sons. The  next  day  they  were  subjected  to  the  ordeal  of  sawcy 
wood,  a drink  which,  if  it  do  not  prove  fatal,  so  iioisons  the 
victims  that  they  never  fully  recover  from  its  deleterious  eflects. 


AFRICAN  WITCHCRAFT. 


591 


Mr.  Crocker  records  in  his  journal  another  illustration  olj  their 
superstition : Yesterday  I saw  one  of  the  natives  talking  to  a 

snake  that  lay  coiled  close  to  his  house.  His  countenance  indi- 
cated much  anxiety.  He  was  pouring  some  cold  water  on  him, 
and  going  through  a ceremony  similar  to  that  performed  by  the 
natives  when  a difficulty  is  settled  between  two  x>iHties.  This 
consists  in  taking  water  into  the  mouth  and  spitting  it  out  again. 
He  was  beseeching  the  snake  to  go  far  away.  As  the  snake 
seemed  to  be  deaf  to  all  his  entreaties,  I offered  to  kill  it.  This 
projiosal  he  rejected  with  horror.  He  feared  that  the  snake  had 
come  to  call  him  away  from  this  world  j and  he  seemed  anxious 
to  x^ropitiate  it  and  get  a release  from  death. 

Our  missionary  took  every  opx)ortunity  that  was  given  him  to 
condemn  witchcraft  and  conjuration.  On  one  occasion,  after  one 
of  his  addresses  on  the  subject,  the  leading  chieftain  of  the 
Bassas,  King  Kobra , made  a very  animated  sxieech.  The  most 
of  the  assembly  ax)X)eared  to  receiye  the  remarks  on  the  subject 
in  good  although  a number  xirobably  did  not  relish  them. 

A few  years  later  he  was  glad  to  witness  a growing  skexiticism 
in  relation  to  this  sux)erstition. 

In  June,  1837,  Messrs.  Crocker  and  Mylne  moved  into  the  new 
mission-house  at  Edina.  Although  unfinished,  it  afforded  them 
a welcome  shelter  during  tlie  rainy  season.  At  the  close  of  the 
year  they  found  it  necessary  to  make  a voyage  to  Caxie  Palmas 
for  health  and- recux)eration.  IMr.  Mylne’s  health  continuing 
feeble,  he  was  obliged  to  return  to  ximerica.  Mr.  Crocker  would 
probably  have  derived  advantage  from  a voyage  to  his  native 
land,  but  as  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clarke  had  just  come  out  to  reinforce 
the  mission,  he  considered  that  he  ought  to  remain  and  give 
them  the  benefit  of  his  exxierienced  medical  skill  while  they  were 
going  through  the  xu'ocess  of  acclimation.  He  was  much  encour- 
aged by  the  success  that  attended  his  schools  for  the  instruction 
of  the  native  children,  more  x^articularly  of  females,  as  it  indi- 
cated a giving  way  of  the  inveterate  xH’ejudice  of  the  natives 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


against  female  edueatioii.  1 1 is  work  was  more*,  or  less  distni  hcMl 
by  the  iiienrsions  and  d<‘])redations  of  tli(‘,  wihl  trilx's  and  the 
shive-traders  of  that  i(‘gion.  \\’ho(‘V(‘r  lias  i-ead  tin*  lives  ot 
Moffat  and  of  Livingstone  will  find  no  difli(adty  in  eomi)r(*heinl- 
ing  the  dise()iiragenn*nts  that  att(‘nd(‘d  tin*  (“X(‘rtions  of  Mr. 
Crocker  and  his  fellow  missionaries. 

lie  was  called  in  LSTOto  snfh'i  from  lK‘i'(*av(‘m(‘nt  and  si(dvii(*ss. 
In  the  previous  y(‘ar  the  mission  was  str(‘ngth(‘n(‘(l  by  tin;  ari  ival 
of  Miss  Iviziiah  Warren.  AVith  h(‘r  Air.  Croekei-  was  united  in 
marriage.  Asot  long  after,  he  was  s(*iz(‘d  Avith  tin*  dis(*as(*.  most 
common  in  that  land,  and  bionght  almost  to  tin*  point  of  d(*ath. 
Airs.  Crocker  having  still  had  hop(*s  of  his  r(*covery  Avhih*.  all 
others  were  driven  to  d(*spair.  At  length  ln*r  effoits  w(*i‘e  r(*- 
warded  by  seeing  him  slowly  improving.  Ibit  in*r  care  of  him, 
and  disregard  of  her  own  health,  soon  began  to  tell  against  her 
own  vital  forces.  She  was  attacked  with  ^Vfrican  fever,  and 
after  siiftering  a few  days  Avas  foreAa*r  at  rest. 

In  December  he  Avas  rejoiced  by  the  arriAad  of  tAvo  missionary 
families;  but  Avithin  six  Aveeks  AA  as  called  to  mourn  the  death  by 
fcA’er  of  Air.  and  Airs.  Yielding.  ^‘This  event,’^  Avrote  Air. 
Crocker,  ‘‘may  discourage  our  friends  at  home,  but  it  does  not 
discourage  us.  Till  aa  e have  evidence  that  the  Lord  has  forsaken 
us,  Ave  Avill  not  be  disheartened.” 

In  no  long  time  he  found  opportunities  of  putting  that  heroic 
saying  to  a severe  test.  The  labors  of  his  mission,  in  a imisonous 
atmosphere,  iioav  began  to  undermine  his  constitution.  He  had 
tried  a Auiyage  to  Cape  Palmas,  and  another  to  Cajie  Alesurado. 
Put  a longer  voyage  aa  as  required,  and  on  the  2d  of  April,  1841, 
he  embarked  for  America.  As,  hoAvever,  the  ship  touched  at 
se\u*ral  ])oints  along  the  coast,  she  did  not  steer  directly  for  our 
shores  until  the  18th  of  Alay.  After  his  arrmil  he  gained 
i a])idly;  then  came  a relapse;  a si oav  fever  seized  him,  Avhich 
t(*iininated  in  droi)sy.  JleAAUis  conlined  to  his  bed  for  more  than 
a y(*ar.  AIncJi  ol‘  tin*,  tiiiu*.  he  lay  in  the  near  ])rospect  of  death. 


A FINISHED  COUKSE. 


593 


One  morning,  when  his  mother  came  to  see  him,  he  remarked, 
did  not  expect  to  see  yon  this  morning.  I thought  I should 
have  keen  in  heaven  before  the  light  of  this  day.”  But,  contrary 
to  the  expectations  of  all,  he  began  to  mend,  and  in  October, 
1842,  he  was  able  to  walk  out. 

He  now  greatly  desired  to  return  to  Africa.  His  six  years  of 
toil  among  the  Bassas  appeared  to  him  a good  preparation  for 
more  fruitful  service.  He  had  established  many  schools,  so  that 
a class  of  Africans  was  growing  up  who  would  be  able  to  read 
the  Kew  Testament.  He  had  nearly  ready  for  the  press  the 
Gosiiels  of  Matthew  and  John.  He  had  become  so  familiar  with 
the  dialect  of  the  Bassas,  that  in  preaching  he  could  use  it  with 
confidence  and  freedom. 

Before  setting  out  again  for  Africa,  he  used  his  best  endeav- 
ors to  obtain  a colleague,  or  at  least  a teacher.  But  the  climate 
of  Liberia  had  become  too  well  known.  One  brave  spirit, 
however,  he  did  find.  Miss  Mary  B.  Chadbourne  joined  him  in 
marriage,  and,  in  spite  of  the  remonstrances  of  friends,  she  went 
forth  with  him  at  the  hazard  of  almost  certain  death.  They 
sailed  from  Boston  on  the  10th  of  January,  1844,  and  arrived  at 
Monrovia  February  25th.  On  the  next  Lord’s  day  he  ju'eached  a 
short  sermon  in  the  afternoon.  In  concluding  his  final  prayer, 
he  quoted  the  language  of  the  Apostle,  have  fought  a good 
fightj  I have  finished  my  course;  I have  kept  the  faith:  hence- 
forth there  is  laid  up  for  me  a crown  of  righteousness  which  the 
Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day.”  The  quo- 
tation became  the  man  and  the  hour.  His  crown  was  almost 
visible.  He  commenced  raising  blood  at  the  end  of  the  sermon, 
and  on  the  second  day  after,  his  course  was  finished. 

HI. 

The  American  Baptist  missions  in  Western  Africa  had  their 
origin  in  the  exertions  of  the  colored  Baptists  of  Eichmond,  Ya. 
About  the  year  1815,  Lott  Carey  organized  among  his  brethren 


594 


THE  STORY  OF  li ARTIST  MISSIONS. 


“ Tlie  Riclimoiid  African  liaptist  Missionary  Society.”  As  an 
article  in  the  constitution  of  tlic  society  restrict(‘(l  tlie  ai)pro])ria- 
tion  of  its  funds  to  missions  in  Africa,  and  as  no  sncli  Baptist 
mission  liad  as  yet  been  resolved  ni)on,  its  annual  contrilmtions 
for  five  years  had  accumnlated,  until  they  amounted  to  $700. 
AVhen  Carey  and  his  fellow  laborers  went  out  to  the  Fatherland, 
this  fund  Avas  given  to  them  for  their  outfit. 

The  perils  of  the  climate  of  Western  Africa  are  not  easily 
escaped  by  Euroiieans.  Dr.  Skinner  Avas  of  ojiinion  that  every 
part  of  Africa  maybe  rendered  more  healthy  than  it  is  at  pres- 
ent. The  English  exiiedition  uj)  the  Xiger  in  1841  lost  by  disease 
one-eighth  of  their  number.  The  mortality  among  our  own  mis- 
sionaries has  been  appalling.  The  Thw.  Calvin  Holton  died  in 
Africa  after  a sojourn  of  less  than  four  months;  the  wife  of  !Mr. 
Myliie  exx^ired  in  a few  days  aftm*  her  arrival;  ^Irs.  Anderson 
died  liAX  days  after  her  husband’s  settlement;  the  iirst  AAife  of 
]\Ir.  Crocker  died  after  a service  of  only  one  year;  Ids  second 
Avife,  after  a sojourn  of  a feAV  years,  died  in  the  prime  of  life; 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fielding  died  between  Ha^c  and  se\"en  Aveeks  after 
reaching  their  African  field.  The  Bca^  lA^ory  Clarke,  although  a 
natiAX  of  the  cold  climate  of  Maine,  livad  ten  years  in  Liberia. 
At  tlie  end  of  this  period,  however,  he  fell  a Auctini  to  the  torrid 
heat. 

Of  the  iiatiA^e  preachers,  the  most  distinguished  was  Jacob 
Yonbran,  a iiatiA^e  of  Bassa,  a man  of  xirincely  blood,  and  a 
powerful  eAuingelist,  much  blessed  in  his  labors  among  the 
Bassas  and  the  Congoes.  lie  finished  his  course  in  1876.  His 
Avidow,  and  Mrs.  Hill,  are  still  at  Avork  among  this  iieople.  The 
Xiresent  membershix)  is  four  hundred  and  tAA'enty-nine. 

revieAv  of  the  history  of  the  mission  in  West  xVfrica,”  re- 
marks a AATiter,  AAdiose  doubts  Avill  find  an  echo  in  many  a 
thoughtful  mind,  ^Hhe  dark  continent,  leaA^es  upon  the  mind  a 
painfid  impression  of  mystery.  The  question  forces  itself  uxion 
us,  Wliat  is  the  inteipretation  of  such  a history'?  What  does 


THE  AFRICAN  MYSTERY. 


505 


Providence  design  to  teach?  We  survey  with  sadness  the 
protracted  period,  almost  barren  of  fruit,  since  tlie  work  began, 
now  nearly  sixty  years  j the  i)recions  lives  sacrihced,  often  in  the 
briefest  period, — Carey,  Holton,  Crocker,  Skinner,  Anderson, 
Fielding,  Constantine,  Clarke,  falling  in  succession  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fight 5 the  feeble  impression,  comparatively,  made 
upon  the  heathenism  of  the  continent  by  all  onr  efforts,  and  at 
such  expense  j the  repeated  suspension  of  the  work,  and  its 
resumption  again,  only  to  be  interrupted . anew  5 and  finally  our 
substantial  withdrawal  from  the  field,  at  least  for  a season.” 
Were  mystery  confined  to  our  endeavors  in  Africa,  it  might 
stagger  our  faith,  but  we  observe  it  all  around  us  and  within  us. 
i^’ow  it  appears  as  thick  darkness  j now  as  giant  clouds  that  hold 
their  naughty  hands  over  the  sun ; and  then  as  a flock  of  silver 
sheep,  grazing  on  cerulean  hills  and  following  the  sun  as  their 
shepherd.  To  the  Psalmist,  mystery  took  the  awful  form  of 
Jehovah  walking  uimn  the  sea  and  leaving  behind  no  footprints  j 
to  a poet  of  to-day  its  similitude  is  the  ocean  itself : 

“ Life’s  mystery — deep,  restless  as  the  ocean — 

Hath  surged  and  wailed  for  ages  to  and  fro  ; 

Earth’s  generations  watch  its  ceaseless  motion 
As  in  and  out  its  hollow  moanings  flow ; 

Shivering  and  yearning  by  that  unknown  sea, 

Let  my  soul  calm  itself,  O Christ,  on  Thee!” 

The  Baptists  of  the  South  are  entitled  to  great  credit  for  their 
liberality  and  perseverance  in  carrying  forward  their  missions 
in  Liberia  and  Sierra  Leone.  In  the  year  1856  the  Missionary 
Union  withdrew  its  missionaries  from  Liberia,  and  offered  to 
sell  the  mission  iiremises  at  Bassa  to  the  Southern  Board. 
Messrs.  Day  and  Jones,  as  early  as  1846,  had  been  apiiointed  to 
labor  as  missionaries  at  Grand  Bassa  and  Cape  Palmas.  John 
Day,  a man  of  color,  who  was  educated  for  the  ministry  by 
taking  private  lessons,  went  out  to  Liberia  sixteen  years  before. 
He  rose  rajfidly  in  influence  and  usefulness.  At  the  time  of  his 
death,  in  1850,  Professor  E.  W.  Blyden  pronounced  an  eulogj^ 


THE  STOKY  OF  JJAF'I’IST  MISSIONS. 


over  Iiiiii,  in  whicli  lie  jiraiscvs  liis  exeel]ene(*s  as  a jiri'aelier,  a 
soldier,  a iiliysleian,  a .judge,  a l(‘gislator,  a.  lientiMiant-governor, 
an  edueator  and  a theologian.  ()n(‘.  of*  11m‘,  trn(‘,  Inininaries  of 
Africa  was  Kev.  Lewis  K.  Crocker.  II<‘.  Avas  tliat  son  of  King 
Kobra  Avho  is  mentioned  in  oiir  sketch  of  JJev.  W.  (1.  Crocker. 
The  young  chief  Avas  first  his  jnijiil  and  then  his  assistant. 
After  the  death  of  his  lamented  teacher,  he  assumed  his  last 
name.  As  a preacher  and  teacher  he  Avas  deAmted  to  the  salva- 
tion of  his  subjects.  One  saying  of  his  is  the  greatest,  so  far  as 
AA'e  knoAv,  that  aa  as  eA’er  uttered  in  Lilieria.  “ ^Missionaries,”  said 
he,  ought  not  to  confine  themseh^es  to  formal  preaching.  To  lie 
a perfect  fisherman,  one  must  understand  the  management  of  the 
seine,  the  cast-net  and  the  hook.  To  the  large  congregation  1 
(leliA^er  a sermon  j to  a less  number  1 use  the  catechetical  meth- 
od; when  I meet  only  one,  conscience  Avill  not  ])erniit  me  to  part 
without  a Avoid  about  his  iieAmr-dying  soul.” 

(treat  things  may  be  reasonably  expected  from  the  inhabitants 
of  Sierra  Leone  and  Liberia.  As  our  republican  institutions 
owe  their  distinctiA^e  character  to  the  banishment  of  the  Puritans 
to  Holland  and  SAvitzerland,  so  these  later  African  goA^ernments 
are  much  beholden  to  the  fact  that  their  founders  had  received 
their  iireparatory  training  in  the  school  of  American  servitude. 
The  first  settlers  of  Sierra  Leone  were  what  they  needed  to  be, 
men  of  braA^ery.  They  consisted  of  about  12,000  colored  men 
Avho  had  joined  the  British  forces  in  the  American  lieAmlution. 
At  the  close  of  the  Avar,  they  went  to  KoA^a  Scotia,  but  the  cli- 
mate proAung  unfriendly  to  them,  they  Avere  in  1792  transported 
to  Sierra  Leone.  Liberia  Avas  commenced  in  1820,  when  the 
American  Colonization  Society  sent  out  8G  colored  peoiMe.  In 
1875  there  Avere  in  the  republic  19,000  who  were  freedmen  from 
America  or  the  descendants  of  these.  Tlie  Baptist  churches 
organized,  in  18G8,  a IVIissionary  Union  for  the  evangelization  of 
tlui  heathen  Avithin  and  near  the  borders  of  the  republic.  At 
th(i  first  m(‘eting  ten  Ba])tist  churches  Avere  represented. 


AFRICA’S  FIXTURE. 


597 


When  we  reflect  on  the  great  oppression  and  want,  pain  and 
change  and  sorrow,  which  the  founders  of  these  colonies  have 
snfiered,  we  have  reason  to  hojie  that  they  will  be  the  progen- 
itors of  a race  of  deep  thinkers  and  active  Christian  workers.  Tt 
was  said  of  one  of  our  late  Baptist  niissionaries  in  Africa  that 
his  life  was  an  even-spun  thread.”  He  was,  it  seems,  what  our 
Kew  England  flithers  called  a ^bsteady”  Christian.  And  yet  the 
real  founders  of  a republic  in  Africa  ought  to  aim  at  a higher 
type  of  piety  than  that  of  the  even-spun  thread.”  Two  great 
wants  must,  in  my  iioor  opinion,  be  satisfled  before  Africa  will 
be  evangelized.  Tlie  flrst  is  the  want  of  books.  W e have  great 
hopes  of  one  of  the  missionaries,  whose  cry  is  Books!  Books! ! 
Books!!!”  The  other  is,  more  of  the  missionary  spirit  in  our 
Freedmen’s  Schools.  The  freedmen  are  now  pilgrimizing  through 
the  wilderness  of  trial  and  of  hope.  There  is  an  old  Latin 
proverb,  the  English  of  which  is,  ^‘Vexation  gives  intellect”; 
and  assuredly  our  freedmen  are  likely  to  have  enough  of  this. 
But  the  history  of  missions  shows  that  it  is  ardent  piety  which 
is  the  great  quickener  and  iuvigorator  of  the  powers  of  the  mind. 
Africa  must  be  evangelized  by  Africans,  just  as  the  Karens  have 
been  by  the  Karens  and  the  Telugus  by  the  Telugus.  All  the 
voices  of  Providence  join  in  saying  this  same  thing.  Let  us 
hope,  therefore,  that  the  natural  outspokenness,  the  strong 
emotional  nature,  the  excellent  memory,  the  singular  faculty  of 
imitation,  the  love  of  poetry,  music  and  song,  the  strong  trust- 
fulness and  aptitude  for  bright  visions  of  the  future,  which  char- 
acterize this  now  unhappy  race,  will  yet  avail  much  in  carrying 
the  Gospel  to  the  sources  of  the  Kile  and  of  the  Zambesi,  and  to 
the  banks  of  the  Joliba  and  of  the  more  remote  Lualaba, 

The  rapid  progress  which  Islam  is  to-day  making  in  Africa 
will,  we  conjecture,  be  yet  overruled  by  the  King  of  Kations  to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  religion  of  Christ.  Hitherto,  one  great 
hindrance  to  the  spread  of  the  Gospel  there  has  been  the  want 
of  coherence  and  unity  among  its  tribes  and  tongues.  KShould 


598 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Moslem  cavalry  in  vast  iniinbcrs,  breathing  ont  fire^  sinoko  and 
lightning — law^  Koranic  error,  and  the  deinand  for  sudden  sub- 
jection,— drawing  after  them  teachers  of  li(‘s,  and  all  tlie  conse- 
qiicnees  of  such  lies  [Kev.  9:  l(>-20  j Isa.  9:  15],  sweep  over  that 
continent,  deplorable  as  the  lirst  dreadful  effects  would  seem  to 
ns,  yet  if  these  horsemen,  horses  and  false  proplnds  served 
ultimately  to  nationalize  these  peoples,  and  caused  them  to 
adopt  the  Arabic  language,  they  would  o])en  and  smoothen  a 

network  of  highways  through- 
out that  land,  along  which  the 
armies  of  the  Lamb  could  rap- 
idly march  to  battle,  victory 
and  final  triumph.  AVe  know 
how  the  Alahometan  rule  in 
India  prepared  it  for  Christian 
law  and  religion.  Are  we  (who 
knows?)  to  look  for  similar  pre- 
liminaries in  Africa  ? 

lY. 

The  Kev.  Thomas  J.  Bowen, 
the  distinguished  founder  of  the 
African  mission  at  Yoruba,  was 
Arabs.  born  in  Jackson  Co.,  Ga.,  Jan. 

2d,  1844.  Ilaving  a great  thirst  for  knowledge,  he  continued  his 
studies  after  he  left  school;  and,  reading  in  many  directions,  he 
became  a very  intelligent  self-educated  man.  Before  his  conver- 
sion he  made  up  his  mind  to  seek  the  salvation  of  his  soul,  and 
reached  the  conclusion  that  he  could  not  be  saved  without 
renouncing  his  great  natural  ambition.  Hence  he  refused  the 
oiler  of  a lawyer  to  receive  him  into  his  office  as  a student  and 
successor ; hence  he  refused  the  offer  of  a marriage  with  a rich 
but  worldly-minded  girl.  But  still  he  could  not  for  some  time 
surrender  his  heart  and  life  to  God.  Fond  of  adventure,  in  1836 


THOMAS  J.  BOWEN  IN  YORUBA. 


599 


he  went  as  a volunteer  to  fight  the  Creek  Indians.  At  the  close 
of  the  same  year  we  find  him  starting  alone  for  Texas,  and  there 
fighting  for  the  independence  of  the  ‘^Lone  Star.”  At  the  end 
of  this  war,  he  obtained  a hope  in  Christ,  and  in  1840  was  bap- 
tized. The  year  following  he  began  to  preach  the  Gospel.  He 
then  spent  eight  years  in  travelling  in  Georgia,  Alabama  and 
Florida,  as  a self-sustained  missionary,  but  occasionally  engaged 
in  teaching.  He  gave  all  his  earnings,  except  a bare  snpi^ort, 
to  the  poor  and  the  spread  of  the  Gospel. 

Having  written  a valuable  article  for  the  Missionary  Journal^ 
on  the  importance  of  a mission  in  Central  Africa,  he  was  recom- 
mended to  the  Board  of  the  Southern  Convention  as  a suitable 
man  to  enter  that  field.  He  was  in  1849  appointed  accordingly. 
He  went  out  to  Africa  in  company  with  a fellow  missionary,  Eev. 
Henry  Goodale,  and  was  induced  by  the  latter  to  go  inland  150 
miles,  in  hopes  of  establishing  a mission  station  at  Sama.  A few 
weeks  after  their  arrival,  Mr.  Goodale  sickened  and  died.  Mr. 
Bowen  now  resolved  to  return  at  once  to  Monrovia  and  sail  for 
Badagry,  a sea-port  town  on  the  Gold  Coast.  After  staying  a 
few  days  in  this  wretched  town,  he  set  out  for  Abbeoknta,  the 
capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Yoruba.  His  last  day’s  journey,  while 
on  his  way  to  this  city,  lay  through  an  open  country.  ^^My 
eyes,”  says  he,  were  greeted  with  a more  lovely  scene  than  I 
expected  to  behold  in  Africa — a vast  expanse  of  undulating 
prairie,  scattered  over  with  jialms  and  groves,  and  bounded  in 
the  distance  by  blue  and  lofty  hills.  We  entered  the  city  by 
twilight.”  After  residing  here  about  eighteen  months,  and  in 
the  meantime  making  a preaching  excursion  to  Iketu,  he  was 
able  to  speak  the  Yoruban  language  with  considerable  ease. 

In  March,  1851,  the  King  of  Dahomey  appeared  before  the 
town  with  10,000  men  and  6,000  women — the  latter  serving  as 
soldiers  as  well  as  men.  Abbeoknta  sent  out  to  meet  him  a force 
15,000  strong.  Mr.  Bowen  stood  on  the  walls  and  gave  some 
directions  as  to  the  movements  of  the  warriors.  Having  had 


THE  STOKY  OF  HAFTIS'I'  EMISSIONS. 


(>()() 

S()iiH‘  ex])eri(‘iice  in  military  affaii’S  i]i  ]i(3  now  made* 

it  serve  a good  pnrpos(‘.  The  enemy  Avere  ront(*d;  two  thousand 
were  slain  and  soAmral  hundred  AV(‘re  taken  jn  isoneis. 

In  tlie  Fall  of  ISol  he  set  out  to  lind  his  way  to  Iscdiin,  in  the. 
heart  of  Yoriiba.  During  this  journey  he  one  day  imT  un(iX])(‘(;t- 
edly  two  women,  AAdio  rushed  into  the  woods  exelaiming,  ^^^lon- 
ster!  Monster!”  Atone  ])lace  he  ])reaehed  for  several  days  to 
a eompany  of  Malioinetans,  avIio  lieai*d  him  with  interest.  When 
tliey  left  the  toAvn,  they  used  magnanimous  Avords,  such  as  ought 
to  shame  those  Christian  eoAvards  Avho  cannot  listen  to  Avhat 
they  do  not  like.  They  said  to  Mr.  UoAATn,  ^A^ou  liaA^e  smitten 
us  with  the  sword,  but  we  are  not  offended.”  At  this  time  jNFr. 
llowen’s  daily  habit  Avas  to  spend  his  mornings  on  the  i)iazza  of 
his  house,  sitting  on  a mat  and  preaching  to  the  people  aaIio 
came  around  him. 

The  religion  of  Yoruba,  according  to  ]Mr.  lioAven’s  account  of 
it,  appears  to  be  a combination  of  Mahometanism  and  the  old 
idolatry  of  the  land.  When  the  Saracens,  in  the  tenth  century, 
OA^erran  this  part  of  Africa,  they  taught,  with  the  Koran  in  one 
hand  and  the  cimeter  in  the  other,  that  there  is  but  one  God ; 
and  they  smote  down  images  wherever  they  could  find  them. 
But  the  old  idol-Avorship  was  only  crippled  for  a season,  and 
soon  returned  to  its  former  actiAuty.  The  people  believe  in  one 
uniA^ersal  God,  the  creator  and  preseiwer  of  all  things.  But 
still  they  worship  images,  notably  three:  First,  Obatala,  the 
foremost  and  greatest  of  all  created  beings.  Among  his  other 
oliices,  he  is  the  guardian  of  the  gates  of  cities.  He  is  often 
represented  as  a warrior  on  horseback,  holding  a spear.  He  is 
also  the  creator  of  the  bodies  of  human  beings,  while  the  su- 
])reme  God  im])arts  to  them  spirit  and  life.  Kext,  Sango  is  the 
god  of  Avar  and  ])illage.  The  third  idol  is  Ifa,  the  revealer  of 
lidiirf*  (iAuoits  and  the  i)atron  of  marriages  and  maternity.  Man}" 
ot  the  inffnior  idols  are  men  and  Avomen  Avho  Avere  once  distin- 


FANTCE  WARRIORS. 


MUMBO  JIJMBO. 


601 


guislied  in  Yoriiba.  They  also  have  charms  or  amulets,  which 
are  not,  however,  objects  of  worship. 

They  have  the  Mahometan  belief  respecting  Satan,  who  is 
called  the  Ejected  or  Cast-out.  The  Koran  teaches  that  Satan 
was  cast  down  from  heaven.  The  Yorubas  worship  the  Devil 
with  sacrifices,  to  conciliate  his  favor  and  prevent  him  from 
doing  them  any  harm.  The  gods  are  many  of  them  mediators 
and  intercessors  to  the  Supreme  Being.  Sacrifices  are  never 
made  to  the  Most  High,  because,  as  they  believe.  He  needs 
nothing,  but  only  to  the  idols  5 which,  being  much  like  human 
beings,  are  pleased  with  offerings  of  sheep,  pigeons  and  other 
victims.  They  likewise  deify  punitive  justice,  in  the  character 
of  a vindictive  man  who  has  risen  from  the  dead.  On  Or’s  (or 
torment ) day  he  makes  his  appearance  in  the  person  of  a tall 
fellow  fantastically  clad  and  masked.  He  is  declared  to  be  a 
tenant  of  the  grave.  During  this  day  all  women  are  closely 
shut  up  in  their  houses.  Ko  one,  not  even  the  King,  may  dare 
to  lay  hands  on  him;  and  if  any  woman  should  say  he  is  a man, 
she  would  be  put  to  death.  Even  Mahometans  and  Christians 
are  compelled  to  conceal  their  knowledge  of  the  imposture, 
under  penalty  of  martyrdom. 

This  is  the  Mumbo  Jumbo  whom  Mr.  Wilson  describes  as 
frightful  to  the  whole  race  of  African  matrons.  ^HJe  is,”  says 
he,  ^^a  strong,  athletic  man,  disguised  in  dry  plantain  leaves, 
and  bearing  a rod  in  his  hand,  which  he  uses  on  proper  occasions 
with  unsparing  severity.  When  invoked  by  an  injured  husband, 
he  ai)pears  about  the  outskirts  of  the  village  at  dusk,  and  com- 
mences all  sorts  of  pantomimes.  After  supper  he  ventures  to 
the  town-hall,  where  he  commences  his  antics,  and  every  grown 
person,  male  or  female,  must  be  present,  or  subject  themselves  to 
the  suspicion  of  having  been  kept  away  by  a guilty  conscience. 
The  x^erformance  is  kex)t  up  till  midnight,  when  Mumbo  storings 
with  the  agility  of  a tiger  upon  the  offender,  and  chastises  her 
most  soundly,  amidst  the  shouts  and  laughter  of  the  multitude. 


THE  8T0HY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


(W)2 


ill  wliicli  tlio  other  women  Join  more*  lusirtily  tlinii  anybody  else, 
witli  the  view,  no  doiilit,  oi‘  i-aisinj^'  tliein.s(‘lv(*8  above*,  tlie  siispi- 
eion  of  siieli  iiiifaithfiilness.” 

Iliiinaii  sacrifices  are  oeeasionally  oflere*!!  in  Yoriiba,  lent  not 
so  Ireejueiitly  as  in  Dalioniey  and  Asliante*!*.  As  in  aiiei(*nt 
Mexico,  prisoners  of  war  are  usually  se'leeted  as  the  victims.  It 
is  remarkable,  by  the  bye,  that  in  general  the  Indians  w(*st  of 
the  lioeky  Mountains  saeritieed  hnman  beiiiiH’s,  while  the  eastern 
tribes  did  not.  The  jirevalence  of  this  rite  in  Mexico  and  P(*rii 
is  an  indication  that  they  beloii.^ed  to  the  same  race  that  ori^’in- 
ally  peo])led  tin*  islands  of  the  Pacific. 

I>nt  to  return  to  IVIr.  ]h)W(*n  : Much  of  his  tiim*  was  spent  as 
an  ex])lorer.  Althongh  he  did  not  neglect  jireaching  in  the  vil- 
lages and  cities  he  jiassed  through,  his  work  was  to  discover 
good  mission  stations  for  those  who  succeeded  him.  As  the 
Yornba  people  had  no  canoes,  they  used  large  gourds  instead. 
These  contained  sufficient  air  to  float  three  oi*  four  hundred 
imnuds.  AVhen  a person  wished  to  be  conveyed  across  a river, 
he  and  the  ferryman  sat  down  np  to  the  neck  in  water,  with  the 
gourd  between  them.  They  then  embraced  it,  taking  hold  of 
each  other’s  arms  with  their  hands,  so  that  the  ferryman  might 
'swim  and  push  his  gourd  and  his  passenger  across  together. 

Having  resolved  to  establish  a mission  at  Ijaye,  and  finding 
himself  without  money,  in  1852  he  resolved  to  visit  America. 
On  his  way  down  to  the  coast  he  was  obliged  to  descend  the 
river  Ognn,  whose  shores  for  some  distance  were  in  iiossession 
of  a hostile  tribe,  who  Avere  in  the  habit  of  firing  into  canoes. 
Accompanied  by  two  natives,  who  rowed  him  doAvn  the  river,  he 
hoisted  the  Stars  and  Stripes  on  a bamboo  staff*,  and  laying  six 
loaded  guns  at  his  feet,  he  glided  safely  through  the  hostile 
district. 

W'hile  in  America  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lanrenua 
II.  Dnvis,  of  (leorgiaj  and  in  1853  they,  along  with  Kev.  Messrs. 
Lacy  }ind  I)(*nnard  mid  fh(‘ir  wiv(*s,  sailed  for  Africa.  Thus 


MR.  BOWEN’S  WORK. 


()03 

reinforced,  Mr.  Boweu  was  enabled  to  establish  permanent  sta- 
tions in  Yoruba.  The  most  interesting  of  his  adventures  after 
his  return  were  his  visits  to  the  Mahometan  town  of  Ilorrin,  in 
1855.  The  reader  will  find  a very  full  description  of  these  visits 
in  the  17th  chapter  of  Mr.  Bowen’s  ^^Ce^itral  Africa one  of  the 
most  instructive  books  of  adventure  tliat  has  been  published  in 
the  present  centurj^. 

In  the  Spring  of  185G  Mr.  Bowen  resolved  to  return  to  Amer- 
ica for  the  i)urpose  of  superiidending  the  publication  of  his 
grammar  and  vocabulary  of  the  Yoi'iiba  language;  also  of 
recruiting  his  energies,  which  had  been  exhausted  by  excessive 
labors.  In  1859  he  sailed  for  Bio  Janeiro,  with  the  hope  of 
commencing  a Protestant  mission  in  Brazil;  but  a conp)lete 
prostration  of  his  health  compelled  him  to  return  to  the  United 
States  in  1861.  His  nervous  disorders  now  so  far  increased  that 
lie  was  at  times  deranged.  From  1868  to  1874  he  travelled  in 
Texas  and  Florida.  lie  died  in  Georgia  on  the  24th  of  iYoveni- 
ber,  1875. 

He  was  a man  of  genius  and  great  energy  of  character.  He 
will  always  be  remembered  as  the  founder  of  Baj^tist  missions  in 
Yoruba,  as  the  author  of  Central  Africaf^  and  among  linguists 
and  ethnologists  he  must  ever  be  highly  esteemed  as  the  author 
of  the  Grammar  and  Dictionary  of  the  Yoruba  Language  f which 
is  i)ublished  in  the  tenth  volume  of  the  Smithsonian  Contribu- 
tions to  Knowledge.  It  occupies  157  quarto  pages.  The  Intro- 
duction is  excellently  well  written,  and  is  of  great  interest  to 
the  general  reader. 

Of  the  Yoruba  missions  in  general,  a few  words  should  be 
subjoined.  When  Mr.  Bowen  left  Africa,  the  Wesleyans  had  a 
mission  in  Yoruba,  which  was  commenced  in  1838.  There  was 
also  an  Episcopal  mission,  under  the  direction  of  Messrs.  Crow- 
ther  (now  Bishop)  and  Townsand,  natives  of  Yoruba  both.  The 
Church  of  England  has  now  some  eleven  stations  and  about 

6,000  adherents.  The  natural  state  of  the  native  tribes  api)ears 
42 


(>04 


THE  STOHY  OF  IfAF'i'IST  MISSIONS. 


to  be  one  of  i)eri)etuMl  warfare;  and  tin*,  a(t(‘inj)ted  abolition  of 
the  slave-ti’ade,  altliongli  it  lias  soni(*wliat  diininislied  war,  does 
not  promise  a millennial  pea(*,e  to  Africa.  'J’ln*  missions  of  the 
Soutliern  llaptists  in  that  land  Imve  b(‘en  much  annoyed  by 
these  tribal  wars.  In  some  instam'es  the  missionari(‘s  wen*, 
thereby  prevented  from  conimnnicatin^-  with  one  another,  and 
in  other  cases  they  suffered  from  iinjirisonment,  violence,  anx- 
iety and  want.  From  1840  to  bSO.*),  sixte(*n  missionari(*s  had 
been  appointed;  five  stations  had  be(*n  occn])ied,  and  about  fifty 
converts  had  been  baptized.  In  bSGd  six  missionaries  remained 
in  the  field.  From  18()->  to  1872,  forty  additional  baptisms  are 
reported.  From  ISdO  to  1808,  war  raged  in  Yoruba.  Even  mobs 
are  not  wanting  to  enliven  the  monotony  of  African  life.  Thus, 
an  excited  rabble,  Avithout  r(*straint  from  the  authorities,  sur- 
rounded tlie  premises  occupied  by  Few  A.  D.  Phillips,  and 
robbed  it  of  all  the  money, clotliing,  provisions  and  furniture  it 
contained.  They  nearly  destroyed  the  building  itself.  The 
houses  of  the  British  missionaries  Avere  also  broken  to  pieces 
and  the  contents  taken  aAATiy. 

In  1881  the  Southern  Board  Avere  supporting  in  Africa  the  fol- 
lowing missionaries  : At  Lagos,  Bca".  and  Mrs.  IV.  J.  DaAud;  at 
Abbeokuta,  S.  Cosby;  at  OgbomisliaAv,  Moses  L.  Stone;  and  at 
Gann,  S.  L.  Milton.  They  report  statistics  as  follows : Baptized, 
22;  church-membership,  02;  baptized  since  1875,  84.  The  Board 
had  attemx)ted  to  co-oiAcrate  with  the  colored  Baptists  in  the 
foreign  field,  and  had  been  successful  so  far  as  to  induce  the 
Colored  Ba|Aist  CoiiA^ention  of  Virginia  to  share  Avith  them  the 
siijAport  of  Ecay  S.  Cosby  in  Africa.  Mr.  David,  of  Lagos,  asked 
to  be  reinforced  b}^  tAAU)  AA^hite  men,  and  was  of  ojiinion  that  all 
the  African  missions  ought  to  be  under  the  superAusion  of  Avhite 
missionaries,  AAdio  are  to  train  colored  xireachers  born  in  Africa, 
lie  supports  his  oi)inion  by  the  examide  of  the  Wesley ans  and 
tlie  Englisli  ('liurcli.  wish,’’  says  he,  ^Do  divert  the  minds 
of  the  Board  from  (h*p(‘ndiiig  too  much  upon  colored  laborers 


YOKUBA  AND  THE  CONDO. 


r)or> 

from  tlie  Rev.  S.  OosRy  died  of  j;niiidice-fever  at 

ARbeokuta,  April  2.3d,  1881.  In  1884  the  African  mission  was 
encouraged  by  a revival  at  Lagos,  in  which  nearly  a hundred 
sonls  were  brought  to  Christ.  Rev.  Mr.  Eubank,  of  Abl)eoknta, 
is  cheered  by  the  fact  that  there  are  some  praying  sonls ; that 
the  natives  of  Yornba  have  confidence  in  the  wldte  man ; that 
the  religion  of  Christ  is  attracting  the  attention  of  the  more 
thonghtfulj  and  that  the  great  interest  Christian  nations  are 
taking  in  the  commerce  and  politics  of  Africa  may  lead  to  a cor- 
responding interest  in  her  evangelization. i 

The  late  Hon.  Isaac  Davis,  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  in  1881,  l)efore 
his  death,  made  a donation  of  $5,000  in  five  per  cent,  bonds,  to 
be  held  in  trust  by  the  Foreign  Mission  Board  of  the  Southern 
Ba])tist  Convention;  the  proceeds  of  which  are  to  be  used  in  the 
upbuilding  of  Christ’s  kingdom  in  foreign  lands. 

For  more  than  forty  years  tlie  Sonthern  Board  have  maintained 
missions  in  Yondia.  Did  si)ace  i)ermit,  we  wonld  like  to  relate 
striking  and  instrnctive  incidents  in  the  lives  of  more  of  the 
many  heralds  of  salvation,  living  or  glorified,  who  have  toiled 
and  suffered  at  Abbeoknta,  at  Ogbomishaw  and  at  otlier  impor- 
tant stations  in  that  hopeful  region. 

At  the  anniversary  of  the  Missionary  Union  in  Detroit,  in 
1884,  it  Avas  AAited  to  encourage  tlie  Board  and  the  Executive 
Committee  to  accept  the  Livingstone  Inland  Mission  in  the 
valley  of  the  Congo.  The  offer  to  transfer  it  to  the  Union  Avas 
unsolicited  and  unexpected.  Kot  less  than  a hundred  thousand 
dollars  have  already  been  expended  on  this  undertaking.  The 
Board,  at  their  animal  meeting,  authorized  the  FxecntiA^e 
Committee  to  accept  the  mission  as  soon  as  it  could  be  done  in 
harmony  AAith  the  principles  upon  Avhicli  the  Union  conducts  its 
missions. 

The  first  British  missionary  to  Africa  was  a black  man  of  the 
name  of  Keith.  Soon  after  the  emancipation  in  the  West  Indies, 
he  was  inoA^ed  to  return  to  Africa  and  preach  the  Gospel  on  the 
1.  See  Appendix. 


THE  STOEY  OF  EAFTIHT  MISSIONS. 


()0() 

very  spot  v-lieiiee  lie  liad  Ix  en  eajitiired  and  sent  into  scn  vitiide. 
To  tills  end  lie  sold  all  liis  poss(;ssions,  worked  Ids  ])assa;^(‘.  to 
Africa^  and  so  aecoinidislnxl  the  piir])ose  of  Ids  heart.  On  the 
recoinineiidation  of  ii  Baptist  association  in  fJainaiea,  thii  Mis- 
sionary Society  sent  out  jMessrs.  (Mark  and  Brice  on  ii  visit  of 
exploration  to  AVest  Africa.  Air.  (Mark  had  long  Been  a mission- 
ary in  the  AVest  Indies,  in  ISii  they  arrived  at  Fernando  Bo, 
an  island  which  they  selected  as  the  seat  of  the  mission.  Before* 
leaving  the  coast,  in  1842,  they  had  the  pleasure  of  haidizing  five; 
cedoreel  inhahitants  e)f  the  neighboring  ceilony  of  (Marence.  Se*t- 
ting  out  on  their  return  veiyage,  their  vessel  Avas  elrive*n  by 
storms,  dismasted,  anel  shaken  with  lightning.  MMiey  finally 
landeel  in  Jamaica,  Avhere  their  narratives  anel  appeals  per- 
snadeel  many  of  the  emancipateel  Baptists  to  offer  themselves 
for  service  in  Africa.  AA^hen  some  timid  brethren  saiel  to  them, 
Berhaps  they  Avill  make  yon  shiA^es  again,”  some  one  of  them 
replied,  ^^As  Ave  liaA^e  been  inaele  slaves  for  men,  so  Ave  can  lie 
made  slaves  for  Christ.” 

In  1842,  four  missionaries  and  eight  teachers  were  sent  out 
from  England.  The  liberality  of  the  churches  furnished  sup- 
plies of  eA^ery  kind,  Avith  a small  A^essel  to  coiiA^ey  them  to  the 
])lace  of  their  destination.  The  mission  commenced  Avith  bright 
prospects.  The  island,  situated  opposite  the  month  of  the  Cam- 
eroons  riA^er,  was  a good  point  whence  to  make  missionary 
excursions  into  the  interior.  The  chiefs  on  the  banks  of  the 
river  were  friendly  to  their  countrymen  who  had  returned  from 
the  AVest  to  bring  them  tidings  of  salvation.  Stations  AA^ere 
soon  formed  on  the  island  and  adjacent  coast.  The  languages 
of  the  iieople  Avere  studied  and  reduced  toAvritingj  school-books 
Avere  prepared,  and  iiortions  of  Scrijiture  translated  and  printed. 
But  disease  and  death  at  length  began  to  invade  the  homes  of 
the  missionaries.  M'o  crown  their  misfortunes,  members  of  the 
Society  of  Judas  conspired  to  2)ut  an  end  to  the  mission  alto- 


JESUIT  INTOLERANCE. 


007 


g’etlier.  lu  1843,  in  1840  und  again  in  1850,  Jesuit  priests  visited 
rernando  Po,  pretending  to  be  the  only  legitimate  teaehers  of 
religion  on  the  island.  They  were  sustained  in  their  audacious 
professions  by  the  Spanish  goveriiineiit,  to  which  Fenando  Po 
belonged.  In  1859,  the  Spanish  authorities  proclaimed  the 
religion  of  the  colony  to  be  that  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church, 
although  there  Avas  not  a 
single  native  adherent  of 
that  church  on  the  island. 

All  other  forms  of  worshii) 

Avere  absolutely  prohibited. 

The  edict  Avas  read  before 
a scanty  audience  of  the  peo- 
ple while  the  lightning  and 
thunder  of  a tropical  torn- 
ado seemed  like  the  glance 
and  A^oice  of  the  xllmighty 
rebuking  this  act  of  intol- 
erance. Protests  beiug  in 
A^ain,  the  bulk  of  the  jieople 
resolved  to  seek  elsewhere 
freedom  of  conscience  and 
liberty  of  soul.  On  the  eve- 
ning of  the  27th  of  May, 

1858,  the  people  met  for  the 
last  time  in  iniblic  worship. 

They  soon  left  the  island. 

Led  by  the  Rev.  Alfred  Saker,  they  went  forth  to  their 
neAV  home  on  the  shores  of  Amboise’s  Bay,  at  the  foot  of  the 
great  mountain  of  Cameroons.  Here  a meeting-house  Avas  built 
and  the  colony  of  \ ictoria  planted.  Kot  a few  converts  were 
baptized.  Churches  were  formed  at  two  or  three  stations  on  the 
Cameroons  river,  and  much  Avas  done  to  teach  the  barbarous 
uatwes  the  arts  of  civilized  life.  But  before  the  year  18G7,  the 


A Frequent  Obstacle. 


(>08 


THE  STOEY  OF  3JAPTJST  MISSIONS. 


mission  liand  lieo.ame  much  r(‘(]nc(‘(l  in  niiml)crs  by  dcjiartures 
and  death.  Of  the  eighteen  sent  out,  five*  only  i-imiaiiied.  Seven 
Imd  laid  down  their  liv(‘S,  whil(‘dh(*  r(‘st  luul  Ixum  di'ivcm  by  sick- 
ness fi’om  th(‘se  i)(*stih‘ntial  shores.  lJnhai)i)ily  llu*  c,hurch(‘S  of 
the  W(‘st  Indies  did  not  ixuixduatci  th(‘ir  (*arly  z(‘:d  fortlHi  evan- 
gelization of  Africa.  The  Calabar  Theolo^dc.al  Institution  in 
Jamaica  had  been  originated  by  the  Ibiv.  AVilliam  Knibb,  for  the 
purjiose  of  educatin<»‘  jiious  freedimm  of  th(‘.  West  Indi(*s,  who 
should  devote  tlnur  lives  to  the  evauii^(‘lizatioii  of  th(‘  land  of 
their  fathers.  But  such  was  th(‘,  demand  ol‘  the  church(‘s  for  w(‘ll- 
trained  jiastors,  that,  Ixdween  the  years  1840  nnd  bSOO,  oidy  one 
student  had  given  himself  to  missionary  labor  in  Africa. 

The  career  of  ^Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Saker  in  AV(\st  Afibai  is  full  oi 
intei'est  and  instruction.  They  went  out  to  this  dangerous  coast 
about  thirty-tive  years  ago.  They  were  the  first  Eui-oi)eans  to 
settle  among  the  tribes  of  the  Canieroons.  The  first  out-station 
occupied  was  at  King  A’KAva’s  Town,  about  twenty  miles  from 
the  mouth  of  the  river.  The  ]>eople  were  living  in  the  lowest 
ignorance  and  superstition.  Keith(*r  books  nor  tools  were  known. 
Air.  Saker  taught  them  the  use  of  the  saw,  the  plane,  the  adze, 
the  s]>ade  and  the  hoe.  He  also  instructed  them  in  the  art  of 
farming  and  gardening.  At  first  he  had  to  lend  them  tools,  nails, 
hinges  and  locks,  and  this  lending  was  for  a long  time  no  lietter 
than  giving.  As  for  such  expenditures  mission  funds  were  not 
availalile,  Air.  Saker,  in  older  to  afford  them,  lived  for  a long 
time  on  a level  with  the  natives.  Their  food  was  nearly  the 
same.  The  chief  difference  was  that  the  missionary  family  were 
clothed,  while  the  natives  were  almost  as  naked  as  worms. 

The  missionaiy’s  first  home  was  a native  hut,  without  windows, 
built  of*  s])lit  bamboo  and  thatched  with  twisted  i>alm-leaf.  lie 
had  to  lenrn  the  hinguage  from  the  lips  of  the  people.  The  sav- 
ages werci  at  first  sus])icious,  and,  fearing  he  had  some  ulterior 
object  to  accom])lish,  th(*y  oftem  gave  him  wrong  words  and 
wi-oiig  jm*auings  of  woids.  But  he  found  the  native  children 


BRITISH  MISSION  AT  CAMEROONS. 


€01) 


the  truest  vocabularies.  By  listening  to  boys  at  play^  he  made  a 
good  beginning  in  the  language,  and  by  degrees  Avas  enabled  to 
preach  to  tlie  people.  At  last,  after  many  years,  he  was  per- 
mitted to  translate  the  entire  Bible  into  the  tongue  of  the  Dualla 
tribe.  In  printing  it,  Mr.  Saker  had  the  assistance  of  his  daugh- 
ter and  of  natives  to  Avhom  he  had  taught  the  art. 

A church  was  gradually  formed,  which  in  1872  consisted  of 
about  seventy  members.  A similar  work  has  been  commenced 
at  King  BelPs  Town,  at  Dido  Town,  at  Mortonville  and  other 
places.  The  colony  of  Victoria  is  still  in  existence.  In  1873  it 
contained  about  two  hundred  i)ersons.  The  Kev.  J.  Pinnock 
acted  not  only  as  minister  and  pastor,  but  school-master  as  well. 

A great  change  is  apparent  among  the  people.  Old  sanguin- 
ary customs  have  been  abolished.  Witchcraft  hides  itself  in  the 
recesses  of  the  forest  j the  fetich  superstition  is  derided  by  old 
and  young.  Dress  is  in  demand.  One  of  the  chiefs  sometimes 
goes  to  church,  and  schools  are  in  growing  request.  The  natives 
have  been  taught  to  make  brick,  and  have  built  of  this  material 
a mission-house,  a chapel  and  a school -house.  These  brick 
buildings  are  safe  against  the  ravages  of  insects  and  the  torna- 
does which  so  frequently  sweep  across  equatorial  regions. 

These  good  things  have  not  been  introduced  among  these 
tribes  without  much  suffering.  The  lives  of  the  missionaries 
have  been  often  threatened.  Their  removal  has  been  attempted 
by  the  help  of  Avitchcraft  and  of  poison.  At  first  they  suffered 
much  from  lack  of  food,  the  total  produce  of  the  land  not  being 
more  than  sufficient  for  three  months  of  tlie  year.  To  these 
evils  must  be  added  the  plundering  habits  of  the  natives,  the 
torrid  heat  of  the  climate,  and  debilitating  fevers  and  other 
dangerous  diseases. 

A memorable  event  in  the  history  of  this  mission  was  the 
death,  in  1869,  of  the  wife  of  the  Eev.  Dr.  E.  B.  Underhill,  Sec- 
retary of  the  Missionary  Society,  Avhile  on  a visit  to  the  stations 
of  this  mission.  She  had  accompanied  her  husband  in  his 


GIO 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


previous  visits  to  tlic  Society’s  missions  in  tlie  East  and  West 
Indies^  She  died  suddeidy  and  unexpectedly  within  three  weeks 
after  her  arrival  at  Cameroons.  Her  death  was  not  due  to  the 
climate.  She  had  keen  in  very  imperfect  health  for  some  time, 
and  her  friends  had  tried  to  dissuade  her  from  attemptiiif^  the 
voyage  to  Africa.  But  her  desire  to  visit  this  mission  could  not 
be  quelled.  Tier  attachment  to  it  was  stronger  than  her  hold  on 
the  vrorld  itself.  She  had  entertained  the  missionaries  and  their 
wives  and  childreii  at  her  home  in  London.  She  Avould  nowi)ay 
them  a visit;  not  knowing  that  she  was  to  rise  from  the  shores 
of  the  ^^Dark  Continent”  to  the  land  where  the  sky  is  without 
storms  and  the  day  without  night. 


Bamboo. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 


MISSIONS  OF  THE  BRITISH  BAPTISTS  IX  THE  WEST  IXDIES,  Etc. 

I. — TheWork  Commenced  in  Kingston. — A Man  Demanding  the  Sacrament 
for  his  Horse. — First  Missionary  from  England. — Some  Account  of  the 
Labors  and  Snlferings  of  the  Rev.  William  Knibb. — Persecution. — The 
Brutality  of  British  Soldiers. — Many  Chapels  Destroyed. — Mr.  Knibb 
Returns  to  England. — His  Speech  on  the  Condition  of  the  Negroes  in 
Jamaica. — His  Return  to  Jamaica. — Emancipation. — A Mission  to  Africa 
Contemplated. — The  Character  of  Mr.  Knibb. — His  Excellent  Mother. — 

The  Salutary  Influence  of  the  Missionaries  in  Jamaica. II. — The  Rev. 

J.  M.  Phillipps. — Stumbling  over  the  chain  of  a Hobbled  Donkey. — Birth- 
place of  Phillipps. — Education. — Prepares  to  go  to  India. — Cool  Recep- 
tion in  Jamaica. — His  Prudent  Position  in  Respect  of  Abolition. — 
Persecution. — Mr.  Capon. — Visits  the  United  States. — Returns  to  Eng- 
land.— Finds  a Hero’s  Artificial  Leg  in  his  Berth. — His  Speech  at  the 
Anniversary  in  London. ^A  Vivid  Sketch  of  Outgoing  English  Fleets. — 
A Time  of  Ingathering. — A Revival  Labored  For. — Long  Probations. — 
Baptism  of  Mr.  G.  W.  Gordon. — Mr.  Eyre's  Method  of  Quelling  Riots. — 
His  Hatred  of  Mr.  Gordon. — Causes  his  Arrest  and  Execution. — Is  Re- 
called to  England. — Similar  Injustice  of  Gov.  Slaughter  towards  Jacob 
Millborne,  of  New  York. — Disestablishment  in  Jamaica. — Death  of  Mrs. 
Phillips. — His  own  Death.— Person  and  Character. — Other  Missionaries 
in  the  West  Indies. — Church  at  St.  Thomas-in-the-Vale. — The  Mission 

in  the  Bahamas. — Mission  in  Trinidad. — In  Hayti. III. — Retrospect 

of  British  Missions. — In  the  East  Indies. — In  the  West  Indies. — Statistics. 
Changes  in  the  Mission. — Progress  in  Twenty-five  Years. — New  Mis- 
si(»ns. — The  Gifts  of  British  Baptists  not  Confined  to  their  own  Missions. 
— The  Recent  Attempts  of  the  Romanists  on  the  Congo. — The  Proposed 
Treaty  between  England  and  Portugal. 

EARLIEST  Baptist  preaching  in  the  West  Indies  was 
by  George  Liele,  or  Lisle,  a colored  man,  a native  of  Vir- 
ginia. He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1777,  and  labored  among 
people  of  his  own  color.  His  master  was  a royalist,  and  on  the 
evacuation  of  Savannah  by  the  British  troops,  at  the  close  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  Liele  was  obliged  to  leave.  He  went  to 
Jamaica,  and  began  to  preach  in  Kingston  and  the  vicinity  in 
1783,  and  formed  a church  consisting  of  four  negroes  who,  like 


(>12 


THE  STORY  OF  RAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


liiiiiself,  were  refugees  from  tlie  United  States.  V>y  171)1  lie  liad 
l)ni)tized  four  liiiiidred  ])ersous;  two  years  later,  uj)war(ls  of  a 
liuiidred  more  liad  l)eeu  l)ai)tized.  1 1 is  i)ul)lic  mecdiiigs  were 
sometimes  entered  and  disturbed.  A gentl(unan,  so  e.alled,  once 
rode  Ids  liorse  into  the  elm])el  and  said,  ^‘Xow,  Old  Li(‘le,  give 
my  liorse  the  sacrament!’’  ]\Ir.  Liele  ri'jilied,  with  (juiet  dignity, 

No,  Sir;  you  are  not  tit  yourself  to  recau've  it.”  He  was  repeat- 
edly arrested  and  imprisoned.  Ibit  the  chureh  prospered,  and 
after  his  death  had  a constant  su(a*ession  of  jiastoi's.  In  1841  it 
numbered  3,700  members. 

The  first  missionary  sent  to  the  West  Indies  by  the  Uajitist 
Missionary  Society  of  London  was  in  1813,  when  Ilev.  John 
Howe  Avas  dispatched  to  Kingston.  He  founded  the  Baptist 
churches  that  still  flourish  in  the  parishes  of  St.  Janies  and  Tre- 
lawney.  My.  and  ]\Irs.  Coultart  Avere  sent  out  in  1817.  They 
found  the  church  consisting  of  aboA^e  live  hundred  memlxTs;  in 
tiA^e  years  it  increased  to  a thousand. 

But  the  CA^ent  of  most  interest  to  us  Avas  the  arrival  of  a man 
of  mark,  the  EeA\  William  Knibb,  in  1824.  He  was  born  at 
Kettering  about  the  year  1800.  While  serAung  as  a printer’s 
apprentice,  he  joined  the  Baptist  church  in  Bristol.  Ilis  elder 
brother,  Thomas,  had  left  England  in  1822  for  Jamaica,  where 
he  took  charge  of  a parish  school  connected  with  one  of  the 
Baiitist  mission  churches.  He  died  in  May,  1824,  and  the  intel- 
ligence of  this  sad  eA^ent  so  moved  the  zeal  of  William  that  he 
offered  himself  to  go  out  to  supply  the  place  of  his  deceased 
brother.  His  offer  being  accepted,  he  sailed,  with  his  wife,  in 
November,  1824.  After  laboring  in  Kingston  about  four  years, 
])oor  health  required  him  to  remoA^e  to  the  north-western  part  of 
tlui  island,  Avhere  he  became  pastor  of  the  mission  church  at 
Falmouth.  Shortly  after,  a report  Avas  circulated  among  the 
shwes  that  a free  paper”  had  arrived  from  England,  which 
gaAu^  IIkmu  the  right  to  liberty.  Mr.  Knibb  and  the  other  mis- 
sioimri(*s  ossiired  them  that  the  rejmet  AA'as  false;  but  so  eagerly 


REV.  WM.  KNIBB  IN  JAMAICA. 


G13 


did  they  long  for  freedom,  that  the  great  mass  of  them  resolved 
that  they  would  not  work  for  their  masters  after  Christmas.  So 
active  was  JMr.  Kuibh  in  trying  to  undeceive  the  negroes  that  it 
led  to  a report  among  the  disappointed  slaves  that  the  white 
people  had  bribed  him  to  withhold  their  freedom.  On  the  other 
hand,  Mr.  Knibb  was  suspected  by  the  masters,  as  a secret  coin- 
plotter  of  the  rebellion,  and  compelled,  without  regard  to  his 
sacred  office,  to  join  the  militia,  and  while  on  duty  as  a soldier 
was  treated  with  marked  indignity.  Having,  a few  days  later, 
petitioned  the  Governor  for  exemption  from  military  service,  he 
was  arrested,  along  with  three  other  missionaries,  on  the  charge 
of  having  incited  the  slaves’  rebellion.  On  the  way  to  prison 
the  missionaries  were  threatened  with  death.  Hang  them! 
shoot  them ! ” exclaimed  the  mob  of  white  men  as  they  passed 
along  the  streets.  It  was  thought  that  they  would  have  been 
murdered  but  for  the  protection  given  them  by  the  colored  iieople, 
who,  convinced  that  they  were  not  their  enemies,  now  became 
their  devoted  friends. 

The  court  was  opened  and  the  missionaries  tried.  Numbers 
of  witnesses  had  been  bribed  to  give  evidence  against  them,  but 
the  Negroes  were  too  simjile  for  their  masters  j so  false  were 
their  statements  that  it  was  impossible  to  convict  j and  the 
proceedings  were  abandoned  on  the  appearance  of  about  three 
hundred  witnesses  who  came  forward,  upon  a few  hours’  notice, 
offering  to  testify  in  defence  of  the  prisoners.  So  far  from  en- 
couraging anything  like  insurrection,  the  Baptist  missionaries 
had  always  instructed  the  slaves  to  discharge  their  duties  to 
their  owners.  Andrew  Fuller,  in  his  written  instructions  to  Mr. 
Bowe,  recommends  to  him  to  follow  the  guidance  of  the  Apostles 
in  their  exhortations  to  those  who  were  in  servitude. 

But  his  adversaries,  failing  in  their  attempts  on  his  person, 
proceeded  to  destroy  the  chapels  of  the  mission.  Mr  Knibb’s 
chapel  and  mission  house  were  razed  to  the  ground  by  the  Brit- 
ish soldiers,  who  had  before  treated  him  with  all  the  brutality  of 


014 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Algerine  pinites.  ]\Iol)S  were  organized  to  eoiniOete  tlie  work  of 
(lestriiction.  Tlie  Colonial  Clinr(4i  Union,”  an  Ki)iscoi)al  liody 
sui)ported  by  tlie  slave-owners,  Iniving  jiledged  itseltto  sniiport 
and  protect  the  chapel -destroyers,  the  mobs  went  forward  with 
their  deeds  of  violence  until  almost  eviny  chapel  and  other 
building  belonging  to  the  mission  was  either  totally  destroyed 
or  seriousl}'  damaged.  The  total  loss  thus  caused  was  estimated 
at  more  than  £23.000. 

]\Ir.  Knibb,  ai'.companied  by  Mi*.  IbircluOl,  now  set  out  lor 
England,  that  tlnv  might  lay  Ixdbi't^.  the  friends  of  missions  the. 
true  state  of  affairs.  During  the  voyage  ]\lr.  Knibb  seems  to 
have  made  uj)  his  mind  not  only  to  show  the  d(‘solation  of  tin* 
Baiitist  churiOies,  but  the  doleful  so(*ial  and  jiolitiiad  (aindition  of 
Jamaica,  as  caused  by  its  system  of  slavery.  The  ship  enbued  > 
the  Downs  in  June,  1832.  As  the  jiilot  came  on  board  iMr.  Knibb 
said  to  him,  Well,  Pilot,  what  news  ?”  ‘^The  Iveform  Bill  has 
passed.”  Thaidv  God !”  Knibb  re])lied;  ‘‘  now  we’ll  have  slavery 
down.  1 will  never  rest,  day  or  night,  till  I see  it  destroyed, 
root  and  braiuth.”  On  the  19th  of  the  same  month  he  met  the 
committee  of  the  Society.  Some  members  hinted  to  him  the 
expediency  of  using  temperate  language  in  any  allusions  he 
might  make  to  slavery ; other  members  even  advised  silence  on 
a subject  that  belonged  rather  to  politics  than  missions.  Mr. 
Knibb  rose  and  said,  Myself,  my  wife  and  my  children  are 
entirely  dependent  on  Baptist  missions  j we  have  landed  without 
a shilling;  but  if  necessary  I will  walk  barefoot  through  the 
kingdom  in  order  that  I may  make  known  to  the  Christians  of 
England  what  their  brethren  are  suffering  in  Jamaica.”  On  the 
21st  of  June  the  annual  meeting  was  held.  Several  speeches 
were  made,  but  none  of  them  contained  any  imprudent  allusions 
to  slavery.  Then  came  William  Knibb,  and  commenced  his 
memorable  speech.  appear,”  said  he,  in  the  course  of  his 
addrciss,  ‘Cis  an  advocate  of  twenty  thousand  Baptists,  who 
hav(i  no  |)Iac(*s  of  worship,  no  Sabbath,  no  houses  of  iirayer; 


MR.  KNIBB  AND  EMANCIPATION. 


015 


and  I solemnly  avoAV  iny  belief,  tliat  by  far  the  greater  ^nirt  of 
these  twenty  thousand  will  be  flogged  every  time  they  are  caught 
praying.”  As  he  went  on  speaking,  his  fervor  increased,  until  at 
last  the  Rev.  John  Dyer,  the  Secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society, 
pulled  the  skirts  of  his  coat.  Knibb  wrenched  himself  away 
and  exclaimed,  I will  speak ! ” and  was  permitted  to  go  on  to 
the  end.  He  was  an  eloquent  orator,  and  his  speeches  were  long 
remembered  in  England  and  Scotland  for  the  enthusiasm  they 
kindled. 

To  Mr.  Kuibb’s  appeals  for  money  to  repair  the  damage  done 
to  the  mission  property,  the  people  of  Great  Britain  made  a 
ready  and  hearty  response.  The  Government  made  a grant  of 
more  than  £11,000,  and  the  Christian  iniblic  added  £14,000  more. 

The  return  of  Mr.  Knibb  to  Jamaica,  in  1834,  was  hailed  with 
transports  of.  joy  by  his  colored  friends.  In  the  year  following 
a new  chapel  was  built  at  Falmouth,  holding  eighteen  hundred 
persons,  and  for  some  years  after  it  was  always  crowded.  He 
had  no  small  share  in  bringing  about  the  Emancipation  Act  of 
1833.  This  provided  for  a system  of  apiirenticeshij),  which, 
Avhile  it  proposed  to  prevent  the  evils  of  sudden  freedom,  was 
found,  on  trial,  to  perpetuate  many  of  the  worst  evils  of  slavery. 
Mr.  Knibb  therefore  exposed  the  failures  of  the  system,  and 
persuaded  some  i)lanters  to  anticipate  the  course  of  law  by  an 
immediate  emancipation. 

After  the  complete  abolition  of  slavery  and  the  system  of 
apprenticeship,  in  1838,  Mr.  Knibb  i)urchased,  by  the  aid  of 
English  friends,  a tract  of  ground  for  the  purpose  of  furnishing 
independent  homes  for  the  liberated  Kegroes.  His  testimony 
and  that  of  Mr.  J.  J.  Gurney  show  that  abolition  was  every  way 
of  great  advantage  to  Jamaica.  Thus,  on  paying  a visit 
to  one  of  the  largest  jails  on  the  island,  Mr.  Knibb  asked  per- 
mission to  go  nil  and  take  a few  steps  on  the  tread-mill  j but  the 
supervisor  said,  Mr.  Knibb,  it  is  of  no  usej  it  is  rusty,  for  since 
the  first  of  August  we  have  never  been  able  to  muster  hands 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


(>1(> 

CBOUgh  to  turn  it.”  In  tljc  pjirisli  of  St.  Ann’s,  forniorly  om*  of 
tlie  most  lawless  and  disorderly  on  the  island,  In^  found  that  tin* 
Jail  had  been  closed  for  six  months  and  the  jaihn*  ])ension(*d  off 
until  he  should  lie  Avaiited  again. 

In  1842  Mr.  Kiiibb  visited  England,  with  tin*,  viciw  of  e.ollecding 
funds  to  support  a theological  school  which  he  had  establish(*d 
two  years  before.  The  first  object  of  this  seminary  was  to  (*dn- 
cate  colored  ministers  to  send  out  to  evangelize  Africa.  Soon  after 
their  emancipation,  the  colored  members  of  the  r>a])tist  churches 
turned  their  attention  to  the  importance  of  carrying  salvation  to 
the  land  of  their  forefathers.  As  heretofore  related,  a black  man 
named  Keith  sold  his  possessions  and  worked  his  way  to  Africa, 
with  the  intention  of  preaching  the  (b)si)el  on  the  very  s])ot 
whence  he  had  been  stolen.  Many  others  became  fired  with  the  , 
same  zeal.  Mr.  Knibb,  having  called  together  about  thirty  of 
the  AfTican  members  of  the  churches  hi  Kingston,  iidbrmed 
them  of  his  intention  to  visit  Africa.  At  once  they  ex[)ressed  a 
desire  to  accompany  him.  One  of  them  said,  I Avill  go  Avith 
you  as  your  shoeblack,  if  you  Avill  take  me.”  Being  asked  when 
he  would  be  ready  to  start,  ‘^To  morrow,”  Avas  the  prompt  reply. 
Mr.  Knibb  fixed  the  seminary,  in  1843,  at  a place  near  Stewart’s 
ToAvn.  It  Avas  called  ^^The  Calabar  Theological  Institution,” 
and  AAais  opened  aa  ith  six  students.  It  Avas  the  first  attempt  of 
the  kind  in  Jamaica. 

Early  in  1845  Mr.  Knibb  again  Ausited  England,  to  obtain  pecu- 
niary aid  for  the  Kegroes  connected  with  the  Baptist  churches, 
and  to  expose  a new  system  of  taxation  which  bore  uiion  the 
liberated  jieople  Avith  extreme  seA^erity.  Having  succeeded  in 
obtaining  sympathy  and  pecuniary  assistance,  he  returned  in 
July,  1845.  In  the  following  KoA^ember  he  was  seized  with 
yelloAV  feA^er,  and  died,  after  an  illness  of  only  four  days,  on  the 
15th  of  that  month,  at  the  village  of  Kettering.  Though  his  fune- 
ral took  ])lace  on  the  day  following,  such  AAms  the  respect  enter- 


MISSIONS  AND  EMANCIPATION. 


017 


tained  for  liis  memory,  that  not  less  than  eight  thousand  persons 
are  said  to  have  assembled  on  the  occasion. 

Mr.  Knibb  has  justly  been  styled  ^^tlie  lion-hearted.”  His 
courage  and  fortitude  had  often  been  exposed  to  the  severest 
tests.  The  Eoniaii  and  the  English  clergy  and  the  planters,  as 
well  as  the  civil  authorities  and  the  British  soldiers,  were  coui- 
bined  against  him  and  his  mission,  but  he  bravely  met  and  finally 
conquered  all  his  adversaries.  Like  so  many  men  of  celebrity, 
Mr.  Knibb  seems  to  have  been  much  indebted  to  the  training  he 
received  from  his  mother.  To-day  travellers  go  and  look  at  the 
Avindow  in  Market  street,  Bristol,  whence,  early  one  morning, 
Knibb’s  mother,  then  an  invalid,  having  bade  him  farewell  as  he 
was  setting  out  for  the  West  Indies,  called  him  back  on  his  way 
to  the  coach,  and,  Spartan-like,  said,  Eemember,  William,  I 
would  rather  hear  that  you  had  perished  at  sea,  than  that  you 
had  disgraced  the  cause  you  go  to  serve.” 

The  effects  of  missions  on  the  slaves  were  most  salutary.  The 
missionaries  taught  them  obedience  as  a Christian  duty  5 but 
they  taught  this  in  manifest  love,  and  so  Avon  the  confidence  of 
the  slaves.  They  also  served  as  mediators  between  them  and 
their  masters.  The  Eev.  Dr.  E.  B.  Underhill,  a distinguished 
man  of  letters  and  friend  of  missions,  who  visited  every  part 
of  Jamaica  and  Avas  very  familiar  with  the  history  of  our  mis- 
sions on  that  island,  says  respecting  their  infiuence  on  the 
emancipation:  ^^Kone  can  doubt  that  the  Christian  labors  of 
the  missionaries  both  checked  the  outbreaks  of  passionate  and 
outraged  humanity  and  prepared  the  enslaved  Kegro  for  the 
liberty  he  noAv  enjoys.” 

II. 

There  are  some  events,  in  the  lives  of  the  torch-bearers  of 
Christian  pilgrims,  which  are  of  the  nature  of  acted  parables, 
and  seem  prophetic  of  great  turning-points  in  their  journey. 
Here  is  an  exami^le:  A gay  young  Englishman  of  Korfolk, 


(>18 


THE  STOEY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


returning;-  from  a liarvost-liome  on  a very  dark  was  tlirowii 

from  liis  liorse  in  a narrow  laiio,  said  to  Ik*  lianntod ; and  tlm 
terror  of  a ai)i)arition  Avas  added  to  tlni  friglitfid  fall  and 
bruises  be  receiv(‘d.  II is  liorse  bad  stnm1)b*d  over  tbe  (;lankinji^ 
ebain  of  a hobbled  donkey.  Tbisyonn^'  man  aftcu’warvls  became 
tbe  pastor  of  a colored  llaidist  ebureb  in  S])anisb  Town^damaica. 
But,  after  many  years  of  toil,  peril  and  manifold  sulferin^,^,  one  of 
bis  assistants,  instigated  by  Hataii,  resolved  to  put  forth 
claim  of  being  the  ])astor  of  tbe  ebureb,  and  so  far  misled  tb'' 
Negroes  as  to  get  them  to  depose  their  b(‘st  friend  from  the  pas 
torate,  to  elect  the  good-for-nothing  assistant  in  bis  stead,  and 
to  take  i)ossession  of  tbe  place  of  worship.  Tbe  English  friends 
of  the  deposed  pastor  carried  tbe  matter  into  tbe  courts,  and 
after  a litigation  of  nearly  six  years  restored  tbe  pastor  to  bis 
place  among  bis  Hock.  But  after  the  decision  of  tbe  Yice-Cban- 
cellor,  two  riotous  attempts  were  made  by  tbe  negroes  to  regain 
possession  of  tbe  mission  i)roperty— attemiits  Avbicb  threatened 
tbe  lives  of  the  missionary  and  bis  wife  and  daughter.  Much 
damage  was  done  to  tbe  chapel  and  tbe  mission  bouse.  Tbe 
pastor  bad  been  long  drawn  aside  from  bis  congenial  work  by 
collecting  eAudence,  coiiying  no  end  of  documents,  and  con- 
sulting legal  advisers.  He  bad  also  been  burdened  Avitb  part 
of  the  heavy  expenses  of  tbe  suit.  Justice  bad  come  to  tbe 
rescue  at  last;  but  it  found  him  reduced  to  Avant  and  distress. 

Tbe  painful  incidents  of  this  conflict,  as  bis  biographer,  a 
British  abolitionist,  tells  us,  greatly  aftected  bis  judgment  of  tbe 
Negro  character.  In  tbe  earlier  years  of  bis  missionary  life,  tbe 
bright  side  bad  eveT  presented  itself  to  him.  But  iioav  be  bad 
learned  that  slaA^ery  could  not  be  abolished  without  leaAung 
behind  a legacy  of  evil,  and  that  CA^eii  liberty  could  not  by  a 
breath  of  SAveetness  melt  away  tbe  uncorrected  tendencies  of 
barbarism.  He  Avas  compelled  to  recognize,  Avitli  the  bitterness 
of  disappointed  feeling,  a state  of  society  for  AAdiicb  be  was  not 
])repared.  Like  tlie  Moses  of  many  another  exodus,  in  tbe  thick 


KEV.  JAMES  M.  nilLLIPrO  IN  JAMAICA. 


010 


darkness  of  night  liis  liorse  had  stninhled  over  the  clanking 
chain  of  a hobbled  donkey. 

The  subject  of  the  foregoing  record  Avas  James  Mnrsell  riiil- 
lippo/  a native  of  East  Dereham,  Norfolk,  where  he  was  born 
October  14th,  1708.  The  iilace  also  claims  as  a native  that 
excellent  writer,  George  Borrow,  the  author  of  The  Bible  in 
Spain,”  Laveugro,”  and  other  sterling  works.  Young  Phillippo 
was  placed  in  a grammar-school,  the  master  of  Avhieli  was 
bitterly  opposed  to  the  Baptist  pastor,-  and  yet  the  young  man 
could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  go  to  the  Baptist  chapel ; 
Avhere,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  he  found  peace  in  believing. 
Called,  two  years  later,  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  he  Avas 
recommended,  by  the  celebrated  Bev.  Joseph  Kinghorn,  to  the 
Bev.  John  Dyer  as  a proper  candidate  for  the  missionary  service. 
zVfter  spending  three  years  in  study,  he  A\ms  designated  as  a mis- 
sionary to  Jamaica.  One  of  his  fellow  students,  Avith  aaEoui  he 
formed  a very  intimate  friendship,  was  Mr.  Miirsell.  It  Avas 
carried  so  far  as  to  lead  them  to  exchange  names — Mr.  Mnrsell 
adopting  the  name  of  Phillippo,  and  Mr.  Phillippo  that  of  Mur- 
sell. 

At  lirst  Mr.  Phillippo  had  set  his  heart  on  going  out  to  India; 
but  he  eheeifnlly  submitted  to  the  Avishes  of  the  Committee. 
He  and  his  AAife  set  sail  for  Jamaica  in  October,  1823,  and 
reached  Spanish  Toaaui  at  Christmas.^  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Phillippo 
were  scarcely  settled  before  the  i)lanters  showed  a most  deter- 
mined hostility  to  the  i)reaching  of  the  Gospel  among  their 
slaves.  Their  opposition  had  been  strengthened  by  the  recent 
action  of  the  House  of  Commons.  Mr.  T.  PoAvell  Buxton,  in 
March,  1823,  brought  forAA^ard  a resolntion  declaring  that  slavery 

1.  See  his  Life  by  Edward  Underhill,  LL.D.,  (London,  1881). 

2.  The  Gospel  was  first  preached  in  Spanish  Town  by  a member  of. 
George  Liele’s  church  at  Kingston;  but  Mr.  Godden  was  the  first  Baptist 
missionary  Avho  commenced  regular  preaching.  Ill  health  compelled  him 
to  leave  the  island  the  same  year  that  Mr,  and  Mrs.  Phillippo  arrived. 

43 


020 


THE  STOUT  OF  liAl’I'IST  31ISSIONS. 


was  repugnant  to  the  piiiicii)l(‘s  of  tlie  Hritisli  (hmstitiitioii  and 
of  the  Cliristiaii  r(‘lij»i()ii,  and  tliat  it  oii^lit  to  Ixi  ^oiidiially 
abolished  thr(m^>liout  the  IbitisU  doitiiiiions.  Tin’s  resolution 
was  lostj  but  another  of  a less  eonii)rehensive  kind  Avas  carried 
by  JMr.  Canning,  and  coininended  by  liiin  to  tlie  consideration  of 
the  colonial  legislature.  Ibit  it  so  exas])erated  the  jdanbns  that 
for  live  months  they  refus(‘d  to  ]VIr.  Philli])])o  all  jxn'niission  to 
l)reach  in  the  ])arish.  JMr.  Canning’s  resolution  Avas  rejected  with 
contempt  and  scorn,  as  the  intermeddling  of  British  fanatics 
AAith  their  internal  concerns.  But  the  ])lanters  had  mistaken 
the  character  of  our  missionary.  Hitnated  as  he  aatis  at  the 
ca])ital  of  the  island,  and  therefore  brought  into  interconrse 
with  men  of  e\"ery  class,  and  of  diverse  opinions,  he  AAms  not  scr 
imi)rndent  as  to  destroy  all  hoi)e  of  usefulness  as  a ])reacher  of 
the  Gospel,  by  espousing  the  cause  of  any  political  i)arty.  He 
remarked  in  1873,  at  the  Jubilee  of  his  ministry : In  the  great 
social  change  occasioned  by  the  abolition  of  shiA^ery,  1 did  not 
act  so  conspicuoiis  a i)art  as  some  of  my  brethren,  OAving  to 
peculiar  circumstances.” 

The  church  increased  rapidly  in  numbers  under  iMr.  Phillippo’s 
ministry.  His  labors  were  not  conlined  to  Spanish  Town,  but 
were  extended  to  adjacent  places.  In  the  year  1825  he  baptized 
thirty-six  at  Old  Harbor.  Among  the  number  was  a lame 
woman,  who  hobbled  down  into  the  water  on  crutches.  On 
rising  from  the  Avater  she  found  she  had  no  further  need  of  her 
crutches,  liaAung  recoA^ered  the  complete  and  healthy  use  of  her 
limbs.  This,  of  course,  Avas  no  miracle;  the  cure  could  be  ex- 
plained by  any  candid  physician.  We  here  cite  the  case  only 
for  the  puri)ose  of  shoAving  that  baptism  is  not,  as  some  i)re- 
Jndiced  jdiysicians  assert,  unfriendly  to  health. 

Tli(i  legislatinc  of  Jamaica,  in  1827,  passed  an  act,  the  object 
of  Avliich  Avas  to  l)reak  np  the  religious  organizations  AAdiich 
dei  i\a*d  jiny  sn])poi‘t  from  the  slaves.  But  the  home  gOA^wnment 
having  disallowed  the  act,  the  news  of  this  eAxmt  no  sooner 


QUIZZING-  A CAPON. 


02  L 

reached  the  island,  than  a storm  of  wratli  hnrst  forth  from  the 
benches  of  the  colonial  House  of  Assembly.  Tlie  most  virnlent 
language  was  poured  forth  on  the  heads  of  sectarian  ministers,” 
and  of  the  anti-slavery  leaders  in  Engiand,  such  as  Clarkson, 
Macaulay  and  Wilberforce.  The  ministers  were  summoned 
before  a committee  of  the  Assembly.  Among  others  Mr.  Phil- 
lippo  was  subjected  to  the  most  inquisitorial  queries.  The  name 
of  one  of  this  awful  committee  was  Capon,  Tliis  man  had  made 
himself  notorious,  by  the  insulting  remarks  he  had  made  to  the 
missionaries  and  their  wives.  While  Mr.  Phillqipo  was  under 
examination,  Mr.  Capon  said,  Eeally,  Mr.  Chairman,  this 
])erson  seems  to  be  trilling  with  ns,  and  we  are  losing  time. 
Ask  him  if  he  receives  the  offerings  named  from  the  slaves  of 
his  clinrch.  Yes  or  no!”  (Haughtily  casting  a look  at  the  sect- 
arian II  arson.) 

Answer:  As  yon.  Sir,”  (looking  at  the  questioner)  ^^seem  so 

anxious  to  know  if  I am  in  the  habit  of  receiving  iiresents  from 
my  congregation,  I have  no  objection  to  say  that  I have  not 
received  any  for  some  time  except  a capon^  which  a good  woman 
brought  me  the  other  day.”  A suppressed  titter  followed,  in 
which  all  joined  except  the  questioner  himself. 

In  1829  he  made  a voyage  to  the  ITiiited  States,  and  was 
heartily  welcomed  and  hospitably  entertained  by  leading  Baptists 
in  iSTew  York,  Philadelphia,  Providen(*e  and  Boston.  In  the 
year  following  he  reported  that  since  he  commenced  missionary 
work  he  had  bax)tized  nearly  a thousand  ^lersons.  In  1831,  he 
visited  England.  While  on  board  of  the  Irish  packet,  bound 
for  London,  he  suffered  mnch  annoyance  from  his  fellow  passen- 
gers, who  were  mostly  Portuguese  refugees  and  Irish  laborers. 
One  amusing  incident  tended  to  relieve  his  vexation.  At  night 
he  did  not  go  to  his  apiiointed  berth  until  all  the  lights  were  out. 
Having  to  step  over  a iiortly  iiersou  who  had  stretched  himself 
on  the  lower  tier,  he  grasped  the  leg  of  a man  who,  as  he  for  a 
moment  supposed,  had  by  mistake  entered  his  own  berth.  His 


:riIK  STOKY  OF  IJAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


exclaiiiatioiis  awoke  tlu^  s1(‘(‘J)(m*  IxMK'atli,  wlio  voeifrrafedj  ^‘Tliat 
is  lay  IM(*ase  it  to  ]ih‘.”  Ih*.  found  that  it  was  a c.ork 

and  tlii^hj  and  tliat  it  owinn-  was  no  l<*ss  a jMMsona^c*,  than  the 
IManjuis  ot*  An^iesey,  wlio  liad  lost  his  1(‘^’  at  Waterloo,  in  lead- 
in,i>’  that  terrible  eavalry  eliari»(i  Avddcdi  annihilated  the  Freneh 
cuirassiers. 

In  Felmiary  tidin^^s  reached  En^i^land  that  the  island  Avas  in 
coniinotion  and  that  the  N(‘^Toes  ot‘  the  iiai  ishes  of  St.  Jann^s 
and  IlaiioA^er  had  broken  out  into  oiien  insnrreetion.  ]\Ir.  Taylor, 
the  eollea.c^ne  of  Mr.  Phillippo,  had  been  arrestiMl,  the  neAAMdia])el 
in  Yere  razed  to  the  ground,  and  no  less  than  bni  (dnijxds  and 
mission-houses  had  been  destroyed  by  the  enraged  ])lanters.  A 
society,  called  The  Colonial  Union,’’  had  been  foi  ined  for  the 
express  pnri)ose  of  destroying  ^Csectarian  eha])els”  and  of  jire- 
venting  Baptists  and  other  dissenting  ministers  troin  further 
preaching  or  teaching.  At  the  same  time  they  expressed  the 
highest  A^eneration  for  the  Ejiiscmpal  or  established  religion. 

At  the  aniuA^ersary  of  the  M issionary  Socaety,  AAdiich  aa^os  held 
in  London  in  June,  1832,  Mr.  Phillippo  AAais  one  of  the  speakers 
chosen  by  the  Committee  to  make  an  address  on  the  strictly 
missionary  aspect  of  affairs  in  Jamaica.  The  Ilev.  AYilliam 
Knibb,  aaJio  had  arrived  from  Jamaica  a fcAv  days  before,  AAvas  by 
pre-arrangement  AA^ith  the  Secretary,  Mr.  T)yer,  assigned  the  toxAic 
of  shiA^ery  in  the  island,  the  insurrection,  and  the  sufferings  he 
and  his  l)rethren  had  nndergone.  Mr.  Hinton,  in  his  Life  of 
Knil)b  ( p.  144  ),  implies  tliat  Mr.  Phillix:)po  AAvas  silent  on  the  hor- 
rors of  shiA^ery  by  reason  of  a desire  to  avoid  the  subject.  Bnt  Dr. 
Underhill,  in  his  Life  of  Mr.  Phillix)po,  says  that  Mr.  Dj^er  liad 
jireAdonsly  selected  ]Mr.  Knibb  to  make  an  address  on  shiA^ery. 
It  ajiiienrs,  hoAAmver,  that  Mr.  Ivnibb’s  enthnsiasm  carried  liim 
so  far  Ix^yond  AAffiat  ^Ir.  Dyer  deemed  the  bounds  of  exxiediency, 
that  this  Jndi(;ions  offiin'al  aelnally  inilled  the  skirts  of  the  mis- 
sionary’s (M);it,  Avitli  the  r(‘sult  heretofore  mentioned. 


HEV.  JAMES  M.  PHILLIPPO  IN  JAMAICA. 


023 


JVIr.  riiillippo  left  England  for  Jamaica  in  January,  1834.  The 
vessel,  like  many  others,  was  detained  in  the  Channel  hy  con- 
trary winds.  Mr.  Philli[)po  gives  a vivid  picture  of  England 
as  the  world’s  great  commercial  centre,  fifty  years  ago.  At 
Eye  he  met  no  fewer  than  twenty-six  missionaries  of  various 
societies,  wind-bound  like  themselves.  We  are  now  at  length,” 
writes  he,  ^^near  the  Needles,  going  along  delightfully,  all  our 
sails  spread.  The  morning  is  very  fine  and  the  wind  fair.  Up- 
wards of  three  hundred  vessels,  many  of  which  are  now  around 
us,  are  estimated  to  have  left  the  Wight  this  morning.  Govern- 
ors for  the  East  and  West  Indies,  admirals,  ambassadors,  mis- 
sionaries, emigrants,  all  iwoceeding  to  their  several  destinations. 
What  a train  of  reflections  do  these  circumstances  create ! ” 
But  what  progress  in  England  since  that  pleasant  February 
morning ! What  advancement  in  all  directions,  as  compared 
with  the  mummy  sleep  of  many  i)agan  lands.  Let  the  modern 
English  admirers  of  Gautama  and  IMahomet,  if  they  dare,  put 
China  or  Turkey  instead  of  Europe  ” in  those  lines  of  Tenny- 
son : 

“ Through  the  shadow  of  the  globe  we  sweep  into  the  younger  day; 

Better  fifty  years  of  Europe  than  a cycle  of  Cathay.’’ 

The  year  1836  was  a time  of  ingathering  for  the  churches 
of  Jamaica.  In  March,  1837,  there  was  reported  2,800  as  the 
clear  increase  of  their  membership.  In  the  year  1838  the  sys- 
tem of  apprenticeship  was  abandoned  and  the  negroes  set  free. 
The  British  government  spent  more  than  twenty  millions  ster- 
ling in  compensating  the  masters  for  their  pecuniary  losses ; and 
on  the  first  of  August  Jubilee  services  were  held  iu  celebration 
of  freedom.  Great  was  the  exultation  and  great  were  the  hopes 
inspired.  But,  as  we  have  seen,  Mr.  Phillippo  was  to  learn  from 
painful  experience  tliat  the  crossing  of  the  Bed  Sea  Acas  not 
immediately  folloAved  by  a full  preparation  to  enter  the  land  of 
Canaan. 


TIIK  STORY  OF  FAI’TIST  EMISSIONS. 


(>24 

111  18413  one  lniii(lr(‘(l  mikI  tliiity-fiv(*  ])(*rsoiis  wer(‘.  l)a])tiz(‘(l  on 
one  oeeasion  in  tli(‘.  tli(‘  .S(‘a  n(‘ai‘  lirown’s  Town.  Tin*,  seem*,  was 
one  of  nniisnal  intei(‘st.  Tin*  eandidales  walk(*(l  in  two  ])roees- 
sions  down  into  tlie  water,  and  two  were*  l>a])tiz(‘d  siniiiltaneonsly 
by  two  of  tlie  niinist(‘rs,  wliih*.  anotlier  stood  on  a platform  m‘ai’ 
a table  to  dii'eet  the  (‘idirc*  jiroeei'din^s.  Vast  nninbeis  of  spec- 
tators, standing-  on  the  shore  or  sitting  in  boats,  added  to  the 
niagnili(*enee  of  tin*,  sight.  A ])ietni-(‘.  of  tin*,  sei'm*,  ]>rint(*d  in 
oil  ('olors  by  tlie  inventor  of  tin*  ])roe(‘Ss,  31r.  ]>axt(*r,  was  sold  in 
England  in  coninieniorafion  of  the  eAT*nt. 

The  years  bSOO  and  ISdl  wi're  signaliz(‘d  by  a gr(*at  rc'vival  in 
many  jiarts  of  the  island.  It  did  not  come  unsought.  Tin*,  niori* 
intelligent  and  z(*alous  members  of  the  ehurehes  labored  for  tin*. 
])romotion  of  tliis  good  work,  night  and  day,  through  many 
months.  The  returns  in  TSdl,  from  fifty-nine  out  of  sixty-one 
ehurehes,  stated  that  d,7.')7  persons  liad  been  baptiz(*d  and  1,570 
backsliders  had  been  restored,  making  a el(‘ar  increase  of  4,4132 
members.  It  was,”  says  ]\Ir.  Pliillippo,  “like  a tenijiest  jiass- 
iiig  over  and  with  one  blast  purifying  the  atmosphere  and  calling 
into  new  life  a thousand  beauties  over  the  Christian  landscape. 
It  gave  a higher  tone  of  piety  to  the  churches  generally,  it 
excited  attention,  it  induced  i^rayer  and  unwonted  zeal.  In  one 
word,  it  was  an  awaking  from  siiiritual  death.”  Let  no  one 
imagine,  however,  that  the  converts  were  hastily  admitted  to 
the  churches.  In  the  admission  of  members,”  quoth  Mr.  Phil- 
lipiio,  hesitate  not  to  say  that  we  carry  matters  to  an  extreme. 
Seldom  is  it  the  case  that  we  admit  any  one  to  communion  under 
a probation  of  two  years,  whilst  commonly  candidates  have  been 
on  trial  tliree,  four,  five  and  even  seven  years. 

In  1801  ]Mr.  Pliilliiijio  baptized  Mr.  George  AV.  Gordon,  a mu- 
latto, a magistrate,  a merchant  and  large  landed  proprietor,  who, 
though  a Paptist  in  respect  of  the  first  .Christian  ordinance,  jTt 
contiiiiu*d  his  connection  with  fhe  I^iiit(Ml  Ih(*sbyterian  Church. 
On  tin*,  day  ot  his  ba])tisin  he  thus  wrote  to  iMr.  Phillippo: 


BRUTAL  GOVERNOR  EYRE. 


G25 


This  day  tlie  Lord  witnesses  the  actions  and  motives  of  all  of 
ns  wlio  have  made  an  open  profession  of  him.  * * * ^lay  his 
grace  keep  and  defend  me  in  innning  the  race  which  is  now 
before  me.”  He  met  with  much  perseentioii,  and  was  denonneed 
as  a hypocrite  and  a tronbler  in  Israel.  Soon  after  baptism  Mr. 
Gordon  commenced  preaching,  and  ]Mr.  Phillippo  advised  him  to 
organize  a ehureh.  In  1803,  Mr.  Gordon  was  elected  a member 
of  the  House  of  Assembly  for  one  of  the  i)arishes. 

The  year  18G5  will  long  be  remembered  in  Jamaica  for  the 
high-handed  proceedings  of  Mr.  E.  J.  Eyre,  acting  Governor  of 
the  island.  The  disturbances  of  the  time  had  been  occasioned 
chiefly  by  heavy  taxes,  the  excessive  dearness  of  food,  and  inad- 
equate wages.  The  negroes  and  their  white  friends  petitioned 
the  Lieutenant-Governor  and  the  House  of  Assembly  for  som^ 
mitigation  of  the  common  misery,  l)nt  instead  of  adopting 
measures  for  their  relief,  Mr  Eyre  circulated  two  placards  flilsely 
purporting  to  be  the  ^H^neen’s  Advice.”  Those  placards  were 
felt  to  be  a mockery  of  their  distress.  The  negroes  were  still 
more  exasperated  by  Mr.  Eyre’s  injustice  towards  their  friend, 
Mr.  G.  IV.  Gordon.  He  had  complained  to  the  acting  Governor 
of  the  wretched  condition  of  one  of  the  prisons,  the  conduct  of 
some  of  the  authorities,  and  of  the  persecution  from  which  the 
negroes  were  snflering.  Mr.  Eyre  hated  Mr.  Gordon,  because, 
having  been  removed  from  the  magistracy  by  him,  he  had  l)eeu 
reinstated  in  his  oflice  by  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  who  was  at  the 
time  Colonial  Minister.  Smarting  under  this  humiliation,  Mr. 
Eyre  sought  every  pretext  to  ruin  Mr.  Gordon.  Meanwhile,  a 
riot  having  broken  out  at  Morant  Bay,  it  was  suppressed  by  the 
authorities  with  horrible  cruelty.  With  the  approbation  of  Mr. 
Eyre,  about  a thousand  houses  were  burned;  six  hundred  men 
and  women  were  flogged,  the  pain  being  intensified  in  some 
instances  by  fine  wire  inserted  in  the  lash.  At  least  four  hun- 
dred and  thirty  persons  were  put  to  death.  All  this  was  the 


TJIK  WTOHY  OF  HAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


retribution  that  wns  vi.sit(‘<l  n))()n  liobns  wlio  liad  not  e.ansed 
tlie  (lea*tli  ot  a single  one  ot  their  (nieinies. 

Tlie  acting’  (lovernor  eaiis(‘(l  ]\Ir.  (lordon  to  b(^  arresti'd  and 
tried  l)y  eourt-niartial  tor  tieason  ; and,  si^iiin<»'  his  death-war- 
rant, liad  liini  exeented  5 on  evidenee  wliie.h,”  as  Lord  (diief 
dnstiee  Coekbnrn  al'terwards  eliai‘^(‘d,  would  not  liav(‘.  b(*en 
admitted  before  any  j)roperly  e.onstitub'd  tribunal  ; evidence 
which,  if  admitted,  fell  alto.i;eth(*r  short  of*  (establishing  the 
crime  with  which  he  was  charged.”  lie  adds  that  JMi-.  (lordon 
was  denied  that  fair  play  which  is  the  right  of  the  commonest 
criminal.”  IMr.  rhillij)j)o  says,  in  a h*tt(‘r  writt(*n  at  tin*,  time: 

Among  the  circumstanc(‘s  that  attended  31  r.  (lordon’s  death 
was  the  long  (*ontinued  shocks  of  an  earth(juak(‘.  which  occurred 
ill  the  moriiing  and  ahoutthe  very  hour  of  th(‘,  execution.  I was 
in  my  room  at  the  time,  almost  ])etrified  at  the  severity  and 
length  of  the  vibrations,  though  not  knowing  that  it  was  the 
morning  when  the  martyred  sj)irit  of  my  friend  ascended  to  his 
blissful  inheritance.  Surely  there  is  a God  who  Judgeth  on  the 
earth.” 

The  English  govermnent  lost  no  time  in  aiipointing  royal 
commissioners  to  investigate  the  aff'air.  They  ])roceeded  to 
Jamaica  and  spent  nearly  two  months  in  taking  evidence.  No 
attempt  was  made  by  3Ir.  Eyre  to  establish  the  charges  he  had 
so  recklessly  made,  or,  Avhen  challenged,  to  repeat  them.  The 
commissioners  reported,  among  other  things,  that  the  evidence, 
oral  and  documentary,  appeared  wholly  insufticient  to  establish 
the  charge  niion  Avhich  the  prisoner  took  his  trial.”  The  out- 
break had  been  falsely  attributed  to  the  Baptists,  but  3Ir.  Phil- 
liiijio  ascertained  that  of  the  number  arrested  on  suspicion  of 
comjdicity  Avith  the  rioters  more  than  thirty  Avere  Ivonian  Cath- 
olics, tweidy-six  members  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  only 
six  Avere  Laptists.  One  result  Avas  that  3Ir.  Eyi-e  Avas  dismisscnl 
from  office  and  called  home  to  England.  Nummous  legal  pro- 
C(‘(Mlings  N\(*r(‘.  iiistifut(‘d  against  him.  But  a committc'e  of  his 


BISESTABLISIIMENX^IN  JAMAICA. 


027 


friends  came  to  his  defence,  and  spent  ahont  $5(),0()()  in  proenriiig 
his  acquittal.  He  is  now  living  in  merited  ohsenrity,  and  has 
never  since  his  return  held  any  pnblic  position. i 

An  event  occurred  in  1800  Avhich  caused  no  little  joy  to  the 
Dissenters  of  the  island.  This  was  the  disestahlishment  of  the 
Jamaica  Eihscopal  Church.  The  parish  church  of  Spanish 
Town  was  the  cathedral  of  the  Bishop  of  Jamaica.  Ilis  salary 
was  £3,000  a year,  which  was  paid  by  the  British  government. 
He  lived  in  England,  and  Avas  a retired  invalid.  He  had  dele- 
gated his  duties  to  .the  Bishop  of  Kingston  as  his  vicar.  The 
latter,  being  i)aid  from  the  island  treasury,  considered  it  prudent 
to  reside  in  Jamaica.  The  Avhole  cost  of  the  establishment  Avas 
about  £40,000  a year.  Mr.  Phillippo  took  up  the  cause  of  dises- 
tablishment in  good  earnest,  and  aajis  much  assisted  by  the 
Presbyterians  and  Jcavs,  avIio  AATre  among  the  more  Avealthy 
classes  of  the  island.  Ue  x>nblished  a collection  of  letters  on 
the  subject,  entitled  The  Practical  AVorkiiig  of  the  Voluntary 
Principle  in  America.’^  It  had  a a\  ide  circulation  and  did  much 


1.  The  conduct  of  British  colonial  governors  towards  Baptists  affords  a 
dismal  record.  We  may  instance  the  unjustifiable  act  of  Gov.  Slaughter,  in 
having  hurriedly  ordered  ihe  execution,  in  1G91,  in  New  York  city,  of  Jacob 
Milborne,  an  “Ana-Baptist  ” and  secretary  under  Lieut.  Gov.  Leisler. 
This  shameful  crime  Avas  brought  about  by  Mr.  Robert  Livingston,  who  in 
1686  had  received  from  Dongan,  the  Popish  Governor,  the  grant  of  a large 
tract  of  land  since  known  as  Livingston’s  manor.  On  the  accession  of 
William  and  Mary,  some  of  their  Protestant  friends  in  America  had  given 
it  as  their  opinion  that  no  such  grants  of  a Popish  King  and  Governor  would 
be  confirmed  by  the  new  Protestant  King  and  Queen.  As  he  had  taken 
sides  against  William  and  Mary,  and  Avas  known  to  have  befriended  the 
Jesuits  ( some  of  the  effects  of  a French  Jesuit  having  been  found  in  his 
house  ) ; and  to  have  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Popish  King,  James  II.,  he 
trembled  for  the  safety  of  his  manor,  should  his  real  character  be  discovered 
by  the  new  Protestant  sovereigns.  And  so,  after  Messrs.  Leisler  and  Mil- 
borne  Avere  condemned  by  the  special  court  of  the  Colony,  he  insisted,  it 
seems,  on  their  execution  before  a pardon  could  be  obtained  from  Eng- 
land. Mr.  Livingston  was  present  at  the  execution,  and  on  the  scaffold 
Mr.  Milborne  turned  to  him  and  said  : “ A^ou  have  caused  the  King  that  I 

must  now  die,  but  before  God’s  tribunal  I will  implead  j^ou  for  the  same.” 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


(j2cS 


service.  We  may  add  that  Mr.  Pliillippo  also  composed  a 
volume  called,  ^Mamaica:  Past  and  Present,”  wliicli  is  marked 
by  accuracy  and  fullness  of  information. 

In  1872  he  partially  retired  from  the  pastorate,  and  1873  he 
celebrated  the  Jubilee  of  his  ministry.  The  year  following;,  he 
had  to  mourn  the  dei)arture  of  his  wife.  In  his  memoir  of  her 
he  begins  by  (pioting  the  words  of  tlie  bachelor  author,  AVash- 
ington  Irving: — ^‘No  one  knows  Avhat  a ministering  angel  the 
wife  of  his  bosom  is  until  he  has  gone  witli  her  through  the 
hery  trials  of  this  world.”  Perilous  as  the  elimate  is  to  the 
English,  she  passed  away  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-one,  and  the 
fifty-first  of  her  married  and  missionary  life. 

“ Night  dews  fall  not  more  gently  to  the  ground, 

Nor  weary,  worn-out  winds  expire  more  soft.’’ 

Ilis  own  death  occured  Alay  11th,  1879.  Tie  was,  we  are  told, 
raising  his  hands  as  if  to  bless  his  people,  but  said,  ‘^Father,  into 
Jhy  hands  I commend  my  spirit,”  and  passed  away  without  a 
sigh.  As  an  infant  on  his  mother’s  breast,  so  he  fell  asleep  in  the 
bosom  of  his  Lord. 

In  person  he  was  of  a comely  presence,  somewhat  above  the 
average  height ^ in  manners  he  was  urbane  and  courteous. 
Jle  was  very  considerate  of  the  wants  and  feelings  of  others. 
.Through  the  stormy  period  in  which  he  lived,  he  maintained  an 
intelligent  moderation.  The  leading  Abolitionists  of  England, 
Avho  lived  at  a safe  distance  from  the  scene  of  strife,  accused  him 
of  apathy  and  indifference.  But  his  maxim  Avas,  that  overdoing 
was  undoing.  Fifty  years  of  toil  for  the  salvation  of  the  Xegroes 
entitled  him  to  be  called  their  friend.  Ilis  zeal  in  the  Avork  of 
education,  and  in  the  planting  of  free  Aullages,  was  well  directed 
and  productive  of  the  best  fruits.  To  the  last  his  mind  i)re- 
serAXul  its  early  thirst  for  knoAvledge,  and  he  was  continually 
adding  to  his  stores  of  information.  Exceiffionally,  the  old  skin 
botlh*.  did  not  fear  the  ncAV  Avine.  isTo  Avonder,  therefore,  that  he 


PEESECIITION.IN  JAMAICA. 


029 


kept  the  respect,  the  good  will,  and  the  veneration  of  two 
generations  of  men. 

The  chnrch  in  the  parish  of  St.  Thomas -in -the -Yale  was 
planted  amidst  bitter  persecution,  by  a colored  man  from  one  of 
our  Sonthern  States,  George  Give  by  name.  Frequently  he  was 
seized  by  night,  and  cast  into  a dungeon,  and  his  feet  made  fast 
in  the  stocks.  Once  he  was  so  imprisoned  in  Spanish  Town  for 
four  days.  The  sole  offence  with  which  he  was  charged  was  an 
attemi)t  to  minister  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  slaves.  But 
he  was  not  to  be  silenced  j and  many  hundreds  were  converted 
through  his  preaching.  As  a public  profession  was  sure  to 
expose  both  teacher  and  disciple  to  persecution,  he  held  his 
meetings  in  caves  of  the  mountains  and  in  other  unfrequented 
places,  during  the  darkness  of  night.  After  a time  a piece  of 
land  was  privately  bought,  and  a lonely  hut  built  for  religious 
services.  The  spot  was  surrounded  with  swamps,  and  hidden 
from  the  casual  wayfarer  by  thick  trees  of  the  woods.  But 
at  length  two  white  men  discovered  the  retreat,  and  quickly 
levelled  the  little  house  with  the  ground.  And  yet  George  Give 
continued  preaching  as  long  as  he  was  able.  He  died  in  1820. 
Before  his  divine  Master  called  him  hence,  the  liev.  J.  M.  Phil- 
lippo  began  to  visit  the  parish.  An  attempt  to  erect  a chapel 
on  the  same  spot  was  opposed  by  one  of  the  same  men.  He 
stopped  the  surveyor  while  measuring  the  laud,  and  when  the 
timber  was  cut  down  to  put  up  the  chapel  elsewhere,  he  sent  his 
wagons  to  carry  it  away.  The  rector  of  the  parish  and  his 
vestry,  by  calumny  and  in  every  possible  way,  hindered  his  work. 

When,  in  1830,  the  Bev.  J.  Clark  commenced  his  labors,  there 
was  no  chapel  to  shelter  the  people  from  the  sun  and  rain.  His 
first  sermon  was  preached  under  the  shade  of  an  orange  tree, 
while  the  people  found  shelter  under  a booth  of  cocoa-nut  and 
palm  leaves.  During  the  excitement  of  the  insurrection  of  1832, 
the  people  met  together  at  the  peril  of  their  lives  j some  were  shot 
for  the  crime  of  i)raying;  the  huts  in  which  they  assembled  were 


TIIK  STORY  OR-RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


5 (*lia])(*l  wliicli  laid  l)(‘(‘n  (*r(*ct(‘<l  was  set  on  lin*, 

and  many  worc^  sevcaidy  tl()^'^(‘d  for  darinj^  to  i)ray. 

Tlio  mission  in  the  l>aliainas  was  (a)niinen(*(*d  in  Tlicic* 

was  known  to  exist  a eonsideral)l(‘.  nnnd)(*r  of  I>ai)tists  in  tli(‘S(* 
islands,  wlio  traced  tlieir  rcdi'^ions  l)(‘li(d‘  to  tlie  <^x(*i‘tions  ot 
colored  men  brought  irom  the  Unit(‘d  Htates  at  tin*,  (dose  of  the. 
war  of  1812.  These  sent  (;ommunications  to  damaica,  desiring 
further  iustriudiou  iii  the  (lospcd  ; and  accMudingly  the  ]J(*v.  d. 
Hurtou  was  sent  to  labor  among  them.  He  Ibiind  that  little  had 
been  done  for  the  r(digious  benefit  of  the  slaves.  The  chtmdi  of 
England  and  the  Wesleyans  had  (amlined  their  influence  to  the 
white  and  free  colored  ])0])ulation.  Of  the  haulers  of  the  little? 
r>a])tist  (diurches,  only  one  could  read.  Mr.  Ibirton  states  that 
the  tirst  juayer  he  luaird,  although  ottered  by  one  the  members 
of  one  of  the  most  ])romineut  (diurches  in  the  colony,  wais  partly 
addressed  to  the  patriarchs,  Abraham,  Isaac  and  dacob ! Since 
that  day  the  Baptist  churches  have  grow  n in  knowledge  and 
numbers,  so  that  in  18(10  (piite  oiie-third  of  the  entire  jiojmlation 
of  these  islands  Avere  attached  to  our  communioii.  jMissionary 
churches  had  been  formed  on  eighteen  islands,  containiiig  2,050 
members.  The  Baptist  church  in  IS’assau  numbers  uxiwairds  of 
seven  huudred  members.  The  business  of  w recking,  which  is 
regulated  by  the  colonial  government,  is  the  great  support  of  the 
inhabitants.  Wrecks,”  said  a former  Governor,  in  his  annual 
report  laid  before  Parliament,  ‘^are  the  great  and  constant  element 
of  our  trade  and  revenue.” 

The  Baptist  mission  in  Trinidad  was  formed  in  the  year  1843, 
by  tlie  Bev.  George  Cowen,  w^ho  commenced  i)reaching  the  Gos- 
liel  in  Port  of  Spain.  The  first  members  of  the  church  consisted 
of*  a few^  immigrants  from  IN’orth  America  and  Sierra  Leone.  In 
181(>  the  church  was  reinforced  by  exiles  from  Madeira,  driven 
th(‘n(!e  by  the  priests  of  Borne.  In  1800,  wdien  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lnderhill  visited  the  island,  they  met  with  some  excellent  per- 
sons among  the  c()l()r(‘d  memlxws  of  the  (diurch.  One  W'oman, 
f 1m‘ offspring  of  a n(‘gro  and  a Xorth  American  Indian,  having 


^^ONLY  ONJ:  time  lUGHT.’^  O-H 

the  color  of  tlie  former  and  the  features  of  the  latter,  was  very 
devoted  to  the  advancement  of  the  Christian  faith.  Siie  ob- 
tained a livelihood  by  the  cultivation  of  a piece  of  ground  a 
little  way  out  of  town.  Poor  as  she  was,  she  never  came  to 
public  worship  on  Sunday  without  a gift  in  money  to  the  cause 
of  Christ.  That  she  wcfidd  not  omit ; if  she  had  nothing  to  sell 
from  the  produce  of  her  garden  she  would  cut  a few  bundles  of 
grass  from  the  wayside  and  carry  them  to  market,  that  she  might 
be  provided  with  her  gift.  The  story  of  Maria  Jones,  another 
member,  is  of  deep  interest  j but  we  will  only  relate  how,  after  a 
long  journey,  she  arrived  at  the  jirimitive  faith.  When  she  lirst 
made  the  acquaintance  of  the  missionary  she  was  a consistent 
member  of  the  Scotch  Presbyterian  mission.  She  desired  to  be 
baptized  ^^in  same  fashion  as  Jesus  he  own  self.”  This  i:)rivilege 
could  not  be  denied  her.  As  she  came  out  of  the  water  she  said : 

I baptize  four  times  now,  but  only  one  time  right.”  Her  first 
baptism  was  in  Africa  by  those  who  stole  her,  the  second  by  a 
priest  of  Koine  on  her  arrival  in  the  island,  the  third  on  joining 
the  Scotch  Church. 

The  mission  in  Ilayti  held  its  first  service  in  1845,  but  it  was 
not  until  1848  that  it  began  to  attract  much  public  attention. 
In  the  previous  year  several  converts  had  been  baptized,  but 
owing  to  o])position  which  had  arisen  in  the  dark  days  which 
followed  the  election  of  General  Soulouque,  the  K^ero  of  the 
West  Indies,  who  became  President  in  1847,  the  Baptist  mission- 
ary deemed  it  prudent  to  administer  the  ordinance  in  sequestered 
places.  One  of  these  more  retired  baptismal  occasions  took 
])lace  near  the  close  of  the  year  1848,  some  fifteen  miles  from  the 
church  in  Jacmel,  near  a mountain  village.  The  six  converts, 
with  their  friends,  met  before  the  dawn,  in  the  brilliant  moon- 
light, and  after  prayer  were  baptized  into  Christ,  amid  the  deep 
calm  of  the  mountain  solitude.  There  were  no  chapel  walls, 
save  the  lofty  precipices  which  towered  almost  perpendicularly 
around  them.  The  baptistery  Avas  a tranquil  pool  Avhich  tlie 
river  had  made  in  its  winding  course  around  a small  bend  at  the 


032 


THE  STORY  OR  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


foot  of  the  inouiitain.  Witli  snp])lieation  and  son^^^s  of  j)raise 
tlie  first  fruits  of  the  Ilaytieii  mission  were  tliere  olfered  to  the 
Lord. 

ITT. 

A retrospect  of  liritisli  liaptist  missions  shows  tliat  tlie 
three  years  T815-10-17  were  marked  hy  large  a(5cessions  to 
the  chnrclies  in  India.  Four  hundred  were  re])ort(*d  as  having 
been  added  during  that  short  i)eriod,  whih*  tlie  total  memliershij) 
Avas  not  less  than  twelve  hundred.  So  far  had  tlie  Avork  of  trans- 
lation gone^  that  the  Word  of  God  was  imblished  in  the  language 
of  almost  OA^ery  peoifie^  from  China  to  the  borders  of  Persia,  (5om- 
jirising,  it  Avas  estimated,  nearly  one  half  of  the  hnman  rac.i*. 
kfi'om  this  time  until  the  year  1842,  little  or  no  jirogress  Avas 
made  among  the  Lritisli  Laptists  in  India j for  at  the  semi- 
centennial jubilee  at  Kettering,  it  aA'US  reported  that  the  churches 
of  the  East  Indies  had  a memliership  of  only  1,278.  Indeed  the 
interest  of  Lritish  Baptists  had  become  more  enlisted  in  behalf 
of  the  West  Indies.  Already  the  number  in  Jamaica  was  32,0005 
in  the  Bahamas  1,170)5  and  in  Central  America,  132.  During  the 
Jubilee  year^  £33,000,  or  $165,000,  were  raised,  by  AAiiich  a hea\y 
debt  Avas  remoA^ed,  a new  mission  house  erected,  and  ncAV  mis- 
sions commenced  in  Trinidad  and  Hayti. 

The  first  generation  of  the  friends  of  missions  had  long  since 
passed  away.  Only  one  of  the  founders  of  the  mission  surAuved — 
the  A’enerable  Beynold  Hogg.  He  Avas  present  at  the  celebration, 
and  although  at  the  age  of  ninety,  he  joined,  as  one  whose  youth 
AAais  rencAved,  in  singing  the  Jubilee  songs  and  in  seeing  bright 
Aisions  of  the  future  progress  of  the  Mediator’s  Kingdom. 

During  the  next  quarter  of  a century,  from  1843  to  1867,  the 
membership  in  the  East  Indies  had  risen  from  1,278,  including 
about  300  Europeans  in  se])arate  felloAvship,  to  2,300  5 showing  a 
gain  of  more  than  1,000.  In  the  West  Indies,  exclusmA  of  elamai- 
ca,  this  jxn  iod  comimmced  Avith  1,580  members  and  closed  with 
3,200.  In  Jamai(*a,  th(‘.  niim])er  had  decreased  from  32,000  to 
21,000.  A (‘()nsid(*rabh‘,  number  had  been  received  into  tclloAV- 


LIBERALITY  OF  BRITISH  BAPTISTS. 


633 


ship,  but  the  ravages  of  cliolera  and  small  i)ox  had  i)roved  fatal 
to  about  ten  j)er  cent,  of  the  native  Christians,  and  threatened 
to  depopulate  the  island. 

One  hundred  new  missionaries  had  been  sent  from  England, 
making  a total  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-nine  since  the  form- 
ation of  the  society,  and  there  were  about  three  hundred  native 
evangelists  emiiloyed.  There  were  at  the  close  of  this  iieriod 
stations  in  India,  Ceylon,  China,  Western  Africa,  Jamaica, 
Hayti,  Trinidad,  the  Bahama  Islands,  Brittany  and  I^orway. 

Since  this  date  British  Baptists  have  established  missions  in 
Eome.  Eev.  James  Wall  is  enijiloyed  there  by  the  Particular 
Baptists,  and  the  Eev.  N.  IT.  Shaw  by  the  General  Bai)tists. 
According  to  the  summary  of  statistics  for  the  year  ending 
March  31st,  1880,  there  are  sixty-eight  missionaries  wholly  sui> 
ported,  and  fourteen  jiartly  suiiported  by  the  funds  of  the 
society,  and  fifty-seven  jiastors  of  self-supporting  churches. 
There  are  two  hundred  and  forty -one  evangelists,  four  hundred 
and  seven  stations,  and  33,805  church  members. 

It  ought,  in  justice  to  the  liberality  of  British  Baptists,  to  be 
added,  that  they  have  never  confined  themselves  in  their  dona- 
tions to  the  missions  of  their  own  societies.  Their  hands  have 
ever  been  open  to  assist  many  other  missions  scattered  over  the 
continent  of  Euroi)e,  notably  in  Italy,  in  Spain,  in  France  and 
in  Germany.  Mr.  Oncken,  of  Germany,  has  had  to  i)ass  much 
of  his  precious  time  in  Great  Britain,  begging  for  the  German 
missions ; and  his  British  brethren  have  never  grown  weary  in 
resiionding  to  his  calls.  Mr.  Yan  Meter  likewise  has  often 
visited  England  to  solicit  aid  for  his  missions  in  Eome,  and  his 
present  undenominational  mission  in  that  city  is  partly  suii- 
ported  by  his  British  friends. 

The  missionaries  of  the  British  Baptists  have  recently  been 
exposed  to  the  interference  of  the  French  government  in  op- 
position to  evangelization  on  the  Congo.  M.  de  Brazza,  formerly 


'rilE  ISTOJtY  OF  liAl’TiST  MISSIONS. 


(;;ii 

in  tin*.  (‘ini)l()y  ol*  Stnnl(‘y,  avIio  is  tin*.  ii^(*iit  of  tin*,  Iiiicriin- 
lionnl  .VlVican  Association  (‘stal)lisln*(l  nn<l(*r  tin*.  |)r(*.si(lcncy  oi* 
tin*.  King  of  tin*.  J>(*lgians,  l(*ft  tin*.  s(*rvMc.(*.  of  tin*,  association, 
and  making  a.  treaty  Avith  King  Alakoko  in  tlic  int(*r(\st  of  France*, 
Avent  lioineainl  enlisted  tlie  French  in  the  ])i  ()J(;c.t  of  establishing 
a j)rotectorate  oA'er  the  A^all(*y  of  the  Congo.  In  the  Hjiring  of 
1S8;>  he  returned  to  Africa  Avith  gunboats,  a small  military  force*, 
and  a large  number  of  ritles  and  sabre*s.  lie  took  i)e)ss(*ssion  e)f 
Ib  azzaAulle,  ])roposing  to  make^  it  the*.  e*aste*rn  tei-minus  e)f  a re)ael, 
laid  out  on  i)a])e*r,  folloAving  on  a line  Ave-stward  to  the*.  e*e)ast.  JMr. 
Stanley  hael  ineAiously  bnilt  a road,  e'omme*ncing  e)ne*.  hunelreel 
and  tifteen  mile*s  abe)\e  the*  mouth  of  the*,  (k)ngo,  ale)ng  a se*ctie)n 
e)t*  the  river,  of  al)out  two  hnndi'e‘d  and  fifty  mih*s,  whie;h  is  not 
navigable,  ami  te*rminating  at  Stanh*y  Fool.  Thus  ove*re;e)ming 
the  rapiels  and  cataracts,  e*e)mmerea*.  tinds  an  unobstruede*el  chan- 
nel e)f  traele  one  thousanel  miles  long.  31  r.  Stanle^^’s  I’oute  has 
the  aelvantage  e)f  the  miAigation  eif  the  loAAer  section  e)f  the 
Congo,  Avhich  is  oiien  to  the  large*st  steamers. 

The  gr(*at  centers  e)f  manufactures  and  e*onimerce  in  England 
take  a liAudy  interest  in  e)X)ening  ne*Av  markets  e)n  the  rich  anel 
almost  endless  shores  of  this  riAa*i\  On  the.  3d  of  April,  the 
Eritish  House  of  Commons  A\as  occupied  Avith  an  animated 
del)ate.  on  the  claims  of  Portugal  to  dominion  o\u*r  the 
countries  adjacent  to  the  Congo,  extending  oAX*r  the  AA^estern 
coast  of  Africa  betAA^eeu  the  tifth  and  eighth  degrees  of  south 
latitude.  From  the  i)arlimentary  discussion  it  appears  that  the 
Portuguese  rule  in  that  region  is  very  unjust,  opi)ressive  and 
corrui)t,  taxing  trade  Avith  extortionate  duties  and  fees,  inhu- 
mane in  dealing  Avith  the  natiAa*s,  and  engaging  in  the  slaA^e 
trade,  in  violation  of  treaties  a\  ith  other  Eurox)ean  poAvers.  This 
trade  is  kej)t  u])  iiarticularly  betAveen  Angora,  and  the  island  of 
St.  Thomas.  Tln^  sla\u‘s  are  carri(*d  out  from  the  shores  ou 
liglit(*rs  ami  tlH*n  transf(*i'r(*d  to  the  Portuguese  steamships 
bound  for  S(.  Thomas, 


OPERATIONS  ON  THE  (’ONGO. 


035 


The  English  people  a^^pear  to  be  opposed  to  Portuguese 
domination,  and  especially  the  Bai^tist  missionaries.  Mr.  Jacob 
Bright,  si^eaking  on  their  behalf  during  this  debate,  said The 
missionaries  also  have  to  be  considered^  and  among  these  the 
Baptist  mission  is  prominent,  with  many  establishments  in  that 
part  of  Africa.  This  body  is  influential,  and  is  guided  by  men 
of  great  intelligence  j and  they  too  view  the  irossibility  of  the 
treaty  with  very  great  fear  and  anxiety.  One  of  the  men  most 
closely  connected  with  missionary  work  in  Africa  has  said  that 
what  the  missionary  societies  have  to  apprehend  from  the  Portu- 
guese is  the  adoption  by  them  of  the  same  aggressive  and 
persecuting  policy  that  they  have  followed  invariably  in  Africa 
wherever  their  power  has  been  felt.” 

In  1884,  the  terms  of  a treaty  were  settled  between  Great 
Britain  and  Portugal,  but  it  was  not  ratified  by  the  former 
power,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  not  approved  by  the  other 
powers  that  had  commercial  intercourse  with  stations  on  the 
Congo. 


A Devotee’s  Leap. 


44 


CHAPTER  XETV. 


THE  ASSAM  AND  'J’EEUGU  MISSIONS. 


I. — Assam  Mission. — Description  of  the  Country. — Changes  of  Govern- 
ment.— The  Tea  Plantations. — The  (Qualities  and  Uses  of  Assam  Tea. — 
The  Motive  of  Early  Missionary  Explorers. — Tlie  P^irst  Mission. — First 
Mission  of  the  American  Baptists. — Milton  (Quoted. — The  Kagas. — An 
Or[>han  Home  Blessed. — One  of  the  Orphans  a Pastor. — An  Association 
Organized. — Mrs.  Brown’s  School. — The  Garos. — Their  Religion.— The 
Scattered  Leaves  of  a Tract. — The  Kohls. — Rev.  William  Ward. — Sunday 

on  the  Tea  Plantations. — Narcotics  and  Alcohol. II. — 'J’he  Telugd 

Missions. — Teluguland  often  Scourged  with  Famine. — Account  of  the 
Last  Great  Famine. — Astronomical  Warnings. — 'J’he  Origin  of  the  Telu- 
gus. — History  and  Character. — Beginning  of  the  Baptist  Mission. — Early 
Versions  of  the  New  Testament. — Rev.  INIr  Sutton. — Rev.  Mr.  Day  at 
Madras. — At  Nellore. — Action  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. — 
Shall  the  Mission  be  Abandoned? — Answer  in  the  Negative. — The  Ques- 
tion of  Retreat  Again  Raised. — Again  Decided  in  the  Negative. — Dr. 
Smith’s  Poem,  “ The  Lone  Star.” — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jewett’s  First  Visit  to 
Ongole.— An  Awakening. — Once  More  is  Raised  the  Question,  Shall  the 
Mission  be  Abandoned? — The  Coming  of  Mr.  Clough. — Tokens  of  Re- 
w^ard. — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Timpany. — The  Property  of  the  Church  in  Ongole. 
— The  Jeremiahs  Begin  to  Rejoice. — Other  Awnkenings. — The  Famine. 
— Great  Ingatherings.  — Dr.  Smith’s  Poem,  “ Faith’s  Victory.” — The 
Brownson  Theological  Seminary. — The  Canadian  Baptist  Mission. — 
Sketches  of  Dr.  Jewett  and  Mr.  Clough.— The  Future  of  the  Telugus. 


I. 

^n^SSAM  is  the  outlying  luovince  of  British  India  to  the 
northeast.  It  comprises  that  part  of  the  valley  of  the 
river  Brahinapntra  which  lies  between  22°  and  28°  north  latitude 
and  between  00°  and  98°  east  longitude.  It  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  lower  Himalayan  ranges^  which  separate  it  from 
Bootanj  on  the  east  by  the  wild  forests  and  mountains  of  Tibet ; 
on  the  south  by  Burmah  ; on  the  west  by  Bengal.  The  chief 
towns  aie  Gowahati  and  Hibsagor.  At  the  census  of  1871 
Assam  contained  1,820^278  followers  of  Brahma,  250, 470  jMa- 
hoimdans  }nid  1,788  Christians. 


ASSAM. 


037 


During’  Mahonietau  siii)remacy  in  liidia,  Assanij  tliongli  fre- 
(ineiitly  invaded  by  the  armies  of  Islam^  almost  always  main 
tained  its  iudepeudenee,  until  near  the  end  of  the  last  eentnry 
when  it  was  eonqnered  by  the  Burmese.  It  was  ceded  to  the 
British  in  1820.  About  the  middle  of  the  17th  eentnry  the  king 
of  Assam  became  a convert  to  Brahminism.  The  Christians  are 
most  numerous  in  the  district  of  Cachar.  The  Bengali  inhabi- 
tants chiefly  occni)y  the  western  portion^  while  the  Assamese 
and  Indo-Chinese  occupy  the  northern  and  npijer  i)art  of  the 
valleys  of  the  Brahmaputra. 

This  iwovince  is  chiefly  known  in  Europe  and  America  for  the 
tea  which  it  produces.  This  kind  of  Indian  tea  is  strong  and 
pungent.  In  England  it  is  in  great  demand  for  mixing  with 
other  varieties.  According  to  a British  handbook  on  the  art  of 
tea-blending^  it  may  be  advantageously  used  in  eleven  out  of 
nineteen  mixtures,  the  formulas  of  which  are  given.  Assam  is 
the  native  home  of  both  the  black  and  green  tea  plants  which 
are  now  so  successfully  cultivated-  The  flrst  twelve  chests  of 
tea  were  sent  to  England  in  1838.  In  1881  the  crop  of  the 
principal  commercial  association  engaged  in  its  culture  amounted 
to  280,000  i^ounds.  Since  then  this  industry  has  rapidly  in- 
creased. The  returns  of  1871  show  an  increase  of  1,903,881 
pounds  in  a single  year.  Since  1871  Cachar  has  been  annexed 
to  Assam,  and  the  statistics  of  tea  cultivation  in  this  province 
include  teas  from  the  former  district,  which  are  different  from 
those  of  Assam  i^roper.  The  leaf  is  darker  and  not  so  pungent. 
Comparatively,  the  tea  plantations  occupy  but  a very  small  area, 
but  the  hot,  moist  climate  and  rich  soil  are  said  to  combine 
nearly  i)erfect  conditions  for  the  growth  of  this  plant.  The  teas 
of  Assam  bring  higher  prices  in  London  than  those  of  China. 

One  motive  in  sending  missionaries  to  Assam  was  the  same  as 
that  which  Dr.  Carey  had  entertained.  This  was  to  seek  an  * 
entrance  to  China  by  ^Yi\y  of  the  paths  of  the  inland  trade. 
The  ])lan  was  to  establish  a chain  of  missionary  posts  on  the 


038 


TIIK  HTORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS.* 


westoTii  Iroiitiers  of  ('liiiia,  (toiiiiiieiiciii^'  in  Siain  and  sti-ntcdiinf^ 
northward  into  Assam.  31ic  mandarins  had  j)ractically  slmt  tin; 
ports  of  the  empire  hj^ainst  tlie  commer(M3  of  almost  all  Europe; 
l)ut  it  was  hoped  that,  i)roteeted  l)y  the  East  India  Company,  our 
missionaries  mi^iit  .join  the  caravans  that  y(‘arly  i)assed  the 
(ireat  AY  all  and  thus  ])lant  the  reli^^o'on  of  Christ  in  the  interior 
of  China.  The  ships  of  the  desert,”  it  was  supposed,  would 
he  able  to  carry  the  treasures  of  divine  truth  iido  a vast  em])ire 
from  which  the  ships  of  the  sea  w(*re  debarred.  It  was  in  pur- 
suance of  this  project  that  Air.  Kincaid,  in  1837,  ascended  the 
Irrawaddy  as  far  as  Alo^aung’.  lie  entered  Assam,  but  was,  as 
we  have  related  elsewhere,  unable  to  reach  his  d(‘stination. 

The  first  practical  aid  in  the  establishment  of  a mission  in 
this  remote  region  was  given  is  1834,  by  Captain  Erancis  Jenkins, 
the  British  Commissioner  residing  at  Gowahati.  He  invited 
American  missionaries  to  come  and  settle  in  Assam,  offering  to 
contribute  a thousand  rnpeiss  in  support  of  the  first  missionary, 
and  a thousand  more  for  the  establishment  of  a iirinting-press. 

American  Baptists  entered  this  field  in  1835.  Alessrs.  Kathan 
Brown  and  O.  T.  Cutter,  who  had  been  four  years  missionaries 
in  Bnrmah,  set  out  on  the  waters  of  the  Brahmaputra  to  find  a 
place  to  commence  a mission  in  Assam.  After  a voyage  of  four 
months  they  reached  Sudiya,»a  town  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
Assam,  the  chief  village  of  a district  of  the  same  name,  and 
only  two  hundred  miles  from  Y^unnan,  a great  Chinese  centre  of 
trade.  In  the  year  following  ( 1837 ) they  were  joined  by  Air. 
Bronson. 1 At  the  close  of  the  same  year  they  commenced  iiublic 
worshi})  in  the  Assamee  language.  A cloud  had  for  some  months 
rested  over  the  mission,  by  reason  of  a deplorable  accident  which 
had  put  an  end  to  the  life  of  a young  missionary  who  was 
coming  to  their  assistance,  lie  had  reached  India  and  was 
asccuiding  tlie  Brahmaputra,  in  July,  1837,  when  a tree  on  the 
banks,  loosened  at  the  roots  by  the  risen  waters  of  the  rainy 

s(*asoii,  fell  suddenly  across  his  l)oat  and  killed  him.  Thus, 
1.  See  AjipeiuJix,  7. 


THE  WORK  IN  ASSAM. 


(VM) 


while  in  sight  of  the  pagan  temples  of  Sncliya,  the  young  and 
hopeful  missionary,  Jacob  Thomas,  was  unexpectedly  called 
away  to  Jerusalem  the  Golden.  Too  apt  are  we  to  forget  the 
great  truth  whereof  Milton  so  grandly  reminds  ns  : 

* * * * “ Grod  doth  not  need 

Either  man’s  work  or  his  own  gifts;  his  state 
Is  kingly : thousands  at  his  bidding  speed, 

And  post  o’er  land  and  ocean  without  rest; 

They  also  serve  who  only  stand  and  wait.” 

In  1839  the  station  at  Sndiya  was  abandoned  on  account  of  a 
disturbance  in  which  several  chiefs  were  killed,  and  the  iiihab- 
itaiits  were  entirely  dispersed.  The  missionaries,  followed  by 
the  military  and  civil  officers,  settled  at  Jaipur,  three  days^ 
journey  south-west  of  Sndiya.  The  latter  village,  at  that  time 
abandoned  to  wild  beasts,  has  since  recovered  its  prosperity. 

In  1840  Mr.  Bronson  established  a mission  among  the  Kagas, 
one  of  the  hill  tribes.  The  year  following,  Mr.  Barker  com- 
menced the  mission  at  Sibsagor.  In  1841  Mr.  Bronson  removed 
to  Nowgong,  where  he  baptized  the  first  Assamese.  His  pagan 
name  was  Mdhi-Eam.  On  becoming  a Christian  he  dropped  the 
name  Bam,  one  of  the  names  of  the  Hindu  god,  Eaina,  and 
substituted  the  name  of  the  Cambridge  deacon,  Levi  Barwell, 
He  was  afterwards  commonly  called  ^^idhi  Levi.  In  1843  was 
established  at  ^lowgong  an  institution  for  orphans,  which  was  in 
a few  years  filled  with  oriihans  from  every  part  of  Assam.  This 
asylum  continued  to  flourish  for  twelve  years.  A number  of  its 
inmates  were  converted.  In  1847  a Mahometan  was  led  to  Jesns, 
and  baptized  at  Gowahati  with  seventeen  others. 

The  work  done  at  the  Orphans’  Institution  was  very  fruitful  in 
later  years.  Mr.  Whiting,  the  missionary  at  Gowahati,  being 
compelled  to  return  home,  was  very  desirous  that  some  one 
should  take  up  the  task  he  had  laid  down.  A gracious  Provi- 
dence had  provided  for  the  emergency.  Mr.  Stoddard  had 
baptized  a native  boy  of  twelve  years,  from  the  Orphans’  Institn- 


THE  KTOliY  OF  ]iAPTlST  MISSIONS. 


(>4() 

tion.  Ho  liad  ^rowii  up  a sc.liolar  and  IxMaiiiu*.  a ^ov(irnni(uit 
odicor  at  (lowaliati.  II(‘.  was  ejiruiiijif  twcuity  dollars  a itioutli. 
IIo  Aaduiitarily  rosi^uod  Ills  oflic.o  and  ao(r(*])t<Ml  a call  to  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  church,  recaMviujj^  as  his  salaiy  seveui 
dollars  and  tifty  cents  a mouth,  you  hold  on  till  some  one 

arrives?’^  impiired  31  r.  llronsou.  The  r(*])ly  of  Kandura  (his 
name  is  suggestive)  was  3Iy  wish  is  to  hold  on  till  death.” 

3Ir.  lirown  translat(‘d  tlie  Xew  T(‘stam(Mit  into  Assamcs(‘,  and 
an  edition  of  it  was  printed  hy  3Ir.  Cutter.  In  l<Sol  a second 
and  corrected  edition  Avas  i)ul)lish(‘d.  These  missionaries  pub- 
lished, in  January  184(),  th(‘.  tirst  number  of  a monthly  religious 
and  literary  Journal  called  Orunodoi  or  ^^Itising  Day.”  It  gained 
Avide  circulation  among  the  natiA^es,  and  is  still  publisluMl.  It 
has  been  found  to  be  a more  etficient  agency  tlian  ordinary  tracts. 

3Irs.  BroAA'ii  returned  to  the  Uidt(‘d  States,  AAdiere  she  arrived 
in  February,  184f).  She  urged  the  importance  of  sjieedily 
reinforcing  tlie  mission,  and  accordingly  3Iessrs.  A.  TI.  Danforth 
and  Ira  J.  Stoddard  AA'ere  sent  out  the  same  year;  the  former  to 
Join  the  station  at  (rOAA^ahati,  the  latter  going  to  XoAegong.  In 
1850  3Ir.  Barker,  the  founder  of  the  mission  at  Sibsagor,  set  out 
for  home  in  search  of  health,  but  died  AAdiile  the  ship  Avas 
plowing  ^lozambique  Channel,  and  Avas  buried  beneath  the 
furrows  of  tlie  sea.  But  the  space  thus  made  in  the  missionary 
ranks  Avas  at  once  proAudentially  occupied.  Only  a feAv  days 
after  the  death  of  3Ir.  Barker,  there  AA^as  baptized  31r.  Daiible,  a 
German  missionary  aa  ho  had  been  employed  under  the  x)atronage 
of’  the  A^enerable  Basle  Society.  He  liA^ed  to  toil  for  three  years 
with  great  earnestness. 

Aliout  the  year  1850  the  iirosxAccts  of  the  mission  in  Assam 
began  to  brighbm.  There  Avere  seen  here  and  there  signs  of  a 
lefrcsliing  from  the  iiresence  of  the  Lord.  The  natHes  would 
now  com(‘-  tw(mty  miles  to  GoA\adiati  to  obtain  Christian  books 
and  tracts.  At  the  close  of  the  year,  31essrs.  AVard  and  AVhiting 
entei(*d  tin;  held.  At  a meetiug  in  October,  1851,  an  Association 


SHEAVE?^  EKO:vi  SCIIOOL-HOUJ^ES.  041 

was  organized  and  seven  native  assistants  were  set  ai)art  to 
its  service. 

Special  lilessing  attended  tlie  labors  of  the  teachers  in  the 
mission  schools.  In  1852  two  of  the  oldest  members  of  Mrs. 
Brown’s  school  in  Sibsagor  were  converted.  Their  joy  was  the 
means  of  awakening  the  four  next  younger.  The  work  was 
marked  by  much  secret  prayer.  Mrs.  Brown  found  that  when 
she  left  the  school  for  a short  season  they  would  separate  and 
each  find  some  spot  Avhere  she  might  pray  alone.  The  next  year 
was  also  signalized  by  conversions  in  this  school.  A few  years 
later,  ten  were  hopefully  converted,  and  Mrs.  Brown  had  the  joy 
of  knowing,  before  she  died,  that  all  A\dio  had  been  under  her 
care  in  the  school  had  become  Christians.  There  Avere  likewise 
revivals  in  the  schools  at  NoAvgong  and  GoAvahati. 

The  climate  of  Assam,  in  spite  of  the  rapid  floAV  of  its  streams 
and  its  hilly  and  elevated  i)osition,  has  not  proved  friendly  to 
the  health  of  our  missionaries.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cutter,  Mrs. 
Brown,  Miss  Bronson  and  Messrs.  Tolman  and  Scott,  either 
suffered  from  sickness,  Avere  driA^en  home,  or  died  on  the  field. 
Mr.  Brown  Avas  enabled  to  remain,  with  short  vacations,  for 
twenty  years,  but  in  1855  he  also  Avas  forced  to  return  to 
America  in  search  of  health.  Before  he  left  he  had  repeatedly 
revised  his  Assamese  XeAV  Testament,  and  had  translated  Gene- 
sis and  some  other  portions  of  the  Old  Testament, 

In  the  year  of  185G  the  Sun  of  Bighteousness  began  to  dawn 
on  a race  of  mountaineers  in  Southern  Assam,  called  the  Garos. 
Their  religion  is  a mixture  of  Shamanism  and  Brahminism. 
Some  of  them  worship  the  sun  and  moonj  others  adore  ShiAm  as 
the  supreme  god,  while  others  ofier  sacrifices  to  a household 
god  called  Deo-Kora.  It  is  a small  dish  of  bell-metal  with 
embossed  figures,  hung  uj)  in  the  houses.  The  Garos  believe 
that  while  the  family  are  asleep,  the  Deo,  or  figure  of  the  Kora, 
goes  forth  in  search  of  food  and  then  returns  to  its  Kora  to  rest. 
All  their  religious  ceremonies  are  commenced  by  a sacrifice  to 


THE  STORY  OF  J5APTIST  MISSIONS. 


()4-{ 


the  sun  or  iriooii,  Sliiva  oi‘  tlx*.  I)(‘o-Kora,  c.oiiHistin^  of  a ])ull, 
^oatj  hogj  r()ost(‘T  or  do^-.  Tli(*y  also  formerly  Imiif?  iip  in  their 
houses  the  heads  or  skulls  of  their  (‘lumdcvs,  as  off(‘rin^s  to  the 
Jliiido  goddess^  Durga.  Although  th(‘y  had  i)romis(*dj  in  u tn'iity 
Avitli  ]>ritish  India  in  1S48,  to  abstain  from  hanging  iij)  human 
skullSj  yet  a party  of  them^  in  May,  ISdO,  deseended  into  the 
plains  and  murdered  sixteen  naliv(‘s.  Their  objeet,  it  is  said,  Avas 
not  so  much  iduiider  as  liuman  lieads  to  offer  to  ])urga. 

The  heralds  of  salvation  found  their  Avay  among  the  mountains 
of  the  Garos  along  a very  obscure  and  (drcuitous  path.  In  1850 
a British  Baptist  missionary,  ]\Ir.  Biron,  while  ou  a tour  through 
Assam,  stopx)ed  to  preach  at  Gowalpara  and  to  distribute  tracts. 
Xo  immediate  fruit  ai)peared,  and  he  Avent  his  Avay.  The  tracts 
AA^ere  torn  in  pieces  or  sold  for  Avaste  paper,  or  swept  out  in 
the  mud.  There  were  at  this  time  ten  Garos  in  the  GoA^ernment 
school,  and  some  of  them  had  learned  to  read  Bengali.  One  of 
them,  Omed  by  name,  had  recei\Txl  from  the  British  missionary 
a tract  and  a copy  of  the  Psalms.  Shortly  after,  he  enlisted  as  a 
soldier  and  Avas  sent  to  guard  an  emx)ty  mission-house,  which 
was  in  course  of  preparation  for  a British  olhcer  who  had  lately 
rented  it.  In  sweeping  out  the  house,  some  torn  lea\^es  of  paper 
had  shared  the  fate  of  the  dust.  The  guardsman,  liaAung  plenty 
of  leisure,  picked  iix)  one  of  the  leaA^es  and  began  to  read.  He 
became  conAunced  that  the  leaf  contained  very  important  truth, 
and  sought  among  the  native  Christians  more  books.  He  told 
two  other  Garos  about  the  treasures  he  had  discovered.  These 
also  Avere  converted.  At  length,  in  18G3,  Omed  and  Eamkhe 
Avere  baptized;  they  put  themseh^es  under  the  instruction  of 
Kandura,  and  a year  later  both  Avent  forth  as  missionaries  to 
their  own  people.  Omed,  like  Kandura,  had  been  in  the  emidoy 
of  the  Government,  but  he  too  sacrificed  his  income  to  the 
furtherance  of  the  Gospel. 

Three*.  y(*ars  i)ass(*d  before  another  of  fheir  tribe  AA'as  baptized. 
Soon  Mff(‘r,  eight  ofh(‘i‘s  folloAve'el  his  ex;im])le  ; then  came  such  a 


EVANGELIZINO  THE  GAEOS. 


(>4;i 


storm  of  persecution  as  drove  the  little  company  of  disciples 
from  their  native  mountains  to  the  valleys  of  Assam.  Omed 
stationed  himself  by  the  side  of  a patli  along*  Avldch  his  fellow 
hillmeii  passed  to  market,  and  built  himself  a hut  of  grass. 
Here  he  had  lived  for  a year  Avheu  he  was  visited  by  Mr.  Bron- 
son, who  assisted  in  organizing  a church  of  forty  members.  Th(‘ 
little  settlement  became  a i)lace  of  refuge  for  persecuted  Garos, 
and  ill  no  long  time  greAV  to  be  a Aullage  called  Bajamala.  Omed 
used  every  opportunity  that  was  given  him  to  visit  his  friends 
ayIio  still  remained  among  the  mountains.  Mr.  Stoddard  made  a 
tour  among  the  Garos  in  18(>8.  He  Avas  A^ery  cordially  welcomed 
by  one  of  the  chiefs,  who  erected  a building  in  a groAm  as  a tem- 
liorary  meeting-house.  Here  thirteen  Garos  confessed  Christ. 
At  another  place  where  he  xireached  a few  days  later,  he 
baiitized  tAventy-five  more.  The  number  of  Garo  coiwerts  soon 
increased  to  eighty-one.  A little  later  in  the  same  year,  twelve 
more  conA^erts  confessed  Christ.  One  of  them,  Ave  are  told,  Avas 
a AYoman  who  came  eight  miles,  bringing  a large  infant  on  her 
back,  and  sometimes  fording  streams  almost  uj)  to  her  shoulders. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stoddard  established  themseHes  at  GoAvaliiara  for 
the  purpose  of  evangelizing  these  Garos.  In  18G0  the  mission 
reported  a hundred  and  forty  Christians,  fiAm  churches  and  eight 
native  xireachers.  The  work  of  grace  extended  on  the  right 
hand  and  left,  Avhile  the  temxioral  prosperity  of  the  people  kept 
pace  with  their  groAAhh  in  Christian  faith.  Thus,  the  wealth  of 
one  Aullage  increased  four-fold  during  the  two  years  Avherein  they 
had  dedicated  themseHes,  their  seiwices  and  their  possessions  to 
the  God  of  gods.  Schools  Avere  ox)ened,  and,  out  of  a school  of 
twenty-eight  young  men,  fiA^e-and-tAventy  were  converted  and 
baihized.  The  rex^ort  for  the  year  1873  speaks  of  the  opening 
of  seA-enty  additional  Aullages  to  the  x)rogress  of  the  Gosx:>el  5 and 
GoAA  ahati  had,  it  Avas  said,  begun  to  Aue  with  Gowalx)ara  as  a 
centre  of  Garo  discix^les.  At  the  close  of  1874  the  number  of 
Garo  church-members  had  come  to  be  about  four  hundred.  In 


(>44: 


TIIK  STORY  OR  ]iAPTlST  MIISSONS. 


i(S75aii  }i(lvanc(Ml  stiitioii  was  ])lant(Ml  at  Fnra,  a,  Imiidii'd  miles 
further  among  the  mountains,  in  the  lieai  t of  th(‘,  (iaro  r(;gion, 
and  the  prineii)al  village  of  the  tribe.  At  th(‘  imuding  of  the 
Garo  Assocaation  in  1870  the  aggregate  membershij)  rej)orted 
was  4S8.  At  the  second  meeting  of  this  Assoca’ation,  two  hun- 
dred delegates  were  iwesent  and  it  was  announc(?d  that  the  four 
Gos2)els  had  been  traiislat(Ml  by  ]\Ir.  Keith. 

At  this  time  a tribe  from  Central  India,  the  Kohls,  a])])(‘ar  on 
the  horizon.  They  are  natives  of  Chota  Xagpore,  fin  extiaisive 
idateau,  an  offshoot  of  the  great  Vindhyan  range,  and  said  to 
have  been  a 2)ortion  of  the  great  Dandaka  forest.  It  is  on  all 
sides  difficult  of  access  and  over  two  thousand  teet  above  the  h*v(‘l 
of  the  sea.  It  lies  between  21°  30'  and  24°  30'  Korth  and  81°  30'  and 
87°  East.  The  population  iscom2)Osedof  over  two  millions  of  native 
tribes  and  about  a million  and  a half  of  Hindus.  The  greater 
part  of  the  country  is  now  directly  under  British  rule.  German 
missionaries  tixed  themselves  among  this  i)eoph‘,  in  1845.  They 
tirst  attracted  the  attention  of  our  missionaries  as  laborers  in 
the  tea-gardens  of  Sibsagor.  In  1875  some  of  them  were  ba])- 
tized,  and  two  years  later  they  were  2)rovide(l  with  two  nnor- 
dained  Kohl  2:)reachers.  The  church  at  Sibsagor,  which  num- 
bered in  1881  one  hundred  and  ninety-two  members,  is  composed 
chietly  of  Kohls  who  are  employed  in  the  tea  gardens  of  the 
vicinity.  The  superintendents  of  these  gardens  pronounce 
Christian  Kohls  as  the  best  laborers  in  their  emidoy,  and  they 
are  desirous  of  hiring  more  of  them.  They  are  noted  for  habits 
of  neatness  and  sobriety.  They  have  recently  built  a new 
chapel  entirely  at  their  own  exi^ense.i 
The  Garos  make  uj)  the  2)riuci2)al  niembershix^  of  the  church 
at  Gowahati,  of  which  Kandura  is  still  the  i)astor.  The  number 
of  meud)ers  in  1881  was  six  hundred  and  fourteen.^  The  statistics 
of  the  Assam  missions  for  the  same  year  are  as  follows : seven- 
teen missionari(\s  (nine  ordained  and  eight  unordained);  churches, 
].  See  Ai)i>en(]ix,  8.  2.  See  Appendix,  9. 


SUNDAY  AVORK  IN  TEA  GARDENS. 


045 


twenty-iiiue  j baptized  during  the  yeaTj  two  luindred  and  tliirty- 
nine  ; total  membership  1,705. 

Tlie  Eev.  William  Ward,  I).  B.,  of  tlie  Assam  mission,  was 
born  in  the  State  of  Kew  York,  educated  at  Hamilton,  and  went 
out  to  the  East  in  1850.  He  twice  visited  this  country  in  search 
of  health.  In  1872  he  went  forth  for  the  last  time,  Avith 
reneAved  energies,  to  his  field,  and  ardently  hoped  to  be  spared  to 
preach  Jesus  for  many  years.  But  his  hope  was  soon  exchanged 
for  the  near  prospect  of  being  forever  with  the  Lord.  He  died 
in  Assam,  August  1st,  1873.  Among  the  monuments  of  his 
missionary  usefulness  is  the  mission  chapel  at  Sibsagor.  It  was 
built  in  1865,  by  local  subscrii)tion,  through  the  exertions  of  IMr. 
Ward.  It  is  constructed  of  thick  AAmlls  of  masonry,  and  affords 
sitting  room  for  several  hundred  j)eople. 

One  discoufagement,  to  the  missionary  who  labors  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  tea  plantations,  is  the  desecration  «of  the  Lord’s  Bay. 
The  manufacture  of  tea,  we  are  told,  requires  Sunday  work.  A 
tea-planter  1 of  much  x^ersonal  knoAAdedge  (apxiarently  a Bomaii 
Catholic ) makes  the  following  confession : ^Ht  is  an  unfortunate 
fact  that*  tea-firing  must  be  conducted  on  Sunday  as  well  as  on 
any  other  day,  and  men  of  conscientious  scruxfies  concerning  the 
strict  observance  of  the  day  of  rest  have  either  to  work  or  throw 
uj)  their  billets.  Tea  xilucked  on  Saturday  world  not  keep  oA^er 
until  Monday,  and  must  be  fired  on  Sunday.  If  there  aa  ere  no 
ifiucking  on  Saturday,  two  days  out  of  seven  Avould  be  lost  j and 
no  industry  can  exist  under  such  conditions.  We  were  one 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  from  Bebrooghur,  and  saw  the  i)adre, 
on  an  average,  about  tAA  ice  a year.  Clergymen,  except  at  sta- 
tions, are  few  and  far  betAA^een  in  this  benighted  country.” 

The  chewing  of  the  betel-nut  is  carried  to  great  excess.  The 
hard  nut  files  the  iioints  of  the  teeth  down  and  makes  them  A^ery 

1.  A Tea- Planter's  Life  in  Assam^  by  Geo.  M.  Barker,  pp.  243-244  (Cal- 
cutta and  London,  1884). 


THE  STOUY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


fUf) 

short.  Tlipy  also  chew  opium.  Under  its  influences,  we  are  tohl^ 
some  men  can  work  mucli  better  for  a sliort  time  ; on  otliers  tlie 
stimulating  result  is  not  iiotiesed,  but  they  b(*coni(s  heavy  and 
bereft  of  all  jeowers  of  enjoying  life.  The  small  land-owners 
indulge  not  only  in  these  practices,  but  in  smoking  the  pipe, 
call(*d  liubble-bubbh‘.  Of  late  an  additional  cause  of  demoral- 
ization has  been  iidroduced.  Formerly  a great  obstacle  was 
placed  in  the  way  of  obtaining  a license  to  sell  intoxicating 
liquors.  Each  populous  village  was  allowed  by  the  government 
to  have  only  one  licensed  retailer  of  alcoholic  drinks.  Kecently, 
however,  the  cost  of  a license  has  lieen  greatly  reduced,  and 
liquor  shops  have  been  permitted  to  mnltiply.  The  tea-j)lanters 
are  among  the  first  to  complain  of  this  new  license,  not  because 
as  a class  they  care  for  the  sonls  of  men,  but  for  the  reason  that 
it  threatens  to  make  their  business  unprofitable.  Near  many  of 
the  large  tea  gardens  licpior  shoiis  have  been  set  up,  so  that  the 
coolies  employed  in  the  gardens  are  at  night  tempted  to  drink 
to  intoxication,  and  often  to  incapacitate  themselves  for  to-mor- 
row’s work. 

II. 

The  land  of  the  Telugus  has  for  many  centuries  been  jieriodi- 
cally  scourged  by  famine.  In  the  year  1770  one-third  of  the 
entire  poinilation  of  Lower  Bengal  perished  for  want  of  food. 
In  the  Ganjam  district  of  Madras  11,000  perished.  In  1833  a 
famine  in  the  Madras  collectorate,  Guntoor,  swept  away  150,000 
human  beings.  The  famine  of  1860  destroyed  nearly  one-half 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Ganjam.  Orissa  has  been  repeatedly 
visited  with  this  scourge  j in  that  of  1860  it  is  estimated  that  not 
less  than  one-fourth  of  the  i)opulation  were  starved  to  death. 
But  the  famine  which  is  still  so  fresh  in  our  memories  occurred 
in  the  years  1877-8.  It  visited  Bombay  and  Mysore,  but  was 
most  sevenely  felt  in  the  Presidency  of  Madras.  It  was  caused 
by  tbe  failure  of  th(‘  pculodical  rains  of  1875,  U6  and  U7.  The 
total  area  alfected  by  it  in  Madras  was  81,706  square  miles,  con- 


AWFUL  FAMINES  IN  BENGAL. 


047 

tainiiig  a i^opulatiou  of  19,000,000.  During  the  year  1877  the 
lirice  of  rice  and  other  grain  rose  to  four  times  its  usual  value. 

Ill  July,  1877,  a meeting  was  held  in  the  city  of  Madras,  in 
which  it  was  resolved  to  telegraiih  an  appeal  to  England  for 
private  help.  Large  and  timely  contributions  came  in  response 
to  this  call.  In  February,  however,  the  government  had  estab- 
tablished  relief  works,  where  all  such  as  were  able  could  earn 
their  bread.  Messengers  were  sent  to  all  the  villages  to  invite 


Telugu  Mission  Chapel  at  Ongole. 


the  starving  people  to  resort  to  the  canals,  tanks  and  roads 
where  work  could  be  found.  Such  as  were  able  to  travel  were 
supplied  with  the  means  of  subsistence  while  on  their  way  to  the 
places  of  labor.  Eelief  camps  were  likewise  established  at  many 
places  for  the  multitudes  of  aged,  sick  and  famishing  people 
who  were  unable  to  do  any  work.  In  the  month  of  September, 
1877,  there  were  a million  of  helpless  persons  supported  in  these 
relief  camps.  In  order  to  feed  the  famishing,  the  Governor  of 
Madras  was  authorized  to  commence  work  on  the  canals,  tanks 


(>48 


THE  STOUY  OF  liAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


and  roads  of  the  I’lesidcncy.  Tlicso  caiials  are  of  Hina*,  kinds 
— for  irrigation,  for  traflic  or  for  l)otli.  The  two  on  wliicli  the 
Telngus  cliielly  labored  during  this  famine  weni:  tlie  South 
Coast  canal,  from  IMadras  soutliwestward  to  Ssnlras,  and  the 
Bnckingliam  canal,  from  Madras  nortlieastward  to  tlie  delta  of 
the  Kistiia.  Both  of  these  are  for  navigation,  and  skirt  the  coast 
of  the  Bay  of  Bengal.  The  latter,  Avliich  is  about  tliree  hnndr<‘d 
English  miles  long,  Avas  hnish(*d  during  the  famine.  At  the 
season  of  greatest  destitution,  a million  of  num,  it  is  estimat(‘d, 
Avere  employed  on  these  and  other  ])ublic  Avorks. 

Children  AAxre  among  the  greatest- sufferers  from  tins  visita- 
tion. For  these,  day-nnrseries ’Mvere  arranged.  A clear  idea 
of  the  Avay  children  Avere  fed  is  given  by  the  li(‘V.  A.  1).  Bowe:  i 

It  AAais  my  privilege  and  pleasure  to  sux)erintend  for  a Avliile  the 
feeding  of  about  five  hundred  children,  in  seven  different  villag(‘s. 
The  AA  ay  it  Avas  done  is  this : In  a village  AAdiere  there  AA'ere,  say 
sixty  destitute  children,  Ave  supplied  daily  about  thirty  pounds 
of  rice  and  a pound  of  salt.  The  rice  was  boiled  in  tAvo  or  three 
large  earthen  vessels  AAith  a good  sup])ly  of  Avater.  It  Avas  then 
distributed  among  the  children,  AAdio  sat  in  a roAV,  each  behind 
his  little  earthen  dish.  It  was  jAlain  fare,  it  is  true,  but  it  was 
a good  deal  better  than  nothing,  and  the  children  Avere  exceed- 
ingly glad  to  get  it.  The  cost  of  this  boiled  rice  was  two  cents 
a day  for  each  child.  The  entire  cost  of  the  government  for 
feeding  a famine  pauxier  was  probably  not  more  than  a few  cents 
a day,  and  yet  this  famine  cost  the  Imperial  treasury  nearly 
£1(),()0(),0()().  * * * To  these  must  be  added  about  £800,000  in 

the  Avay  of  jnivate  donations  which  Avere  sent  from  England  and 
America.” 

The  I'ood  supply  came  principally  from  other  parts  of  Bengal 
and  from  Burniah.  Steamers  and  sailing  A^essels  for  a season 

1.  Every-day  Life  in  India,  pp.  330-349;  also  From  Darkness  to  Light,  by 
the  Kev.  J.  E.  Clough,  pp.  171-182. 


THE  CAUSES  OF  FAMINES. 


649 


brought  daily  to  the  port  of  Madras  3,500  tons  of  grain.  Tlie 
lines  of  railroad  branching  from  the  city  groaned  day  and  night 
under  the  enormous  freight  of  grain.  So  engrossed  were  the 
railroads  and  telegraphs  by  this  service  that  no  i)assengers  could 
be  sent  and  no  private  telegrams  dispatched.  Yet,  after  all,  we 
are  told  that  more  than  two  millions  perished.  Among  these 
were  about  four  hundred  Telugu  Christians. 

This  calamity,  like  every  other  adversity,  had  a two-fold  effect. 
It  drove  some  to  Christ,  while  it  hardened  the  hearts  of  others. 
The  Brahmins  and  Mahometans  invented  falsehoods  wherewith 
to  calumniate  the  missionaries  and  their  British  co-laborers. 
Some  fathers  and  mothers  were  tempted  to  starve  their  children 
almost  to  death  for  the  xmrpose  of  appealing  to  the  sympathies 
of  the  almoners  and  agents  of  relief.  Many  honest  working 
peoi^le  were  driven  to  beggary  and  stealing,  so  that  when  i)lenty 
returned  they  had  formed  the  habits  of  trami)s  and  sneak- 
thieves.  Their  projoerty  all  gone,  their  health  broken  and  their 
situations  lost,  they  found  it  difficult  to  resume  their  former 
occuj)ations. 

The  women  of  Madras  must  have  sulfered  exceedingly,  as  the 
following  facts  evince.  A very  large  amount  of  jewelry  and 
personal  ornaments  were  offered  for  sale  at  the  Presidency  Mint. 
The  value  of  silver  ornaments  that  were  tendered  from  January 
to  October,  1876,  averaged  from  £300  to  £600  monthly,  and  this 
rose  in  17ovember  to  over  £6,000.  In  May,  1877,  it  had  reached 
the  enormous  sum  of  £80,000. 

The  causes  of  famines  have  been  reduced  to  ten — excessive 
rain,  severe  frost,  drought  and  other  meteorological  reverses, 
insects  and  vermin,  war,  bad  farming,  lack  of  transportation, 
government  interference  with  demand  and  suxiply,  including  a 
debasement  of  the  currency,  xnlvate  greed,  embracing  siiecula- 
tion,  making  corners,”  and  the  misapxffiqation  of  grain  in 
distilling,  and  denuding  hills  and  mountains  of  their  growing 
timber.  But  it  is  a very  instructive  fact  that  science  is  not 


tup:  STOK’Y  OP"  BA.I»T1ST  MISSIONS. 


(mO 

seldom  coii1()nii(l(‘(l  in  its  attempts  to  for(‘t(‘ll  a faiiiiiK*,.  In  1877 
^Messrs.  Lo(dvyer  and  Hunter  pnl)lisliedi  a very  (‘lahorati*/  article 
to  slioAV  tliat  the  amount  of  rainfall  dc^pends  on  the  ener^^y  and 
activity  of  solar  forces.  As  the  moon  f>T)verns  the  tid(‘S,  so, 
according  to  these  men  of  science^  these  forces  of  the  sun  falling 
at  dilferent  times  on  different  points  of  the  aerial  and  aipumus 
enveloiies  of  our  planet^  thereby  iirodiice  curi*ents  of  the  air  and 
of  the  ocean;  while  hy  acting  on  the  various  forms  of  watcjr 
which  exist  iu  these  euvelopes,  they  are  the  irnitful  i)ar(mts  of 
rain  and  clouds  and  mist.  Kor  do  they  stoi)  here.  They  affect 
iu  a most  mysterious  way  the  electricity  of  the  atmosphere  and 
the  magnetism  of  the  globe  itself.  For  many  years  it  has  b(*(m 
obseix>‘d  that  spots  on  the  sun  indicate  that  all  these  phenomena 
ebb  and  hew  once  iii  eleven  years. 

It  is  very  remarkalile  that  Mr.  Lockyer^  by  astronomical  ob- 
servations of  the  sun-spots  iu  Eugland^  and  Mr.  Hunter  by 
meteorological  observations  at  Madras,  have  reached  the  joint 
conclusion  that  there  is  the  least  rainfall  at  Madras  at  the  very 
time  when  the  sun-spots  indicate  the  least  activity  and  energy  of 
the  solar  forces.  Thus  the  five  Madras  famines  since  1813  have 
corresponded  with  the  minimum  of  sun-spots.  One  exceptional 
case  has  occurred  since  the  institution  of  rain-gauges.  This  took 
place  in  1813.  It  was  a sporadic  rain-storm,  coming  before  the 
regular  southwest  monsoon.  So  true  it  is  that  science  is  still 
outwitted  sometimes.  Our  daily  observers  of  the  weather  are 
very  sagacious,  but  they  once  in  a while  jirove  false  prophets. 
As  Admiral  Fitzroy  says,  an  unforeseen  downrush  of  air  from  a 
higher  region  of  the  atmosphere  occasionally  disturbs  the  lower 
currents  and  so  disappoints  the  expectations  of  science. 

Tlie  Telugus  are  found  chiefly  in  the  Presidency  of  ^Madras. 
In  particular,  tliey  inhabit  the  eastern  coast  of  Southern  India 
for  five  linndred  miles,  from  Pulicat,  a little  north  of  Madras, 
noi*theMst(‘i-ly  to  Cldcacole.  They  reach  Orissa  on  the  north, 

1.  “ Sim-.spots  iind  Piuiiines/’  in  Nineteenth  Century  for  Nov.,  1877. 


THE  TELUGUS  AND  TELUGU-LAND. 


051 


occupying  the  northern  Circars  and  parts  of  Hyderabad,  Xag- 
l)iir  and  Gonwana.  The  most  western  place  at  which  the 
Telug'u,  or  Telinga,  is  spoken  is  the  small  town  of  Mnrkiindah, 
about  thirty  miles  west  of  Boeder.  At  the  south  of  them  the 
Tamil  is  spoken.  The  Hvo  languages  are  of  the  Hravidian 
family,  and  are,  it  is  conjectured,  of  Scythian  origin.  The 
Tamils  and  the  Telugus 


are  supi)osed  to  have 
occupied  their  i)resent 
territory  before  the 
tribes  speaking  Sanskrit 
invaded  and  conquered 
Southern  India.  The 
Tamil  tongue  is  richer 
in  literature,  having 
been  cidtivated  as  early 
as  the  ninth  century; 
whereas  there  is  no  lit- 
erature in  the  Telugu 
older  than  the  twelfth. 

The  latter,  however,  is 
spoken  by  14,000,000 
natives,  while  the  for- 
mer is  spoken  by  only 
about  10,000,000.  The 
Telugu  tongue  surpass- 
es the  former  in  euphon- 

. , Ti  • n Village  Costumes,  Southern  India. 

1C  sweetness.  It  is  the 

Italian  of  India.  The  Telugus  are  also  more  inclined  to  emigra- 
tion, and  are  scattered  through  Biirmah  and  other  x>arts  of 
India.  They  were  a warlike  race,  and  formerly  invaded  the  pos- 
sessions of  the  Tamils  and  Canarese.  They,  too,  were  exposed 
to  invasion.  The  whole  face  of  Telugu-land  is  dotted  with  old 
hill  forts.  Every  imiiortant  village  has  its  little  fort,  and  in 
45 


G52 


THE  STORY  OF  R ARTIST  MISSIONS. 


most  of  the  smaller  villaf^es  round  towers  eommaiid  tli(‘.  doors  of 
all  the  houses.  In  the  eoiistruetion  of  the  l)(‘.st  r<isid(ai(;es  every- 
thiiig  was  saeritieed  to  strength,  seeurity  and  defenei^.  A con- 
siderable part  of  the  army  with  Avhich  Lord  (div(‘,  fought  the 
battle  of  Plassy  was  (;omi)osed  of  Telugusj  and  tiny  carry  tlie 
jialin  among  the  Sejioys  of  to-day  for  good  behavior,  disciplim*. 
and  solid  steadiness.  In  regard  of  intelligema*,  migratory 
habits,  secular  luosiierity  and  forgetfulness  of  their  native  land, 
they  are,  we  are  told,  the  Scotchmen  of  India. 

The  Serami)ore  brethren  were  the  first  to  give  the  whole  of 
the  Scriptures  to  the  Telingas.  As  early  as  1 805  they  commenced 
the  translation  of  the  New  Testament,  and  in  1800  they  had  fin- 
ished it  and  a part  of  the  Old.  These  were  iirinted  between  the 
years  1817  and  1821.  While  the  Serampore  version  was  in  pro- 
gress, the  London  Missionary  Society,  with  characteristic  lack 
of  comity,  engaged  two  missionaries  and  a iiundit  to  make 
another  version.  In  1810  it  was  given  out  that  this  version  had 
l)roceeded  as  far  as  the  end  of  First  Corinthians,  but  when  it 
came  to  be  printed  at  Serampore  in  1812,  it  was  found  that  the 
first  three  Gospels  were  the  only  iiortions  that  were  fit  to  be 
Xirinted.  Mr.  Pritchett  issued  a Telugu  New  Testament  in  1819, 
but  dying  soon  after,  Mr.  Gordon,  in  1823,  offered  to  the  patron- 
age of  the  Pedo-bax)tists  of  India  another  version,  and  it  was 
agreed  to  receive  it  in  x)lace  of  the  former  j Imt,  after  the  death  of 
the  latter  in  1827,  it  was  found  that  Mr.  Pritchett’s  version  was, 
after  all,  more  correct  than  had  been  suxiiiosed,  and  it  was  again 
adoxited  as  the  received  version.  The  recent  renderings  of  the 
K(‘v.  John  Hay,  of  the  Madras  Auxiliary  Bible  Society,  were  not 
long  since  iiublished  to  the  world  in  consequence  of  the  adverse 
criticisms  of  the  Pev.  A.  Y.  Timxiany.  This  society,  x^i‘i>fessing 
to  be  non-sectarian,  have  circulated  a Telugu  version  of  the  New 
Tiistament,  in  which  baxitism  is  translated  by  a native  word 
signifying  ablution^  and  ^dnto”  is  rendered  near  to,  Avhile  in  ren- 
dering the  Great  Commission  (Matt.  28  ; 19-20),  baxitism  (or 


EARLY  EFFORTS  IN  TELUOU-LAND. 


053 


rather  ablution),  is  put  before  disciiiling,  so  as  to  favor  the 
sprinkling  of  unconscious  or  crying  infants. 

American  Baiitists  were  advised  to  enter  this  field  by  the  Eev. 
Amos  Sutton,  of  Orissa,  of  whom  we  give  some  account  in  our 
chapter  on  the  missionary  doings  of  the  General  and  Free-Will 
Baptists.  Mr.  Sutton  had  married  Mrs.  Colnian,  the  widow  of 
the  Eev.  James  Colman,  one  of  our  earliest  missionaries  to  Bur- 
niah,  and  had  come  to  America,  partly  because  of  the  ill-healtli 
of  his  wife,  and  partly  for  the  i>urpose  of  enlisting  the  Free-AYill 
Bai^tists  of  this  land  in  his  work  in  India.  At  that  time,  1835, 
there  was  only  one  missionary  in  all  Telugu-land.  Sickness  and 
death  had  left  these  millions  of  idolaters  almost  without  any 
means  of  obtaining  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation.  But  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Triennial  Convention  at  Eiehmond  the  same  year, 
steps  were  taken  to  enter  this  field.  The  Eev.  S.  S.  Day  and 
wife,  and  the  Eev.  E.  L.  Abbott,  along  with  Mr.  Sutton,  Dr. 
Malcom,  and  a large  re-enforcement  of  missionaries,  embarked 
at  Boston  September  22d,  1835.  On  their  arrival  in  Calcutta, 
Mr.  Abbott  was  induced  to  go  further  east  and  labor  among  the 
Karens,  while  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Day  settled  at  Yisagai^atam.  But 
finding  a British  missionary  already  fixed  in  that  city,  he 
returned  to  the  northeast  a short  distance,  and  established  his 
luission  at  Cicacole.  After  making  excursions  into  the  interior, 
and  oi)ening  schools  at  his  station,  Mr.  Day  went  to  Madras  to 
meet  Dr.  Malcom,  and,  after  consultation  with  him,  concluded  to 
settle  in  the  suburbs  of  that  city  and  toil  still  among  the  Telu- 
gus,  who  composed  a sixth  i)art  of  the  city  and  the  contiguous 
villages.  The  year  following,  he  visited  Bellary,  a town  two 
hundred  and  sixty  miles  from  Madras,  where  there  was  a little 
company  of  Christians,  composetl  of  British  soldiers  who  were 
stationed  there.  During  his  stay  of  two  months  he  bai)tized 
twenty-two  i^ersons.  After  his  return  to  Madras  a church  of  six- 
teen members  was  organized  in  that  city,  and  the  little  comi)any 
at  Bellary  was  constituted  a branch  of  the  new  church.  To  this 


TIIK  STORY  OF  HAI'TIST  MISSIONS. 


VM 

clmrcli  lie  iireaclied  in  the  E]if>^lisli  laii^^uage,  whieh  was  under- 
stood by  the  Eurasians^  Tamils  and  Enrmans,  wlio  formed  a 
part  of  the  brotherhood.  Jbit  after  laboi  iii;;-  in  this  manner  for 
four  years  lie  had  failed  to  win  a siii^l(‘.  Tebi;;u  to  Christ. 

lie  resolved,  tln'refore,  to  ivniove  to  Nrllore,  a lar<'-e.  city  on 
the  coast,  a Imndred  and  ten  miles  north  of  ^Madras.  Here  In*, 
was  in  the  midst  of  millions  of  Telu^us.  A tew  w(‘eks  after  his 
arrival  the  Kev.  Stephen  Van  llnsen  and  wife  (aiim*,  to  his  assist- 
ance, and  in  Se])teniber,  1841,  h(‘.  baptized  the  tirst  Telngu  con- 
vert, Obulii  by  name,  afterwards  a i)r(‘acher.  While  on  a visit, 
to  Aladras  in  the  Sjiring  of  the  same  y(‘ar,  the  Bible  Society  of 
that  city,  an  auxilliary  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Soiaety, 
adopted  the  resolutions  of  the  latter,  directing  that  all  transla- 
tions which  might  be  made  under  its  auspices  shall  be  strictly  in 
accordance  with  ^Hhe  authorized  English  version,”  thus  requir- 
ing’ the  transfer  and  forbidding  the  trayislation  of  the  words 
relating  to  baptism.  ITiion  his  return  to  Xellore,  Mr.  Van  Husen 
joined  him  in  a iietition  to  the  jVIissionary  Board,  requesting 
them  to  send  out  another  missionary,  together  with  a iirinting- 
press,  in  order  that  the  mission  might  multiply  copies  of  the 
New  Testament  faithfully  translated.  The  Board,  however, 
were  at  that  time  without  the  funds  adequate  to  the  undertaking, 
which  they  fully  aiiproved. 

Three  additional  converts  were  baptized  in  1843,  one  of  them 
a Telugu,  another  a Tamil  who  spoke  Telugu,  and  a third  an 
Eurasian.  In  1844  a church  of  eight  members  Avas  constituted 
at  Nellore.  But  in  1845  sickness  droA^e  Messrs.  Day  and  Van 
Ilusen  from  this  field.  The  latter  reached  the  United  States  in 
October,  and  in  the  folloAving  December  the  former  embarked 
for  home.  The  physicians  having  advised  Mr.  Day  to  lose  no 
tinui  in  setting  out  on  his  voyage,  he  had  been  unable  to  arrange 
th(‘.  atfairs  of  the  mission.  The  church,  the  fiA^e  schools  and  the 
projierly  of  the  mission  Avere  left  in  charge  of  an  Eurasian 
j)r(!ach(*j*,  assisted  by  two  native  Christians, 


THE  EARLY  DAY  IN  TELUHU-LAND, 


655 


These  were  the  dark  days  of  the  mission,  and  demanded  a 
taith  which  would  not  abandon  the  promise  which  winds  uj)  the 


Educated  High-Caste  Telugus. 


Great  Commission.  At  the  anniversary  of  the  Missionary  Union 
the  question  to  be  determined  was,  Shall  the  Telugn  mission  be 
abandoned  or  shall  it  be  reinforced  Ten  years  of  toil  and 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


C5() 

sufl'eriiig  had  been  bestowed  on  this  field.  Cornjiared  with  tlio 
missions  in  Farther  India,  this  had  thns  far  proved  very  nnfruit* 
fid.  lla])i)ily  Dr.  Jndson,  then  on  a visit  liome,  was  present 
and  gave  Ids  voiee  in  favor  of  the  eoiitiimanee  of  the  mission. 

I would,”  said  he,  cheerfnlly,  at  my  age,  cross  the  Bay  of 
Bengal,  and  learn  a new  language,  rather  than  lift  iq)  my  hand 
for  the  abandonment  of  this  work.”  JVIr.  Hutton,  of  Orissa,  was 
also  iirovidentially  present,  and  encouraged  his  American  breth- 
ren to  hope  that  God  would  yet  make  the  small  one”  grow  and 
become  strong  nation.”  Di*.  Day  likewise  pleaded  for  the 
continuance  of  the  mission.  The  committee  therefore  left  the 
question  undecided. 

Meanwhile,  Mr.  Day  had  recovered  his  health  and  the  Bev. 
Lyman  Jewett  liad  ottered  his  services  as  a coadjutor  of  Mr. 
Day,  who  was  ready  to  return  to  his  former  field.  The  Execu- 
tive Committee,  in  view  of  this  changed  aspect  of  the  question, 
submitted  it  to  the  Board  of  Managers.  After  being  fully  dis- 
cussed by  them,  they  referred  it  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Union,  which  was  that  year  (1848)  held  at  Troy,  FT.  Y.  lie- 
trenchment  seemed  to  be  demanded,  and  it  was  feared  by  some 
that  this  mission  would  have  to  be  numbered  among  the  aban- 
doned. But  a powerful  report  of  a committee  on  the  subject, 
written  by  the  Bev.  Dr.  ^Yilliam  B.  Williams,  helloed  to  revive 
interest  in  the  mission  and  to  secure  its  continuance.  In  case  it 
was  abandoned  by  us,  it  was  hoped  that  God  would  put  into  the 
hearts  of  other  Christians  greater  faithfulness,  or  into  their 
hands  greater  means.  And,  as  from  the  field  of  missions  in 
Houth  Africa,  abandoned  in  earlier  years  by  our  Moravian 
brethren,  our  brethren  of  the  English  Congregationalists  and 
3Iethodists  and  French  Protestants  have  in  later  years  reaped 
abundant  harvests,  so  from  our  lack  of  service  in  this  mission, 
if  abandoned,  we  Avill  hope  God  may  yet  stimulate  other  Chris- 
tians of  our  own  or  other  countries  to  give  to  the  Telugus  the 
missionary,  tli(‘.  Bible,  the  Sabbath-school  and  the  tract,  till  thej". 


JEWETT  AND  DAY  AMONa  THE  TELUGUS. 


057 


toOj  are  Christianized.”  It  was  then  and  there  voted  to  instruct 
the  committee  to  reinforce  the  mission.  Accordingly  Messrs. 
Day  and  Jewett  sailed  from  Boston  in  October,  1848,  and  arrived 
at  Nellore  in  April,  1849.  The  elegant  historian  of  our  missions. 
Professor  Gammell,  writing  at  this  time,  anticipates  for  this 
humble  mission  idtimate  success.  Already,”  says  he,  are  its 
prospects  brightening,  by  reason  of  the  progress  of  education 
and  of  the  light  which  is  reflected  from  flourishing  missions  that 
are  established  by  other  societies  among  the  neighboring  races 
of  India.”  * * * Against  the  superstitions  and  social  habits 
of  the  Telugus  the  missionary  will  continue  to  struggle  on  in  the 
might  which  always  attends  a holy  cause,  and  with  full  confi- 
dence that  his  efforts  will  at  length  be  crowned  with  success  by 
that  gracious  Spirit  who  ever  watches  over  the  progress  of  truth 
among  men.”  “ The  flourishing  missions  among  the  neighboring 
races,”  mentioned  by  the  historian,  are  the  Tamil  missions  in  the 
Carnatic,  on  the  south,  and  the  Orissa  mission  on  the  north. 

After  their  arrival  at  ilellore  the  missionaries  gave  themselves 
to  teaching  and  preaching  with  very  commendable  zeal.  The 
mission  schools  were  x)rosperous,  and  only  eight  months  after  his 
arrival  Mr.  Jewett  ventured  to  preach  a sermon  in  the  Telinga 
tongue.  The  missionaries  preached  and  distributed  tracts  to 
multitudes  at  heathen  festivals.  Two  natives  were  converted  in 
1849.  Inquirers  and  one  baptism  are  reported  for  the  year  1851. 
Clouds  and  darkness  appear  again  to  be  gathering  over  Telugu- 
land.  In  1853  Mr.  Day  was  again  forced  by  sickness  to  return 
home. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Dnion  at  Albany,  in  1853,  the 
old  question  came  up  for  debate.  The  brethren,”  says  Dr.  Smith, 
who  was  present,  seemed  to  have  a chronic  j)roi)ensity  to  fall 
upon  this  theme.  Five  more  years  had  passed  away,  filled  with 
exhausting  toil,  and  there  was  very  little  to  reward  the  hope  of 
the  sower.  It  was  recommended  in  the  report  of  the  two  brethren 
who  had  visited  the  mission  in  January,  that  the  mission  should 


058 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


1)0  either  reinforced  or  relinquislicd.  Tlie  question  was,  Whicli  ? 
An  entire  evening  was  devoted  to  tlie  discaission.  ^ Tlie  Lone 
Star  Mission,’  as  it  was  denominated  hy  one  of  tlie  si)eakers,  as 
being  the  oidy  mission  of  tlie  Union  on  the  west  side  of  tlie  Bay 
of  Bengal,  again  trembled  in  the  balance.  But  words  of  courage 
and  faitli  were  spoken.  Tlie  writer  was  ])resent,  and,  imjiressed 
by  the  scenes  of  the  evening,  before  retiring  to  rest  wrote  the 
following  stanzas,  on 

THE  LONE  STAR. 

“Shine  on,  ‘Lone  Star!  ’ tiiy  radiance  bright 
Shall  spread  o’er  all  the  eastern  sky ; 

Morn  breaks  apace  from  gloom  and  night: 

Shine  on,  and  bless  the  pilgrim’s  eye. 

Shine  on,  ‘ Lone  Star!  ’ I would  not  dim 
The  light  that  gleams  with  dubious  ray : 

The  lonely  star  of  Bethlehem 
Led  on  a bright  and  glorious  day. 

Shine  on,  ‘ Lone  Star!  ’ in  grief  and  tears 
And  sad  reverses  oft  baptized ; 

Shine  on  amid  thy  sister  spheres ; 

Lone  stars  in  heaven  are  not  despised. 

Shine  on,  ‘ Lone  Star!  ’ Who  lifts  his  hand 
To  dash  to  earth  so  bright  a gem, 

A new  ‘ lost  pleiad  ’ from  the  band 
That  sparkles  in  night’s  diadem? 

Shine  on,  ‘ Lone  Star  I * the  day  draws  near 
When  none  shall  shine  more  fair  than  thou; 

Thou,  born  and  nursed  in  doubt  and  fear, 

Wilt  glitter  on  Immanuel’s  brow. 

Shine  on,  ‘ Lone  Star!  ’ till  earth,  redeemed, 

In  dust  shall  bid  its  idols  fall; 

And  thousands,  where  thy  radiance  beamed, 

Shall  crown  the  Saviour  Lord  of  all.” 

<^The  little  poem,”  adds  Dr.  Smith,  i which  has  since  been 
honored  with  the  title  of  ^ prophetic,’  was  read  the  next  morning 


1.  Missionary  Sketches,  p.  108. 


MR.  JEWETT  AT  ONGOLE 


(m 


at  the  breakfast  table  of  Judge  Harris,  the  chairman  of  tlie 
meeting  of  the  evening  before,  and  struck  chords  that  vibrated 
responsively.  The  conclusion  had  already  been  reached.  Before 
the  meeting  broke  ui),  the  Board  was  directed  suitably  to  rein- 
force the  Telugu  mission,  provided  that  it  could  be  done  cor- 
sistently  with  the  claims  of  Southern  Burmah. 


Brahmin  Temples  on  Prayer- Meeting  Hill,  Ongole. 

It  was  on  New  Year’s  Bay,  1853,  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jewett 
first  visited  Angula,  corrupted  by  the  English  into  Ongole. 
Accomj)anied  by  a native  Christian,  Mr.  Jewett  passed  the  day 
in  preaching  the  Gcspel  in  the  streets  of  the  city.  They  were 
assailed  with  bootings  and  stones.  At  the  close  of  this  day  of 
discouragement,  the  three  climbed  stumbingly  along  a i^ath  of 
loose  stones  to  the  top  of  a high  hill  overlooking  the  city  and  its 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


f)G0 

adjacent  villages.  Jteacliing  the  hrow  just  above  the  llindu 
teinx)les,  they  paused  and  held  a little  ])rayer-meeting  j they  sang 
a hymn,  and  iin^dored  the  God  of  gods  to  send  a missionary  to 
that  benighted  town.  This  eminence  is  now  known  in  many 
parts  of  the  world  as  Prayer-Meeting  Hill.”  Wheiuiver  the  mis- 
sionaries go  up  to  this  si)ot  with  American  visitors,  they  always 
])ropose  a service  of  ])rayer  and  thaidvsgiving. 

^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Jewett  continued  to  toil,  in  the  face  of  opposi- 
tion, but  not  without  some  success.  A few  were  convert(*d  and 
added  to  the  churcth.  In  one  instance  a comi^any  of  farmers 
came  from  a village  twenty  miles  distant  to  inquire  about  the 
way  of  salvation.  For  two  years  Mr.  and  IMrs.  Jewett  had  none 
but  native  heli)ers,  but  in  1855  the  Eev.  F.  A.  Douglass  came  to 
their  assistance.  Two  years  later  the  Indian  mutiny,  which  we 
describe  in  our  sketch  of  Havelock,  spread  terror  throughout  the 
Presidency  of  Madras.  When  it  came,  it  found  Mr.  Douglass  in 
the  city  of  Madras,  where  he  was  sojourning  on  account  of  the 
ill-health  of  his  tainily.  So  threatening  was  the  aspect  of  affairs 
at  Ongole,  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jewett  retircMl  to  the  city  of 
Madras  for  protection. 

In  1858  the  mission  was  blessed  with  an  awakening.  It  came 
unexpected,  and  was  evidently  sent  by  the  God  of  all  grace. 
The  first  fruits  were  two  women,  who  ax)j)lied  for  admission  to 
the  church.  When  they  made  their  appearance  one  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  church  said : felt  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost 

coming  down  ux^on  us.”  Another,  not  a Christian,  said,  “I 
trembled  exceedingly.”  Soon  afterwards  six  converts  were  bax^- 
tized.  The  woman  that  ^Trembled  exceedingly”  was  one  of 
them.  She  now  said,  My  heart  overflows  with  joy.”  They 
will  soon  come  in  crowds,”  said  the  father  of  one  of  the  candi- 
dat(isj  and  soon  after  he  came  himself.  One  morning  at  break- 
Ihst  a woman  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Douglass  began  to  tremble 
and  we(q)  i)rornsely.  No  one,”  said  she,  “ knows  the  cause  of 
my  griel‘.”  Late  at  night  she  came  to  beg  for  x^r^y^rs;  but 


ME.  CLOUan  AT  ONGOLE. 


661 


prayer  was  changed  to  praise.  There  was  no  more  sleep  j and 
for  the  next  ten  days  she  went  from  room  to  room^  telling  all  she 
met  of  the  precionsness  of  Christ.  In  a few  days  her  joyful 
experience  led  to  the  awakening  of  others.  The  next  year  five 
more  were  converted. 

There  were^  however^  not  a feAV  who  still  thought  this  mission 
should  he  abandoned.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Union  for 
the  year  1862,  in  Providence,  the  measure  was  again  urged. 
But  the  Corresponding  Secretary  persuaded  the  friends  of  mis- 
sions to  postpone  action  until  they  heard  Mr.  Jewett,  who  was 
at  that  time  on  his  way  home.  On  his  arrival  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers consulted  him.  He  still  cherished  sanguine  exi)ectations 
of  success ; he  would  never  give  uj)  the  Telugu  mission.  ^AVell, 
Brother,’^  said  the  Secretary,  ‘^if  you  are  resolved  to  return,  we 
must  send  somebody  with  you  to  bury  you.  You  certainly  ought 
to  have  a Christian  burial  in  that  heathen  land.” 


Priests  of  the  Temple  of  Vishnu,  Prayer- Meefing  Hill. 


Twelve  years  before,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jewett  had  on  ^^Prayer- 
Meeting  Hill  overlooking  Ougole,  besought  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest  to  send  a missionary  to  that  town.  On  his  return,  Mr. 
Jewett  was  accompanied  by  the  man  he  had  asked  for^  the  Bev. 


THE  STORY  OF  liAFTlST  MISSIONS. 


(>01 


.loliii  E.Clou^li.  As  soon  as  Messrs.  Jewett  and  (donjjjli  arrived, 
.Mr.  Douglass,  whose  liealth  and  that  of  his  family  had  for  some 
time  heen  very  im])erfeet,  left  the  held  and  n^tnrned  to  America, 
llis  last  work  was  to  l)ai)tize  five  converts. 

]\Ir.  Clough  made  his  first  visit  to  Ongole  in  ISfJf).  A mission- 
house  was  made  ready,  bought  with  funds  furnish(;d  l)y  a former 
schoolmate  of  Mr.  Jewett,  living  west  of  the  Mississippi,  who 
h;is  made  many  generous  offerings  to  this  mission.  Before  lie 
could  speak  the  language  fluently,  j\Ir.  Clough  wrote  and  circu- 
lated a tract  entitled,  “ Where  are  you  going'?  ” On  the  first  day 
of  January,  1807,  the  churdi  of  Ongole  was  organized,  consist- 
ing of  eight  memhers.  Soon  after,  at  the  close  of  the  Week  of 
Prayer,  there  were  some  tokens  of  an  aAvakening.  Three  days^ 
journey  west  of  Ongole  there  was  a number  of  villages  where, 
as  the  native  heliiershad  reported,  the  Divine  Spirit  was  moving 
upon  the  people.  Tlie  missionaries  hastened  to  the  vicinity  of 
these  villages,  and  pitched  their  tent  in  a tamarind  grove.  The 
next  day  the  natives  began  to  appear  in  considerable  numbers 
before  the  tent.  Five  days  were  here  spent  in  preaching, 
prayer,  reading  the  Scriptures,  and  meetings  for  inquiry.  At 
the  close  of  the  fifth  day  Mr.  Clough  baiitized  twenty-eight 
natives.  Their  ages  were  from  fifteen  to  seventy.  They  lived 
in  villages  from  five-and-twenty  to  fifty  miles  from  Ongole. 

In  1808  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Timpany  were  sent  to  this  field.  There 
were  now  ten  native  preachers  and  colporteurs.  The  tent  of  a 
colporteur,  seen  at  a distance  of  three  miles,  became  a sign  which 
led  a heathen  man  to  Christ.  This  year  three-and-twenty  were 
baptized  at  Xellore,  and  sixty-eight  at  Ongole.  Within  this  year, 
it  was  reported,  the  people  in  more  than  eight  hundred  villages, 
Avithin  a circle  of  forty  miles  around  Ongole,  had  heard  the  Gos- 
])(d,  liad  had  tlie  Scrijitures  offered  to  them,  and  been  entreated 
to  r(*i)(mt,  believe  and  be  sawed.  In  1870  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mc- 
Lanrin  join(*d  tlie  band  of  Telugu  toilers.  At  the  covenant 
meetings  of  the  Nellore  churcdi,  each  member,  instead  of  relating 


GLAD  TIDINGS  FROM  TELUGU-LAND.  (>G3 

the  exercises  of  his  miudj  was  expected  to  tell  what  he  had 
attempted  to  do  for  the  couversiou  of  souls. 

The  church  at  Ongole  was  very  markedly  blessed  in  LSTO.  In 
one  mouth  324  were  baptized,  and  hundreds  more  asked  for  the 
ordinance.  The  whole  number  bai)tized  this  year  in  Telugii- 
land  was  628.  In  1872  Mr.  Clough  was  compelled  by  ill-health 
to  return  home.  During  his  absence,  in  a single  year,  Mr.  Me. 
Laurin  baptized  over  seven  hundred  converts. 

At  the  anniversary  of  the  Union  held  at  Albany  in  1873,  hope- 
ful and  animating  words  were  spoken  in  behalf  of  the  Telugu 
missions.  At  almost  every  annual  meeting,  for  five-and-twenty 
years,  the  question  had  come  up  in  some  shape : Shall  the 
Telugu  mission  be  abandoned,  or  shall  it  be  continued?”  If 
so,  shall  it  be  reinforced?”  These  questions  could  be  raised  no 
longer  5 for  it  was  then  told  them  that  “ over  the  whole  field  the 
smile  of  Divine  appprobation  is  resting.  * * * in  many 

instances,  the  seed  is  scarcely  sown  Avhen  the  reaper  is  needed 
to  gather  in  the  harvest ; and  in  several  cases  the  news  conies 
of  hundreds  who  have  believed  and  are  anxious  to  confess  Christ 
in  baiitism.  * * All  the  gateways  seem  to  be  thrown  open; 

and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  appears  to  have  gone  before,  and  cast 
up  a highway  for  a triumphant  advance.” 

So  urgent  was  the  call  for  helpers,  that  the  Eev.  David  Downie 
and  wife  were  sent  out  to  this  field  in  1873.  In  January  of  the 
next  year  Mr.  Clough  returned.  About  the  same  time  the  mis- 
sion was  reinforced  by  the  arrival  of  the  Eev.  W.  W.  Campbell 
and  wife  and  Miss  Peabody. 

In  1876  the  missionaries  had  strong  presentiments  that  tiie 
Lord  was  about  to  commence  a great  ingathering  of  souls.  One 
writes  : ^Mf  I am  not  utterly  mistaken,  God  by  his  spirit  is  mov- 
ing on  the  hearts  of  thousands  and  thousands  of  these  Telugu 
people.”  In  1871  Mr.  Clough  baptized  656.  At  other  stations 
sixty-eight  more  were  added  to  the  mission  churches. 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


G(>4 

The  years  1877-8  were  sij,oialize(l  hy  a famine  sucli  as  tlie 
Telu^us  of  this  generation  liad  never  known.  We  elsewlun’c*. 
give  a general  glance  at  tliis  and  otlier  famines  in  tin’s  ])art  of 
India.  During  its  prevalence  tlie  nsnal  oecn])ations  of  the  mis- 
sionaries were  snsi)ended,  and  they  Avere  employed  as  almoners 
of  the  Government,  or  superintendents  of  the  ‘G*(ili(;f  works.” 
Thus  Mr.  Clongli  organized  and  snperintendcid  this  people  in 
digging  several  miles  of  the  Bnekingham  (janal.  Owing  to  the 
special  aid  he  Avas  enabled  to  render  the  inhabitants,  he  thought 
best  to  suspend  for  several  months  all  action  respecting  such  as 
professed  conversion  and  sought  baptism,  and  in  1878,  Avhen  the 
door  for  admission  was  again  oi)ened,  he  sought  help  from  his 
coadjutors  in  examining  his  candidates,  lest  any  of  them  should 
be  aetnated  by  mercenary  moti\x\s  or  gratitude  for  temi)oral 
faAmrs. 

On  the  IGth  of  June,  1878,  Mr.  Clough  again  returned  to  Jordan. 
The  numbers  that  flocked  to  the  waters  of  baiitism  appear  almost 
beyond  belief.  From  that  date  to  September  17th,  he  baptized 
fl,147.  On  one  occasion  more  than  a thousand  iieople  from  one 
of  the  wards  (palems)  of  the  city  of  Ongole,  came  into  the  grounds 
of  the  mission  and  gave  ui)  their  idols.  The  converts  were  not 
the  rich  high-caste  Hindus,  but  mostly  of  the  Maduga  and 
Mala  castes,  that  is,  weavers,  cobblers,  tanners,  farm-laborers 
and  such  like.  About  two  thousand  were  small  farmers.  The 
way  for  this  multitude  of  converts  had  been  preparing  for  many 
years.  The  missionaries  had  long  been  conveying  Christian  ideas 
to  the  people  through  preaching,  teaching,  tract  distribution  and 
colportage.  Within  six  years  unexampled  actiAuty  and  energy 
had  been  exerted  by  native  xireachers,  so  that  the  whole  field  had 
been  saturated  AAuth  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  Avay 
of  salvation.  Hor  should  Ave  overlook  the  agency  of  the  famine  in 
bringing  about  these  residts.  Death  had  in  a short  time  seized 
not  a few  of  their  kindred  and  neighbors,  and  had  xinrsued  them 
for  many  A\x*(;ks  and  months,  The  munificence  of  Christian  lands 


ir 


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p' 


■'.  . *>■ 


A,  - V 

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• t v . V.'’ .? 

, ■ * • ', ■ 1 


A- 


I . 


;a  - , 


BAPTISMAL  SCENE  AT  ONGOLE,  SEPT,  1883.  — From  a Photograph. 
In  this  baptistery  over  ten  thousand  Telniriis  liave  been  baptized 


FAITH’S  yiCTOHY. 


G05 


and  the  unwearied  kindness  of  missionaries  and  British  officials 
had  kindled  gratitude  in  millions  of  hearts.  Putting  these 
things  all  together,  we  can  i)lainly  see  how  Providence  wrought 
along  with  the  Spirit  in  gathering  in  so  rich  and  so  vast  a 
harvest. 

In  the  year  1881  the  twenty-seven  churches  of  the  Ongole  dis- 
trict received  2, 0C)2  additions  hy  haptism,  making  in  all  17,do4. 

Especial  interest  was  awakened  in  the  Telugn  mission  in  1884 
by  another  visit  of  Hr.  Clough  to  his  native  land.  His  niissionary 
addresses  in  many  cities,  and  on  various  occasions,  gave  multi- 
tudes clear  and  vivid  impressions  of  the  nature  and  extent  of 
the  great  revival  in  this  field.  Hr.  Clough  set  out  from  Boston 
for  Ongole  August  23d,  1884.  Another  important  event  in  the 
history  of  this  mission,  is  the  division  of  the  Ongole  field  into 
five  fields,  each  with  its  central  station,  missionary  in  charge,  and 
churches.  The  figures  reported  for  1884  are  as  follows : Eighteen 
male  and  nineteen  female  missionaries ; forty-six  ordained  native 
preachers,  128  nnordainedj  thirty-four  churches  j 2,719  bap- 
tisms, and  a total  membership  of  24,508.  ^AVhat  hath  God 
wrought ! ” On  the  first  of  January,  1807,  the  church  of  Ongole 
was  formed,  with  only  eight  members ! 

The  prophetic  poet,  Bev.  Hr.  S.  E.  Smith,  celebrates  Faith’s 
Victory ” on  this  field,  in  a poem  beginning  (we  liaA^e  not  si)ace 
for  all  its  touching  lines) : 

“ Weary  and  wan,  by  furrows  long 
The  patient  i)lougliman  trod, 

Turning  with  endless  care  and  pains 
The  sluggish,  barren  sod. 

sit  * * * * * 

Oh,  long  and  sad  the  sower’s  care 
As  seasons  went  and  came ! 

Had  Grod  forgot  the  toiler’s  lot 
And  put  his  hope  to  shame  ? 

****** 

Whence  are  these  myriad  forms  that  bow 
Before  Messiah’s  throne  ? 


GCG 


THE  STORY  OF  P>APTIST  MISSIONS. 


Whence  the  grand  cliorns  that  uplifts 
Tliy  name,  O Clirist!  alone? 

Whence  are  the  clustering  crowds  that  seek 
The  same  celestial  goal  ? 

And  one  new  song  holds  every  lip, 

One  pulse-beat  every  soul. 

These  are  the  ploughman's  garnered  wealth, 

Born  of  his  toil  and  pain; 

These  are  the  sower’s  faith  and  tears, 

Transformed  to  golden  grain. 

****** 

Then  hail,  ‘ Lone  Star!  ’ of  all  the  wreath 
Thou  art  the  brightest  gem. 

As  once,  o’er  fair  Judea's  plains 
The  Star  of  Bethlehem.” 

The  Brownson  Theological  Seminary  at  Eamapatam,  of  which 
the  Bev.  B.  B.  AVilliams  became  President  in  1873,  Avas  o])ened  in 
April,  1872,  Avith  eighteen  students.  It  Avas  endoAved  by  ^Mr. 
Brownsoii  of  TitusAulle,  Pa.  More  than  tAvo  liundred  young 
men  are  here  stndjdng  for  the  Cliristian  ministry.  Quite  a 
number  of  the  students  are  married,  and  the  AviA^es  of  many 
attend  the  lectures  and  tahe  notes  in  order  to  help  their  hus- 
bands in  their  future  ministrations.  Tliere  are  forty-scATii 
members  in  the  senior  class.  Tlie  course  is  three  years  in  length, 
and  thirty-one  of  the  senior  class  liaA^e  been  in  attendance  liA^e 
years.  This  is  one  of  the  largest  assemblages  of  theological 
students  in  the  world.  They  are  chiefly  from  among  the  multi- 
tude of  recent  converts  in  the  district  of  Ongole.  In  1881 
there  were  about  three  hundred  persons  connected  with  this 
seminary,  counting  wiA^es  and  children  of  the  married  students. 
In  July  a neAA^  class  of  forty-fiA^e  entered  the  seminary.  EAmn- 
gelistic  AATirk  is  carried  on  by  the  students  AAnthin  a circuit  of  ten 
miles  of  the  seminary. 

Had  Ave,  in  1871,  stood  on  the  spot  where  the  seminary  now 
stands,  and  xiredicted  that  these  buildings  AAmuld  there  be  erected, 
amidst  fifty  acr(‘s  of  land,  by  a Cluistian  brother  aaJio  by  draAAing 


SKETCH  OF  REV.  LYMAN  JEWETT. 


007 


oil  out  of  the  rocks  of  Pennsylvania  \YoukI  liberally  endow  the 
school^  who  would  not  have  said,  You  are  crazy  ” 1 
The  Telugii  mission  of  the  Canadian  Bai)tists,  at  Cocanada, 
is  conducted  chiefly  by  the  Eev.  John  McLaiirin  and  Eev.  A. 
V.  Timpany,  both  formerly  connected  with  the  Missionary 
Union.  The  city  is  about  twenty-five  miles  north  of  the  ui)X)er 
mouth  of  the  river  Godavery,  and  about  midway  between  Mau- 
sulipatani  and  Vizagapatam.  There  are  now  eleven  missionaries 
in  this  field,  and  it  is  beginning  to  share  the  blessing  which  is 
visiting  Ongole.  The  mission  was  founded  in  1873,  by  Mr. 
McLaurin.  Mr.  Timx)any  joined  him  in  1870.  They  now  number 
more  than  a thousand  converts.^ 

Eev.  Lyman  Jewett,  I).  D.,  founder  of  the  Ongole  mission,  was 
born  at  Waterford,  Maine,  March  9th,  1813.  He  completed  his 
collegiate  studies  at  Brown  University  and  his  theological  course 
at  Eewton  Institution.  He  sailed  for  the  East  in  October,  1848, 
and  reached  Hellore  in  April,  1849.  In  the  following  December 
he  preached  in  the  chai:)el  his  first  regular  Telugu  sermon. 
Thenceforward  he  ];)reached  twice  every  Sunday  in  the  chapel  at 
Hellore,  making  occasional  excursions  to  the  neighboring  hamlets, 
where  great  crowds  sometimes  thronged  to  hear  the  word  and  to 
receive  tracts.  But  while  Mr.  Jewett  and  his  coadjutors  were 
encouraged  with  these  and  other  signs  of  success,  they  labored 
under  two  disadvantages.  They  had  not  a sufficient  number  of 
helpers,  and  they  had  frequent  intimations  from  America  that 
the  continuance  of  their  exertions  among  the  Telugus  was  a 
question  on  which  there  was  a division  of  opinion.  The  dei)art- 
ure  of  Mr.  Day  in  1853  was  another  blow  to  the  mission.  Mr. 
Jewett  was  now  the  only  male  missionary  in  this  field  j and  yet 
he  was  not  disheartened,  for  he  writes  : The  last  month  has 

been  one  of  constant  labor  in  preaching  the  Gospel ; I am  con- 
stantly looking  for  fruit  j I feel  in  my  soul  that  our  labors  will 
not  be  in  vain.”  Again  he  writes  : For  the  last  few  months  I 

have  felt  more  than  ever  not  only  the  importance  of  the  mission, 
1.  See  Appendix. 


THE  STORY  OF  R ARTIST  MISSIONS. 


but  the  eertaiiity  of  iio(*.onii)li.shin,c,^j  in  tin*  Lord’s  ^ood  time,  a 
^reat  and  glorious  Avork  foi*  this  ])(‘0|)h*.”  In  tli(‘se  letters  In* 
seemed  to  have  a presentiment  of  tlui  wonderful  refreshing  from 
the  i)resenee  of  the  Lord  which  has  sin(*.e  visitial  the  land  of  the 
Telngns.  The  circumstances  of  his  visit  to  Ongole  Ave  recount 
elsewhere.  In  March,  18()1,  he  was  compelled  to  return  to  the 
United  States  for  recuperation  and  rest.  He  Avas  (mabled  Avhile 
here  to  disabuse  some  minds  of  their  doubts  concerning  the 
ultimate  success  of  his  mission.  lie  remained  in  this  country 
until  ^Tovember,  1804,  when  he  saihal  the  second  time  for  the 
East,  and  arrived  at  Nellore  Aju-il  22d,  1805.  Three  years  later 
Mr.  Timpaiiy  came  to  his  assistan(*e.  ]\Ir.  Jewett  noAV  ga\'e  a 
part  of  his  time  to  the  trauslatiou  of  the  Ibble  into  the  language 
of  the  natives.  In  1875  he  AA^as  again  forced  to  return  home  in 
(piest  of  health  and  needed  repose,  lie  has  since  returned  to 
the  Telngns  and  lixed  his  station  in  the  city  of  Madras.  Mr. 
Bainbridge  giA^es  ns  an  aftecting  account  of  a meeting  in  a 
suburb,  Avhere,  AAdiile  Dr.  JeAA^ett  Avas  preaching  Avithin,  his 
daughter  stood  at  the  door,  Avatching  the  passing  heathen  (u-OAv  d, 
to  step  (inickly  out  into  the  street  and  invite  to  enter  any  Avho 
seemed  to  halt  and  doubt  Avhether  to  come  in  or  not. 

The  year  1884  AA^as  one  much  occupied  Avith  building.  The 
IvCAx  ]Mr.  AVilliams,  of  the  Browiisoii  Telngn  Theological  Semin- 
ary, superintended  the  erection  of  the  new  edihee  for  the  insti- 
tution. ^AA^e  felt,”  says  he,  ^Dhat  inasmuch  as  the  Baptists  of 
America  had  giAxni  largely,  Ave  Avanted  to  build  a monument  of 
their  liberality  that  Avill  stand  for  centuries.  The  foundations 
are  laid  very  deep  j the  Avails  are  inassAe,  and  all  the  Avood-work 
is  of  fii-st-class  Bnrnian  teak.  The  building  is  almost  fire-proof, 
and,  in  its  location,  absolutely  safe.  It  is  built  of  broAAUi  stone, 
of  the  finest  quality.  The  length  of  the  building  is  a hundred 
and  t wenty  feetj  breadth,  seA^enty  feet.  The  loAvest  story  is  to 
))eused  for  class-rooms  and  library;  the  Avhole  upper  story  is  a 
beantil'ul  andicmc.e  room.  There  is  to  be  a fine  toAver,  from  Avhich 


SKETCH  OF  KEY.  JOHN  E.  CLOUGH. 


009 


we  liox^e  to  hear  the  sound  of  a hell  calling  the  i)eox)le  for  miles 
around  to  hear  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation.  It  will  sound  all 
the  more  sweetly  to  the  TeluguS;  hecause  it  will  he  their  own 
gift.”  Dr.  Clough  raised,  in  America,  $10, 000  for  additional 
buildings.  Besides,  he  also  raised  $10,000  for  the  erection  of 
two  mission  houses  in  Madras.  At  [N’ellore  was  soon  to  he  built 
the  Bucknell  Female  Seminary,  a school  for  the  training  of  Bible 
women  and  female  teachers  for  girls’  schools.  For  this  edifice 
Mr.  Bucknell,  of  Philadeli^hia,  gave  $3,500. 

The  Telugus  have  a church  in  Maulmain.  According  to  the 
rei)ort  of  1881,  nine- 
teen were  baptized  j 
members,  forty- one. 

The  Eev.  John  E. 

Clough,  of  the  Telugu 
mission,  has  been 
called  ^^the  Moody  of 
Ongole.”  ‘^IS'ever,”! 
says  Mr.  Bainbridge, 

‘diave  1 met  a man 
who  in  his  person  and 
work  reminded  me  so 
much  of  Mr.  D.  L. 

Moody  as  Bev.  J.  E. 

Clough,  the  Ongole 
missionary— the  same  build,  the  same  impressive  sincerity,  the 
same  energetic,  business-like  way  in  x)reaching  and  management. 
When  he  is  talking,  the  natives  seem  spell-bound.  Even  in  the 
open  air,  and  in  the  outlying  villages,  there  is  none  of  the  strag- 
gling from  his  congregation  which  I have  hundreds  of  times 
witnessed  elsewhere.  He  illustrates  very  largely,  is  very  simple 
ill  what  he  says,  and  the  natives  see  all  at  once  that  he  means 


Rev.  John  E.  Clough. 


1.  Along  the  Line  at  the  Front,  pp.  215-222. 


070 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


oveiy  word.  I observed  no  tears  in  liis  (‘.yes,  Init  often  liis  lan- 
<;’nage  was  full  of  tlienij  and  as  lie  would  rehearse  tlx^  stoiy  of 
the  Cross  or  tell  some  pathetici  incident  of  Christian  exixn-ience, 
his  hearers  would  very  generally  exhibit  emotion.”  Ibit  Mr. 
Clough  differs  from  ]\rr.  ]\roody  in  many  resix'cts,  notably  in  the 
tact  that  he  is  a highly  ediumted  man,  Avhereas  ^Ir.  ]\I(mdy  is 
com|)aratively  unlearned. 

Tie  was  born  July  10th,  18.30,  near  Frewsburg,  Chautauqua 
County,  ]Kew  York.  While  yet  a child,  he  Avas  taken  to  Iowa. 
Of  the  lirst  years  of  his  education  avc  have  no  information.  At 
the  age  of  eighteen  he  Aventinto  the  employ  of  the  United  States 
GoAxumment  as  assistant  engineer  in  a jiarty  of  surAX'yors  in  the 
Avihbwness  of  Minnesota.  While  jierforming  this  s(‘rvi(;e  he 
became  Avell  acquainted  Avith  the  mysteries  of  the  art  of  survey- 
ing. Upon  his  return  to  ciAulized  society,  he  resohmd  to  com- 
])lete  his  education  and  beciome  a hiAvyer.  In  ])ursuance  of  this 
object,  in  18,57  he  entered  ibirlington  (’ollegiate  Institute,  in 
loAva,  and  in  18.58  commenced  the  study  of  law.  While  in  col- 
lege, he  Avas  stiiick  Avith  the  contrast  betAveen  the  character  of 
the  surAxyors  and  that  of  his  professors.  The  question  arose  in 
his  mind  : AYhy  this  difference  ? ” These  people,”  thought  he, 
^‘pi'ay  toGod  and  read  the  Bible.”  The  Christian  examiffe  of 
the  college  professors  led  liim  to  the  Bible,  the  throne  of  grace, 
and  nltimately  to  Christ.  He  was  baptized  by  the  Bcax  G.  J. 
.lohnson  into  the  felloAvship  of  the  church  at  Burlington.  In  no 
long  time  after  his  coiwersion,  lie  felt  moved  to  preach  the  Gos- 
liel  to  the  heathen.  Graduating  at  Upper  Iowa  UnWersity  in 
180:^,  he  Avas  appointed  a missionaiy  to  the  Telugus  in  1804,  and 
an  ivcd  in  India  in  March,  1805.  lie  labored  more  than  a year 
at  U(41ore.  In  September,  1800,  he  remoA^ed  to  Ongole,  and  on 
tin*,  first  of  January,  1807.  organized  a chnrch  there  Avith  eight 

'‘iienib<‘r“, 

Iw  1870  Jir.  Clough  Avas  comi)elled  to  seek  a restoration  to 
health  by  a,  voyage^  to  Aimnlca.  But,  before  embarking,  he  sent 


A CONFLICT  WITH  CASTE. 


G71 


ail  account  of  a priest  wlio,  having  heard  of  the  new  religion  in 
his  mountain  home,  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  miles  west  of 
Oiigole,  had  come  across  tlie  mountains  and  deserts,  amidst  perils 
from  wild  beasts,  to  declare  his  faith  in  Jesus,  and  to  be  bap- 
tized. When  Mr.  Clough  left  Telugu-laiid^  his  missionary 
brethren  charged  him  to  bring  back  with  him,  if  possible,  four 
additional  laborers,  and  to  secure  fifty  thousand  dollars  as  an 
endowment  for  the  Theological  Seminary.  Both  these  objects  he 
accomplished.  He  returned  to  Ongole  in  January,  1874,  accom- 
panied by  the  Kev.  W.  W.  Campbell  and  his  wife. 


Missionary  Tent- Life. 

The  vast  ingathering  of  converts  throughout  his  district  has 
brought  upon  him  many  and  heavy  cares.  An  American  visitor 
found  him  at  home,  giving  audience  to  six  delegations  from  the 
native  churches.  He  travels  over  the  country,  from  village  to 
village,  during  several  months  of  each  year.  During  this  sea- 
son his  rule  is  to  tent  at  four  villages  each  day,  i)reaching,  hold- 


THE  STORY  OF  liAPTlST  MISSIONS. 


(>7:3 

inquiry  irieetiiig’s  and  l)usiii(3ss  c.oii.sultations  in  (‘ac.ii.  'rnily 
lias  it  lieen  snid^  that  Jesns  has  ^’iv(*n  (‘tciaial  lilh,  tln-on^h  Ids 
niinistry,  to  tli(3  gr(3at(‘sti  iininlxu’  ot*  <;oiiv(‘rfs  (3V(‘r  hionj^ht  into 
the  fold  in  so  hi'ief  ii  si)a(3(3  by  tin*,  labors  of  oin*.  man.” 

AVhen  Mr.  Clough  went  to  Ongolej  he  was  wait(‘d  on  by  (titi- 
zens  of  the  higher  c*ast(‘s,  who  j)roinis(*d  him  theii'  jiatronagi*,  as 
a teaeher  of  their  boys.  They  ])la(!(Ml  sixty-two  of  flnn’r  sons 
under  his  instrnetioiij  and  Ihrnished  him  all  th(3  1‘nnds  he 
needed  for  his  Christian  school.  But  on(3  day  thr(‘e  nnni  of 
low  caste  ]>resented  themselves  as  (amverts.  iMr.  Clough  Avel- 
comed  them.  But  a committee  soon  waited  on  liinq  thi’eatening 
to  withdraw  all  patronage  if  he  had  anything  more  to  do  with 
Sndras  and  Pariahs.  After  a few  weeks^  two  more  of  low  caste 
professed  conversion.  The  crisis  had  come.  Mr.  Clough  went 
to  his  study  and  Mrs.  Clough  Avent  to  her  room  for  the  imr- 
[lose  of  laying  the  matter  before  the  Lord  in  solitary  jirayer. 
Bpon  the  study  table  Avere  a few  Xew  Testaments.  The 
missionary  took  iq)  one  of  thenq  and  it  opened  of  its  OAvn 
accord  to  I.  Corinthians^  1 : :3()-21).  lie  read  the  iiassage: 

For  ye  see  yonr  calling  bretlireiq”  etc.  ^^Ah  ! yes,  I see  it,’^ 
he  said j Iuxa’C  not  been  building  on  (xod^s  plan.  The  Avails 
must  tumble  dowiq  and  I must  liegin  aneAV.”  At  the  same  time, 
his  Avife  rose  from  prayer  in  an  adjoining  room,  and,  taking  a 
Testament  from  a little  pile  on  her  stand,  it  likewise  opened  of 
its  own  accord  to  the  self-same  ii^issage  of  Scrixiture.  As  soon 
as  she  had  read  it  she  rushed  into  the  study  to  show  it  to  her 
husband.  But  did  you  not  know  that  I had  been  reading  these 
Amrses?”  he  inquired.  Iler  reply  Avas:  ^^^7o,  indeed!”  This 
striking  coincidence  made  their  Avay  plain.  They  Avere  to  begin 
to  build  from  the  foundations  of  soiaety.  The  next  morning  they 
annonnced  their  purpose.  AVhat  folloAved  EA^ery  scholar  left 
the  school,  and  the  ])atronage  of  the  upper  classes  Avas  changed 
to  hostility.  And  ycd,  by  laboring  among  out-castes,  they  Inwe 
led  to  Jesus  more  persons  of  high  caste  than  they  could  Inwe 


EXAMINATION  OF  TELUGU  CONVERTS. 


073 


expected  by  contiiining-  to  toil  almost  exclusively  in  the  ux)i)er 
sections  of  society.  ^ 

While  My.  Ihiiiihridge  was  sojourning  at  Ongole,  one  of  tlie 
native  preachers  presented  liimself  at  the  mission  lionse  with 
three  men  as  candidates  for  baptism.  At  Mr.  Clough’s  re(]nest, 
he  examined  them  for  more  than  an  hour.  Many  of  Ids  (pies- 
tions  were  more  searching  than  would  liave  Ix^en  allowed  in 
America.  They  were  asked  if  they  owed  anybody  any  money ; 
if  they  wanted  to  get  anything  from  the  missionaries;  if  they 
were  determined  to  give  as  much  to  Christ  and  his  cause  as 
they  had  given  to  the  Devil  and  his  heathenism.  Who  con- 
verted yon/’  said  T;  Teacher  (31ongh  or  Teacher  Boggs,  or 
the  native  Christians  who  have  been  i)reaching  in  your  village 
“Neither,  oh,  neither.  Sir,”  was  the  re^dy;  “God  did  it.  Ilis 
Spirit  has  used  Ilis  truth.”  “Why  do  yon  want  to  be  bap- 
tizedP’  “Our  Lord  was,  and  asks  ns  to  follow  his  exaint)le.” 
“ But  yon  may  fail,  and  go  back  to  heathenism.”  “We  cannot,  if 
we  keep  trusting  and  praying.”  “ But  yon  cannot  read  the 
Bible,  and t)reaching  cannot  be  around  yon  all  the  time.”  “But 
we  have  some  of  it  in  our  hearts,  where  it  won’t  lose.”  “Will 
yon  be  discouraged  if  Ave  do  not  bat)tize  yon,  and  do  not  re(*eiA  e 
yon  into  the  church  noAV  f ” Two  of  three  men  said  t)rom])tly, 
through  Ezra,  our  interpreter:  “ No,  not  till  we  die;”  Avhile  the 
third  (pialified  a little,  saying  he  thought  a year,  or  Iavo  or  three 
months  longer,  might  discourage  him  about  joining  the  church; 
but  for  life  it  Avas  settled — “Christian,  not  heathen.” 

“I  then  turned,”  adds  Mr.  Bainbridge,  “to  the  leaders  of  the 
Ongole  church,  and  inquired  if  generally  their  examinations  of 
the  multitudes  received  had  been  as  thorough;  and,  a little  to 
my  discomfiture,  they  replied:  ^More  so.’  Lknd  Avere  the  major- 
ity of  the  candidates  as  satisfactory  as  their  ansAA^ers!’  ^ Yes/ 
they  responded,  ^ and  more  so.’  ” 

1.  Bainbridge’s  Around  the  World  Tour  of  3Iissio7is,  pp.  334-5. 


G74 


THE  STORY  OE  BAPTIST  MIISSOYS. 


Ill  1881  j\li‘.  Clou^li  ^ave  to  tli(*  ])r(‘ss  a voluiiu^  of  ^roat  inter- 
est and  value:  From  Darkmvss  to  Li.i’litj  or  llie,  4'<*lii;;u  Awak- 
enin;^’.”  In  January,  F(J)i*uary  and  ]Mai('li,  1888,  lie  made  two 
long  tours,  lueacliiug  oftim,  and  l)a[)tizing  lu'aily  oiui  tliousand. 
The  reader  avIio  would  virtually  aeeompany  Di-.  (Tougli  iu  som(‘. 
of  Ids  tours,  must  peruse  Itev.  ]\lr.  Tliomssen’s  aitiel(*s  in  tlie 
“Missionary  IMagaziue”  for  1881]  and  1881,  eiditleil  “^Mission 
Travel  among  the  Telugus.’’  Of  his  second  visit  to  the  United 
States,  iu  1884,  we  have  elsewliere  made  mention. 


Mr.  Clough's  House  at  Ongole. 


The  future  of  the  Telugus  no  man  can  foretell.  But  as  they 
are  a iirolitic,  industrious  and  migratory  race,  some  of  them  have 
already  gone  over  to  Burmah.  It  is  hut  reasonahle  to  exiiect  that 
they  will,  iu  due  time,  send  missionaries  and  colonies  westward 
into  Africa.  As  such  movements  have  always  been  most  success- 
ful as  Avere  coidhuid  to  the  native  climate  of  the  moAmrs,  aa'c  may 
\iope  that  tliey  will  advance  AvestAvard  to  Africa,  into  the  region 


HOPES  FOR  AFRICA, 


G75 


embraced  between  10°  and  20°  north  latitiide^  that  is  to  say^  into 
Somali;  Abyssinia;  the  northeastern  Sondaii;  and  onward  through 
Central  Soudan.  Or;  as  appears  even  more  promising;  they  will; 
lierhapS;  cross  the  equator;  and;  welcoming  skies  like  their  owip 
enter  those  African  lands  Avhich  lie  west  of  ^lozambique;  round 
about  Lakes  Kyassa  and  BangweolO;  and  along  the  upper  waters 
of  the  Zambesi,  rorasmiich  as  most  of  the  natives  of  this  sec- 
tion of  the  continent  have  not  yet  been  brought  under  the 
sway  of  Islani;  they  are  more  susceptible  of  Gospel  light  than 
those  more  northern  tribes  that  have  already  been  taught  to 
walk  in  the  twilight  of  the  Crescent. 


A War  Elephant. 


CHAPTER  L. 


TITE  A:«E7irCAN'  nAI*'J'rST  EltEE  MISSIOX  SOCIETY. 

Historical  Sketch  by  Elder  A.  Tj.  Tost. — An  Outcanno  of  Kadical  IJaptist 
Anti-Slavery  sentiment. — Pledged  against  all  connection  with  the 
Avails  of  Slavery. — Its  Missionary  Operations  at  Home  and  Abroad. — 
New  A'ork  Central  College, — Aided  by  Gerrit  Smith  and  Horace  Greeley, 
Periodicals  of  the  So(‘iety,  and  their  Editors. — Noted  ^Missionaries  con- 
nect themselves  with  the  Society. — The  Abolition  of  Slavery  rendering 
its  further  existence  unnecessary,  the  Society  dissolves. — Kev.  John 
Duer.  — His  Sincerity  and  Intense  Individualism. — Serene  of  Countenance 
in  the  midst  of  Contentions. 

the  following  sktteli  of  tlie  Fr(‘e  ^Mission  Society  we  arc 
indelitted  to  Elder ^Vlbeit  L.  Postj  of  Montro8(‘,  Ea.j  who  was 
for  iiiaiiy  years  .President  of  tlie  society,  and  wlio  lias  coini)l(*t(*d 
the  nianiiscript  of  its  liistory.  AVe  Inive  ]»nl)lisli(‘d  the  alistract  lie 
has  sent  us  without  material  alterations,  indeed,  the  vcmerahle 
historian  reipiested  us  to  jiublish  it  substantially  entire.  Hefore 
Air.  Post  came  to  our  assistance  Ave  had  met  with  some  diflicnlties 
in  obtaining  all  desired  iid'ormation  about  this  society.  The 
HeA^  Hiram  Hutchins,  of  Hrooklyn,  one  of  the  former  ihesidcmts 
and  long  one  of  the  managers  of  the  society,  is  also  entitled  to 
thanks  for  his  exertions  in  searching  after  historic  facts.  Elder 
Post  has  the  courage  of  his  conAdctions,  and  some  of  our  readers 
Avill,  Ave  trust,  have  the  magnanimity  to  read  Avhat  aauII  perhaps 
be  profitable,  though  distasteful  to  them; 

'fhe  American  Baptist  Free  Mission  Society  Avas  the  outcome  of  the 
radical  Baptist  anti-slavery  sentiment  of  the  times.  That  sentiment  had 
found  development  in  a convention  organized  in  New  A'ork  in  the  Spring 
of  A.  I).  1840,  conducted  by  a large  number  of  the  ablest  men  of  the 
denomination,  gathered  from  different  Northern  States.  Tliat  convention 
had  come  to  the  third  year  of  its  existence.  In  compliance  with  an  evident 
demand  from  such  foreign  missionaries  as  Jonathan  Wade  and  Avife,  A\dio 
could  no  longer  accept  of  support  which  came  from  the  aARai Is  of  slavery. 


THE  FREE  MISSION  SOCIETY. 


077 


the  convention  had  organized  a provisional  committee  which  was  then 
in  successful  operation.  The  society  completed  its  organization  in  Tremont 
Temple,  Boston,  in  the  Spring  of  A.  D.  1843.  An  effort  was  tlien  made  to 
give  permanency  to  that  committee  as  a missionary  organization.  Tlie 
effort,  however,  failed,  and  some  seventeen  of  those  who  felt  that  the  time 
had  fully  come  for  such  separate  society  retired,  and,  after  a season  of 
earnest  prayer,  resolved  upon  the  organization  which  was  afterwards 
perfected.  Then  the  pledge  which  became  a part  of  the  constitution  of 
the  society  was  drawn  up  by  William  Henry  Brisbaine,  who  had  shown 
himself  to  be  a Christian  philanthropist  in  the  emancipation  of  all  of  his 
inherited  slaves — thus,  in  some  sense,  impoverishing  himself.  In  honored 
remembrance  of  him,  that  pledge  is  given,  as  follows : “We,  whose  names 
are  undersigned,  pledge  ourselves  to  God  and  to  one  another  to  unite  in  the 
support  of  a Baptist  missionary  society,  with  a constitution  yet  to  be 
adopted,  that  shall  be  distinctly  and  thoroughly  separated  from  all  con- 
nection with  the  known  avails  of  slavery,  in  the  support  of  any  of  its 
benevolent  purposes.”  A meeting  was  thereupon  called  and  held  in 
Tremont  Chapel,  Boston,  Mass.,  May  31st,  A.  D.  1843.  At  that  time  a 
society  was  formed  under  the  name  of  the  “ American  and  Foreign  Baptist 
Missionary  Society,”  This  name  was  afterwards  changed  to  the  “ Ameri- 
can Baptist  Free  Mission  Society.” 

Its  first  officers  were  as  follows:  Elder  Edwin  B.  Warren,  President, 
and  Elder  Cyrus  Pitt  Grosvenor,  Corresponding  Secretary.  There  were 
also  elected  a Recording  Secretary,  Treasurer  and  Board  of  Managers. 

Among  the  achievements  of  the  “ Free  Mission  Society  ” was  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  first  Baptist  missionary  station  in  Japan. 

During  some  two  years,  however,  the  society  did  little  more  than  hold 
up  its  standard,  waiting  the  results  of  efforts  to  bring  about  denominational 
reform. 

It  sent  delegates  to  the  convention  which  resulted  in  the  organization  of 
the  Missionary  Union,  to  induce,  if  possible,  such  action  as  might  unite  all 
Baptists  in  harmonious  work.  Two  things  in  particular  were  urged : one 
was  a recognition  of  the  fact  that  the  withdrawal  of  the  Southern  Baptists 
from  Northern  co-operation  was  caused  by  Northern  anti-slavery  senti- 
ment; the  other  was  a recognition  of  church  representation  in  the  work  of 
missions.  Both  of  these,  however,  failed,  and  the  Missionary  Union  went 
so  far  in  the  other  extreme  as  to  establish  simple  life  memberships,  having 
an  hundred-dollar  basis,  without  regard  even  to  Christian  profession.  This 
left,  the  society  no  other  alternative  than  that  of  going  forward  in  separate 
mission  work.  In  this  it  continued  on  to  its  twenty- seventh  anniversary, 
engaged  in  a great  moral,  civil  and  Christian  conflict. 

There  is  a history  pretty  fully  written  out,  which  for  want  of  funds 
probably  will  not  be  published,  notwithstanding  its  importance  in  making 
up  a complete  Baptist  history  of  this  country.  The  following  abstract  may 
be  of  interest.  It  involves  first  and  foremost  the  great  anti-slavery  struggle. 


078 


THE  STORY  OR  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


as  particularly  connected  with  the  Baptist  churches  of  this  country;  the 
temperance  cause,  including  abstinence  from  all  intoxicants  as  beverages 
and  ultimate  prohibition  of  the  trallic;  the  rejection,  as  to  titles  in  the 
publications  of  the  society,  of  i)relatical  distinctions,  such  as  “ Master,” 
“ Doctor  of  Divinity;”  and  uncompromising  opposition  to  all  oath-bound 
secret  brotherhoods,  as  being  utterly  opposed  to  the  genius  of  Christianity 
and  a republican  government. 

It  had  both  home  and  foreign  missions,  through  which,  it  is  assumed,  it 
accomi)lished  much  good.  It  had,  at  diflerent  times,  and  in  all,  nine 
missionaries  in  llayti,  eleven  in  Burmah,  three  in  Africa,  two  in  Japan, 
eighteen  in  our  Western  States  and  Territories,  and,  during  and  subse(iuent 
to  the  War  of  the  llebellion,  some  thirty  in  the  South.  It  rendered  etlicient 
aid  to  a band  of  English  philanthropists  in  Canada  West,  known  as  The 
Dawn  Institute,”  which  labored  specially  for  the  benefit  of  refugees  from 
Southern  slavery.  Then  came,  as  an  educator,  the  establishment  of  a 
college,  known  as  “ The  New  York  Central  College.”  In  this  college, 
Avithout  regard  to  color  or  sex,  all  enjoyed  equal  rights  and  privileges.  In 
this  respect  it  proved  to  be  in  advance  of  present  reforms,  especially 
Avomaifs  day  dawn,  in  all  intellectual  as  well  as  moral  culture.  It  may  be 
added  that  the  college  had  the  approval  and  pecuniary  aid  of  such  men  as 
Gerrit  Smith  and  Horace  Greeley.  It  accomplished,  it  is  believed,  a good 
work  ill  the  days  of  national  progress. 

The  society  had  its  publications,  particularly  newspapers,  which  were 
prominent  and  efficient  in  all  of  its  home  and  foreign  work.  Among  these 
Avere  The  Free  Missionary,  edited  by  the  short-liA^ed  but  remarkable  genius, 
Kazlitt  Arvine,  of  Newton  Center,  Mass. ; The  Christian  liejlector,  of 
Worcester,  Mass.,  edited  by  Cyrus  P.  Grosvenor,  Avho  afterward  established 
The  Christian  Contributor , as  the  organ  of  the  society  at  Utica,  N.  Y. 
Then  came  a union  of  The  Contributor  and  The  Western  Christian,  taking 
the  name  of  The  American  Baptist,  AVareham  AYalker,  editor.  This  con- 
tinued to  be  the  organ  of  the  society,  at  Utica  and  in  New  York,  until  the 
editor’s  health  "ailed  entirely.  Most  opportunely  a returned  missionary, 
Nathan  Brown,  now  so  AA’ell  known,  took  the  editorial  charge  of  The 
American  Baptist,  Avhose  office  of  publication  Avas  removed  to  New  York. 
Dr.  Brown  Avas  elected  Corresponding  Secretary  in  May,  1858. 

A number  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Union,  having  become  dissatisfied 
with  its  administration,  xiublished  in  The  American  Baptist  in  April,  1856,  a 
statement  of  their  views  of  their  relations  to  God  and  the  Baptist  churches. 
It  Avas  signed  by  E.  B.  Cross  and  Thomas  Allen,  of  Tavoy;  J.  H.  Vinton 
and  D.  L.  Brayton,  of  Rangoon;  N.  Harris,  of  Shwaygyeen;  E.  Kincaid 
and  T.  Simons,  of  Prome.  A.T.  Rose  and  J.  S.  Beecher  did  not  sign  the 
statement,  but  practically  adhered  to  the  same  party. 

As  the  views  expressed  in  the  statement  Avere  the  same  as  those  that  had 
been  held  by  the  Free  IMission,  the  latter  became  the  medium  of  communi- 
cation between  these  missionaries  and  the  churches,  and  its  treasury  a 
channel  for  tlieir  support.  This  relation  continued  until  such  changes  took 


REV.  JOHN  DUER. 


670 


place  in  the  policy  and  administration  of  the  Union  as  permitted  these 
missionaries  to  return  to  their  co-operation  with  it. 

The  abolition  of  slavery  rendere  1 the  continuance  of  the  Free  Mission 
Society  unnecessary,  except  to  take  care  of  legacies. 

The  Ilaytian  Mission  having  been  transferred  to  the  Consolidated  Amer- 
ican Baptist  JMissionary  Convention,  the  society  commended  its  Japan 
missionaries,  Bio.  Goble  and  wife,  and  its  Editor  and  Corresponding 
Secretary,  Bro.  N.  Brown,  to  the  Japan  mission,  assumed  by  the  Mis- 
sionar}'^  Union;  and  at  its  twent3'-ninth  anniversary,  held  in  the  Leight 
Street  Mission  Church  in  New  York  city,  resolved  that,  as  soon  as  could  be 
done  consistently  with  the  existing  state  of  things,  it  cease  organically 
to  be. 

Here,  for  the  present,  with  this  abstract,  the  history  of  the  American 
. Baptist  Free  Mission  Society  must  be  left,  signed  by  the  last  and  for  many 
years  the  seventh  of  its  Presidents.  ALBERT  L.  POST. 

Montrose,  Pa.,  Aug.  10^/i,  A.  D.  1882. 

Among  tlie  leaders  of  the  Abolition  wing  of  the  missionary 
host,  few  are  more  dear  to  memory  than  the  late  Eev.  John  Diier. 
Dying  at  the  age  of  fifty-two,  his  early  departure  has  served  to 
deepen  the  impression  he  made  on  many  hearts.  It  was  at  the 
age  of  twenty-two  that  he  first  made  the  acquaintance  of  Elder 
A.  L.  Post,  of  Montrose,  Pa.;  and  it  was  while  enjoying,  as  a 
student,  his  hospitalities  that  he  began  to  imbibe  those  ideas 
that  made  him  a root  and  branch  reformer  ” and  the  confiden- 
tial associate  of  Messrs.  Garrison,  Phillips,  Greeley  and  Sumner. 

After  more  thau  thirty  years  of  various  intercourse,  Mr.  Post 
says  of  him:  have  been  personally,  acquainted  with  most,  if 

not  all  of  the  leading  reformers  of  our  country,  in  the  age  nearly 
if  not  quite  closed,  and  I must  say  that,  in  honest  integrity  and 
faithfulness  to  convictions  of  right  and  duty,  he  was,  in  my 
opinion,  the  peer  of  any  and  all  of  them.” 

We  cannot  here  do  more  than  mention  his  relation  to  the  Free 
Mission  Society.  In  1858  he  resigned  the  charge  of  the  Free 
Mission  Church  in  Lowell,  Mass.,  and  became  associated  with 
Dr.  Brown  as  editor  and  publisher  of  The  American  Baptist.  In. 
the  winter  of  1870-1871  he  became  sole  owner  and  publisher  of 


TIIK  HTOHY  ()¥  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


(WO 

tli(‘  paix*!'.  I)i‘.  Brown  (iontininxl  assistant  (xlitor  lor  ahont  lonr 
years,  when  the  ownership  was  translerr(Ml  (o  (lie.  Dr.  A.  S. 
Patton,  and  its  name  e.lian^^ed  to  that  of  The  liaptist  Weekly. 

Tlie  most  i)rominent  trait  in  his  eharaetcn*  was  sineerity.  1 1 is 
honesty  and  frankness  w(‘re  so  obtrusive*,  and  sometim(‘.s 
exliibited  at  siieh  an  expense  of  prndenee*,  tliat  some  wlio  liad 
studied  luiman  nature  mi^iit  liave  sus[)eet(‘d  that  they  Avere 
assumed  as  tlie  tAvofold  disj»uise  of  a bad  lieart.  Exi)erts  tell  us 
that  the  false  diamond  is  distin^^iiished  from  the  true  by  the  utter 
abseiiee  of  tlaAvs.  The  transhujeuey  of  Mr.  Diier  Avas,  lioAvever, 
that  of  the  AA^ell  autheutieated  diamond.  In  all  his  inb'reoiirse 
with  missionaries  abroad  and  his  felloAA"  toilers  and  sufferers  at 
home,  he  shoAA^ed  himself  eoiirageons,  true-heart(‘d,  beneA'olent 
and  fraternally  kind. 

Intense  indiAidiialism  Avas  another  feature  of  his  (diaraeter 
Avhieh  manifested  itself  not  only  in  his  early  eondnet,  but  also, 
as  his  friend  and  eo-adjntor,  the  Uev.  Tlirani  lliitehins,  has  re- 
marked, in  his  pul])it  ministrations.  ^^Ile  Avas  ever  true  to  him- 
self. It  is  only  Avhen,  as  in  the  ease  of  Jeremiah,  the  Gospel  is  in 
the  heart  of  the  preaeher  as  a burning  lire  shut  up  in  his  bones, 
seen  AA'ith  his  oaau  eyes,  realized  in  his  oavu  experiem^e,  and 
expressed  in  his  oaaui  AATiy,  that  the  Gospel  is  truly  jireached. 
Brother  Guer  i)reaehed  aa  hat  his  eye  had  seen,  Avhat  his  heart 
had  felt  and  Avhat  he  had  made  his  own  by  devout  thought  and 
earnest  meditation.”  To  these  qualities  he  added  a uniform 
serenity  of  faee.  It  aatis  in  singular  contrast  Avith  the  necessary 
contentiousness  Avhieh  marked  his  printed  and  oral  communica- 
tions on  the  subj'ect  of  shiATuy.  It  Avas  like  the  smile  Avith  which 
the  old  scadptors  lit  up  the  features  of  the  Greek  boxers,  aa  hile 
their  hearts  AAere  charged  Avith  indignation  and  their  lists  were 
delivering  the  heaviest  bloAA^s. 

lie  Avas  born  in  AVest  Chester,  Chester  Co.,  Pa.,  Ajiril  21st, 
182J,  ami  died  in  Brooklyn,  September  (hh,  1875. 


CHAPTER  LI. 


MISSIONS  IN  FKANCE,  BKITTANY  AND  GEKMANY. 

I. — The  Position  of  Gen.  Lafayette. — Political  Attitude  of  France  towards 
the  Baptists. — First  Case  of  Persecution. — The  Conduct  of  Louis  Philippe 
and  the  Jesuits. — Missionaries  Fined. — Baptists  Obtain  Freedom  from 
the  Kevolution  of  1848. — The  National  Churches  Join  the  Jesuits  in 
Opposing  the  Progress  of  Baptist  Principles. — The  Monarchcial  Policy  of 
Guizot. — Napoleon  III.  in  Disharmony  with  the  Priests  and  Magistrates. 
Visits  of  Professors  Chase,  Sears,  and  Osgood. — Messrs  Willard  and 
Sheldon  Join  the  Mission. — Mr.  Cretin’s  Pastoral  Charges. — Dr.  Devan 
Goes  so  Paris. — The  Visit  of  Kev.  Dr.  S.  F.  Smith. — Walking  Nine  Miles 
to  Church. — The  Number  of  French  Baptists  in  1870. — Average  Acces- 
sions.— Protestantism  Now  Enjoys  Political  Favor. — Old  John  Trapp’s 
Remark. — The  Necessitj’’  of  a Well-educated  Ministry  for  our  French 

Churches. II. — The  Mission  in  Brittany. — Idolatry  of  the  Ancient 

Bretons. — When  the  Protestant  Work  Commenced. — The  Baptists  of 
Wales  Become  Concerned  for  their  Fellow  Celts. — Rev.  Mr.  Jenkins  at 
Morlaix. — The  Working  Classes  Reached. — Losses  from  Emigration. — 
Less  Homesickness  than  Formerly. — Slow  Five  Years  of  the  Mission. — 

Examples  of  Persecution. — Roman  Catholic  Justice. III. — Mission 

in  Germany. — Professor  Sears  Baptizes  Mr.  Oncken  and  Six  Others  in 
the  Elbe  near  Hamburg. — Mr.  Koebner  Baptized. — The  Truth  Spreads 
to  Berlin,  Oldenberg,  and  Stuttgart. — Tract  Loans. — Persecution  Com- 
mences.— Mr.  Oncken  Cast  into  Prison. — Deputations  and  Memorials. — 
Continued  Persecution. — The  Fruit  of  a Union  of  Church  and  State. — 
Oncken  Baptizes  Lehmann  at  Berlin.— Decree  of  Toleration  at  Berlin. — 
The  Rapid  Growth  of  the  Church  in  Berlin. — The  Dedication  of  a New 
Church  Edifice. — Dr.  Smith's  Recollections. — The  German  Baptists 
Friendly  to  Foreign  Missions. — Churches  in  Russia  and  Turkey. — The 
Turks  More  Tolerant  than  the  Russians. — A Church  in  Tiflis. — An 
Outline  of  the  Life  of  Oncken. 

an  interview  with  General  Lafayette,  the  late  Professor 
^ Edward  Eohinson  asked  hint,  Why,  Sir,  do  yon  favor  a mon- 
archy in  France  after  having  fought  for  a republic  in  America 
“ For  this  reason,”  replied  the  General  j the  Americans  have 
intelligence  and  virtue  enongh  for  the  sni)port  of  a free  govern- 
ment j the  French,  I am  sorry  to  say,  have  not.”  The  present 

writer  heard  the  Professor  relate  this  interview.  It  took  place 

47 


'J'JIE  STOUY  OF  JiAFTlST  MISSIONS. 


(>82 

in  Paris,  after  tlio  (reiK^ral  liad  sa(aiiie(‘(l  his  r(*])nl)lieaii  jn  inciides 
and  assisted  in  plaein^^-  Lonis  Philii)i)e  on  th(‘.  tlirnin*.  This 
^^Citizen  King,” raised  to  sn[)rein(‘,  ])ow(‘r  as  tln^  ()st(‘nsil)l<‘,  I’riend 
of  freedom,  and  surronnd(‘d  l)y  i(‘])nl)li(ani  institutions,  soon 
Pegan  to  yield  to  tlie  sway  of  J(‘suitism,  and  ]>(‘nnitt(‘(l  liis 
ministers,  and  their  subordinates,  to  air(\st,  tim*.  and  imi)rison 
r>ax)tist  missionari(‘S,  ])astors  and  mendxa  s of  baptist  elinreli(*s. 
According  to  tlie  language  of  tli(‘-  chaiter  ol)tain(‘d  in  l<Sd>0j 

Each  one  jwofesses  his  ]-eligion  with  (xpial  liberty,  and  obtains 
for  his  worship  the  same  protection.”  Put  tlui  h‘gislative  cham- 
bers adopted  several  articles  Avliich  did  not  cohere'.  Avith  this 
fundamental  law.  One  of  these  articles  foibade  th(‘.  nu'eting  of 
more  than  twenty  persons  a\  itliout  the  i)ermission  of  tlie  mayor 
of  the  commune;  another  forbade  any  person  to  oiien  his  house 
for  the  meeting  of  evani  an  authorized  association  Avithout  the 
permission  of  the  municipal  authority. 

On  the  ariiAuil  of  our  first  rreiich  missionary,  the  Pev.  J.  C. 
Postan,  at  I^aris  in  1832,  he  sought  and  obtained  intervieAvs 
Avith  Oeneral  LaEayette,  to  AA  honi  he  explaiiuxl  the  nature  and 
object  of  his  mission.  From  the  liberal  sentiments  of  the 
General  and  seAU'ral  members  of  the  Chaml)er  of  Deputies,  he 
had  reason  to  belioA^e  that  it  Avas  safe  to  oiien  a Baptist  chapel 
in  Paris.  Accordingly  public  Avorship  Avas  held  in  that  city,  not 
oidy  on  Sunday  but  on  one  or  more  eA^enings  in  the  AA^eek.  Mr. 
Postal!  died  in  1833,  but  his  successors,  Messrs.  'VTillmarth, 
Porcliat,  Willard  and  Sheldon,  continued  to  maintain  iniblic 
Avorship  in  Paris  until  1839,  Avhen  Mr.  Sheldon  removed  to 
Douay,  and  so  left  the  little  church  in  the  French  capital  Avith- 
oiit  a pastor,  and  holding  their  public  seiwices  at  the  house  of 
AVidoAV  Postaii,  or  occasionally  at  those  of  the  members  of  the 
clinicli. 

Tlie  lirst  iiersc'cution  suffered  by  our  missionaries  AA^as  at 
Genlis,  a A'illagi*.  in  tluMh'partment  of  Cote  d’Or,  ten  miles  south- 
east of  Dijon,  A little  chun'li  of  sevu'ii  memliers  had  been 


PERSECUTION  OF  FRENCH  BAPTISTS. 


formed  there,  with  Mr.  Cretin  for  their  pastor.  Amon^  the 
memhers  Avas  Mr.  Ilersigiiy ; Aviio,  after  long  study  of  the  J>il)le, 
had  left  the  Chnreh  of  Koine  and  embraced  the  Baptist  faith. 
He  built  at  his  own  expense,  and  on  Ids  own  estate,  a neat  and 
convenient  chapel  for  the  nse  of  the  clinreh.  But  he  could  not 
obtain  the  permission  of  the  Aliiyor  of  Genii s to  open  it  for 
public  service.  He  often  repeated  his  very  reasonable  request, 
but  Avas  as  often  refused j consecpiently,  tlie  little  chapel  long 
remained  niiocenpied.  At  length  Mr.  Hersigny  appealed  to  the 
Prefect  of  the  Hepartment,  and,  failing  to  obtain  justice  from 
him,  he  carried  np  his  cause  to  the  Minister  of  Public  Worship 
at  Paris.  Although  liviag  under  the  reign  of  tlie  ^Whtizen 
King,’’  Avho  had  in  his  earlier  days  travelled  in  England  and  the 
United  States,  AAdiere  he  had  abundant  means  of  observing  for 
himself  the  good  effects  of  religions  freedom,  the  little  church  at 
Genlis  could  not  obtain  permission  publicly  to  Avorship  God. 
They  Avere  obliged  to  meet  in  the  private  residences  of  the  mem- 
bers. Ea^cu  there,  their  religions  services  Avere  often  inter- 
rupted by  inquisitorial  visitations  from  the  police,  or  the  armed 
men  of  the  national  guard,  Avho  came  to  count  the  little  com- 
pany to  ascertain  whether  their  number  exceeded  the  tAventy 
allowed  by  the  Penal  Code.  Tlie  little  churches  in  the  north  of 
France  were  exposed  to  similar  annoyances  and  hardships. 
Meetings  were  broken  npj  persons  in  Avhose  houses  the  Baptists 
met  were  fined  and  imprisoned ; the  ministers  of  the  Gospel 
who  preached  at  the  meetings  aa  ere  arrested  and  punished  by 
the  municipal  anthorities.  If  the  victims  of  persecution 
appealed  to  the  higher  courts,  they  very  seldom  obtained  either 
justice  or  eipiity.  The  Jesuits  AA^ent  so  far  as  to  seek  in  our 
Mi8sio7iary  Magazme  the  names  of  onr  missionaries,  and  the 
places  Adhere  they  jireached.  After  this  became  knoAvn  in 
America,  the  journals  of  the  Prench  mission  were  printed  with 
blank  spaces  for  the  names  of  persons  and  xilaces,  that  they 
might  not  supply  information  to  the  Jesuits  and  their  serAule 


684 


THE  STORY  OF  B ARTIST  3I1SSIONS. 


tools,  the  majL^istrates  and  tlie  i)o]iee.  For  a time*,  wealtliy  bap- 
tists of  New  York,  eiiguged  in  the  silk  trad(‘,  i)}iid  the  lines  of 
these  persecuted  inissionaries,  in  ordcu*  that  they  nii^dit  return 
to  the  preaching  of  salvation  to  th(‘.  j)eopl(‘.  of  Frain^e. 

Events  Inive  deinonstrated  that  dni  in^’  tin*,  last  ei^ht  y(;ars  of 
his  reign  (from  1840  to  1848)  Louis  Tdiilippe  st(*adi]y  aini(‘d  to  suj)- 
l)ress  the  l^rotestant  faith,  not  only  in  every  i)art  of  France,  but 
in  the  French  colonies  on  the  most  distant  islands  of  the  Pacific. 
It  was,  therefore,  Avith  no  lamentations  that  the  Protestants  of 
France  learned,  from  the  coiaiers  into  Avliich  th(‘y  Avere  driven, 
that  in  February,  1848,  Louis  Philij)])e  was  torched  to  llee  from 
Paris  in  a hackney  cab,  and,  after  great  difliculty,  managed  to 
cross  the  Seine  from  Ilontleur  to  IlaAwe,  under  tlie  name  of 
AVilliam  Smith,  and  Hy  to  England,  Avhere,  Ave  are  told,  the 

Smith  family”  now  bear  rule, 

Curiously  enough,  at  the  very  time  AA  hen  Louis  Philippe  was 
skulking  out  of  his  kingdom  in  disguise,  a case  regarding  our 
l)ersecuted  brethren  was  ])ending  in  the  Court  of  Cassation  at 
Paris,  the  highest  Court  of  Ai)peals.  Two  French  baptist  mis- 
sionaries, Messrs.  Lepoids  and  Foulon,  having,  in  1841,  been 
arrested  for  Adolating  the  articles  of  the  Penal  Code,  Avere,  in 
1847,  senteuced  to  pay  a tine  of  three  liundred  francs  each. 
Their  crime  was  that  of  ^^haAung  associated  with  others  in  the 
name  of  a ncAV  religion,  called  the  religion  of  the  Protestant 
bai)tists.”  The  condemned  appealed  from  the  inferior  court  at 
Laon  to  the  Koyal  Court  at  Amiens.  Here  the  line  was  reduced 
from  three  hundred  to  fifty  francs,  but  the  meetings  of  the  Bap- 
tists were  still  decided  to  be  associations^  and,  therefore,  to  come 
Avithin  the  Penal  Code.  The  final  trial  Avas  approaching,  when 
the  Ibwoliition  of  February,  1848,  decided  the  case  AAuthout  a 
trial  by  tlje  court.  The  LegislatiAm  Chambers  AA'ere  dissoh^ed  j 
tin*.  ])refects,  mayors  and  magistrates  of  eAmry  degree  AA^ere 
turned  out  of  ollice,  and  religions  liberty  ])roclaimed  throughout 
Framte.  Tiie  little  baptist  churches  now  rejoiced.  In  IMarch, 


GUIZOT’S  HEARTLESS  POLICY. 


685 


the  chapel  built  by  Mr.  Hersigiiy  at  Genlis^  which  had  remained 
unoccupied  from  the  time  it  Avas  finished  (iioaa^  eleven  years),  was 
dedicated  to  the  Avorship  of  God.  The  occasion  brought  together 
from  a distance  many  scattered  friends  and  disciples  of  the  mis- 
sion, and  Avas  celebrated  as  the  triumph  of  liberty  of  soul  in 
France. 

Impartial  history  demands  that  we  should  not  attribute  these 
persecutions  to  the  Jesuits  and  tlieir  emissaries  alone.  Unhappily 
those  French  Protestant  churches  AAdiich  were  authorized  by  the 
Government,  and  knoAAui  as  ^^i^ational  Churches,”  that  is,  those 
of  the  CalAunists  and  Lutherans,  often  instigated,  or  openly  sanc- 
tioned, these  intolerant  proceedings. 

To  no  French  Protestant  of  note  is  more  censure  due  than  to 
Guizot.  Ilis  father  was  a Calvinist,  and  he  had  been  educated 
at  Geneva  in  the  principles  of  the  Protestant  faith,*  and  yet 
when,  in  1840,  he  became  a member  of  the  cabinet  of  Louis 
Philippe,  he  showed  himself  the  enemy  of  liberty,  both  cwil  and 
religious.  His  unwise  and  heartless  i^olicy  it  was  that  contributed 
to  the  second  reAmlution.  ‘‘Guizot’s  policy,”  says  Mr.  Kitchin, 
— “as  shown  in  the  risks  of  the  Spanish  marriages,  by  which  he 
had  endangered  the  peace  of  France  for  the  sake  of  illusory 
dynastic  advantages  j in  his  sui^port  of  re-actionary  against  pop- 
ular princiifies  in  Switzerland  j his  api:)eals  to  the  treaties  of 
1815  5 his  friendly  attitude  towards  Metternich  and  Austria; 
his  divergence  from  the  liberal  vieAvs  of  Lord  Palmerston ; his 
dislike  for  the  i^atriots  of  Italy; — shocked  and  alienated  all  lib- 
eral opinion  in  France,  and  made  the  minister  completely  unpopu- 
lar. * * Trickery  and  subterfuge  seemed  to  rule  in  high  i)laces.” 
He  resigned  as  Prime  Minister  in  1848,  and  fled  to  England.  We 
cannot  folloAV  his  career  further,  only  adding  that  in  1861  he 
declared  in  favor  of  maintaining  the  temporal  i30wer  of  the  Pope. 

After  the  flight  of  Louis  Philippe  and  Guizot,  the  Pepublic  of 
1848-1851,  in  its  new  constitution,  declared  that  “ every  one 
may  freely  i^rofess  his  own  religion,  and  is  to  receive  equal  pro- 


THE  «TOUY  OF  BAPTIST  3I1SS10NS. 


tectioii  ill  till',  (‘xorcisii  of  liiw  worsliijij”  lint,  in  snino.  arti(;lo, 
it  also  ])rovi(l(Ml  that  ‘^tlie  nhnisti'rs  of  tlic  dilfei'ent  rolif^ions 
recognized  by  law,  sliall  liavii  tlio  ri^lit of  roiaMvin^’ jiayinont  from 
the  State.”  This  article  favors  toleration  rather  tliaii  leligious 
liberty,  and  jiermits  civil  interference  with  siK'h  Avorship  as  is 
not  recoi^nized  by  hnv.  Even  after  tlie  tone  of  ]>nbli(5  opinion 
and  feeling’  came  to  lie  friendly  to  religious  liberty,  the  iiriests 
and  ]na<;istrates  still  continued  to  Anx  and  annoy  onr  mission- 
aries. ]\Ir.  Cretin  said  to  the  llvy.  Dr.  S.  E.  Smith,  Avhile  in 
Lyons  in  ISTG,  that  he  could  not  ghn  aAvay  a ri'ligions  traiT  in 
that  (‘ity  Avithont  danger  of  arrest.  ]\Iany  iietitions  for  ridigions 
freedom  Avere  presented  to  the  (loATUTiment  by  the  Eaiitistsj  one 
of  them  a feAV  years  later,  to  Xapoleon  III.  The  lesponse  of  the 
Enijieror  AAns,  that  he  desired  that  all  his  subjects  might  enjoy 
perfect  religions  toleration.  Ent  the  reign  of  intolerance  and 
opiiression  AAere  still  maintained.  IMr.  Cretin,  in  18<S1^  giwe  an 
account  of  a funeral  at  La  Eere,  Avhich  Avas  attend(‘d  by  the 
Mayor,  Avho  listened  to  his  address  Avitli  respectful  attention, 
lie  publicly  distributed  all  the  tracts  he  bad  brought  Avith  him, 
but  there  Avere  not  enough  for  all  Avho  stretched  out  their  asking 
hands.  remembered,”  AAnltes  he,  ^Mhat  it  Avas  forty-three 

years  since  I lAreached  the  Gosx)el  for  the  first  time  in  the  same 
house.  Then  the  peoiile  rushed  to  see  if  rrotestauts  Avere  like 
other  iieople.  t)n  hearing  that  a heretic  aaiis  iiraying  in  his 
])arish,  the  jiriest  rushed  into  the  house,  AA'ishing  to  learn  liy 
(piestioning  me,  Avho  I Avas,  and  Avhat  aa  as  my  right  to  come  and 
troulile  his  xieacealile  territory.  As  he  could  not  obtain  his  little 
trium])h,  he  cursed  me,  and  called  on  the  hearers  to  (juit  the 
house,  and  i\y  from  the  man  AAdio  Avas  bringing  contagion  into 
th(‘.  community.  To-day  Avhat  a difference!  These  good  xieoxde 
wei(‘.  saying:  ^ Their  religion  is  better  than  ours.’”  Lut  after 
all.  Pastor  (hidot,  of  Chauny,  Avas  compelled  to  testify  in  1881: 

(oijny  libiaty — not  yid  for  street  ])rea(*hing” 
caiii!ot>  always  baplizi^  (liosii  who  are  bi’ouglit  to  the  taith  of  the 


PRIESTS  DENOUNCE  J THE  PEOPLE  LOVE. 


087 


Gospel,  since  eertiiiii  ^ Xicodemnses  ’ are  won  to  the  truth  with- 
out luakiug  a public  profession  of  their  change  of  views.^’ 

It  has  been  fortunate  for  our  Freneli  missionaries  that,  from 
the  first,  they  have  been  occasionally  visited  by  some  of  our 
learned  professors.  Professor  Ira  Chase,  D.I).,  went  out  to 
Prance  at  the  very  beginning  of  our  work  in  1832*  Prof.  Barnas 
Sears  visited  some  of  our  Prench  churches  in  1850  j and,  in  1807, 
Prof.  Howard  Osgood  visited  all  our  mission  churches  in 
Prance. 

But  to  return  to  the  narrative  of  regular  missionary  labors. 
After  the  death  of  Mr.  Postaii,  the  Pev.  Isaac  Willmarth  was 
sent  out  to  Paris  in  1834,  where  he  preached  for  two  years  as  an 
associate  of  the  Pev.  A.  Porchet,  a native  of  Prance.  In  1835, 
]Messrs.  Willard  and  Sheldon  joined  the  mission  in  Paris.  In 
the  following  year,  Messrs.  Willmarth  and  Willard  removed  to 
Ilouay,  for  the  purpose  of  establisliing  near  that  large  and  cele- 
brated town  a Theological  Seminary.  The  place  ultimately 
selected  was  Xomain,  a Adllage  about  twelve  miles  from  Boiiay. 
Mr.  Willmarth  being  compelled  by  ill-health  to  return  to 
America  in  1837,  Mr.  Sheldon,  tAVo  years  later,  removed  from 
Paris  to  Douay,  as  the  colleague  of  iMr.  Willard,  but  at  the  close 
of  the  year  returned  to  the  United  States.  Hence  the  plan  of 
the  seminary  Avas  ncA^er  fully  realized. 

One  of  the  first  students  instructed  at  Douay  by  Mr.  Willard, 
was  Mr.  Cretin,  of  aaIioiu  ayc  liaA^e  already  made  mention. 
While  the  Pcal  Dr.  S.  P.  Smith  AAms  in  Prance  in  1876,  he  made 
his  accpiaintance.  He  is,’’  says  he,  a modest  man,  but  ener- 
getic and  i)erseA^ering.  He  has  AAuitten  on  Baptist  principles 
more  than  any  other  of  the  Prench  brethren.  Most  of  the  pas- 
tors, eAmngelists  and  colporteurs  in  the  employ  of  the  mission 
haA^e  been  brought  to  the  knoAvledge  of  the  truth  by  the  blessing 
of  God  on  his  labors.  He  Avas  eAuuywhere  denounced  by  the 
priests,  but  honored  and  loA^ed  by  the  people.”  Mr.  Cretin  was 
the  first  pastor  at  Genlis,  as  he  aa  as  likeAvise  the  first  at  Denain. 


08S 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Ill  18;>9  tliirt(*(‘ii  were  iicldpd  to  tli(‘.  mission  by  baptism.  Tlmro 
Averc  at  that  time  seven  (;liiii(^li(‘s  and  omi  liiindi(‘d  and  forty- 
two  memlxn’s.  ^Ir.  Willard  was  now  tin*,  only  foreign  laborm’  in 
the  mission^  and  yet  the  work  went  slowly  forward;  in  bSll  the 
nunilier  of  members  had  l)e(;onie  two  hundr(‘d.  lint  advm’sity 
came  in  1844;  ]\Irs.  AVillaid  died  at  J)oiiay,  and  Mr.  Willard 
was  eonix^elled  to  return  to  Aimuiea  with  his  family.  In  J84()^ 
liowever,  he  aa^is  permitted  to  back  to  Franee  and  carry  for- 
Avard  Ids  A\  ork.  Fourteen  Avere  l)a[)tized  the  saim*,  year^  and  the 
friends  of  the  French  mission^  as  Avell  at  home  as  abi’oadj  aaxwc 
nincli  eiiconraged  by  good  iieAvs  from  almost  all  the  stations. 

The  reAailntion  of  1848  liad  enlist(‘d  the  hearts  of  American 
Baptists  in  behalf  of  the  struggles  of  liberty  in  France.  Very 
manifest  it  Avas  that  the  leaven  of  the  Kingdom  of  (lod  Avas 
needed  to  make  French  republicanism  Avholesome  and  palatable 
bread.  Dr.  DeAmii^  formerly  of  the  Chinese  mission,  AA  as  there- 
fore refinested  by  the  Board  to  repair  to  Paris,  and  rally  the 
Bajitists  of  that  city.  He  arriAunl  on  the  8th  of  March,  1848, 
only  a fcAV  days  after  the  tlight  of  Louis  Philiiipe.  The  red  flag 
of  the  Commnnists  Avas  fading  aAvay,  and  a\  as  soon  to  be  substi- 
tuted by  the  red  rosette  in  the  tri-color  of  the  former  revolution. 
The  Bexniblicans  ruled  in  the  Chamber  of  Dei^nties,  Lamartine 
took  the  portfolio  of  Foreign  Affairs,  Arago  the  Admiralty,  Louis 
illanc  became  a member  of  the  iicav  cabinet,  and,  as  the  friend 
of  the  Avorkiiig  men,  obtained  a decree  xiromising  that  the  Gov- 
ernment should  xwoAude  Avork  and  food  for  all.  While  the  x)ox)n- 
lation  of  Paris  Avas  still  fluctuating  Avith  the  sinking  AvaA^es 
of  revolution,  Mr.  DeAuin  took  the  flrst  ox^x^ortunity  to  go  out 
to  Douay  and  consult  Avith  IVIr.  Willard.  He  returned  to  the 
ca])ital  to  search  for  the  flock  that  began  to  scatter  soon  after 
the  dex)arture  of  ]\Ir.  Sheldon,  nine  years  before.  Ko  original 
nnanber  of  the  little  church  could  be  found;  no,  not  one.  He 
soon  found,  hoAvever,  several  Baptists,  residing  near  Paris,  Avho 
w(*ie  nu'ndxMs  of  the  churches  in  the  x>i’evinces.  These  and 


WALKING  TEN  MILES  TO  CHURCH. 


689 


others  were  gathered  for  worship  in  an  apartment  secured  for 
the  purpose,  on  the  Gth  of  August,  1848.  During  the  year  forty- 
five  were  baptized.  In  little  more  than  a year  the  public  ser- 
vice was  given  up,  and  Dr.  Devan,  in  1850,  removed  to  Lyons. 
Here  a church  of  four  members  was  organized.  The  Eoman- 
ists  evinced  great  activity  in  trying  to  trample  ont  the  little 
fire  that  had  been  kindled,  but  the  more  they  stamped  upon 
it  the  more  did  it  si)read5  so  that  in  1853,  when  Dr.  Devan 
left  the  city,  the  church  nnmbered  one  hundred  and  six  mem- 
bers. After  the  departure  of  Dr.  Devan,  the  work  in  the  entire 
south-eastern  department  was  for  a time  suspended,  and  the 
church  at  Lyons  dwindled  gradually  to  a score  of  members,  so 
that  when  Prof.  Osgood  visited  them  in  1868,  he  found  the  chapel 
closed,  and  the  Baptists  meeting  in  a private  room  for  prayer, 
reading  the  Scriptures,  exhortation  and  sacred  song.  Seven 
years  later,  when  Eev.  Dr.  S.  P.  Smith  visited  them,  he  found 
them  revived  again.  They  were  now  enjoying  the  x)astoral  care 
of  jMr.  Cretin,  with  whom  Dr.  Smith  visited  several  members  of 
this  flock.  ‘^Many  of  the  members,”  he  tells  ns,  were  poor 
weavers,  manufacturing  elegant  silks  in  their  humble  attics  to 
clothe  the  rich  and  fashionable  of  this  world,  and  weaving  in 
their  x)overty  the  garment  of  Christ’s  righteousness  for  their 
own  adornment  in  this  world  and  the  world  to  come.” 

Not  a few  have  been  the  examples  of  self-denial  and  devoteduess 
among  the  French  Baxdists.  At  La  Fere,  a sister  who  was  very 
l)Oor  used  to  walk  nine  miles  every  Sunday  in  order  to  attend 
the  little  church  which  met  on  the  ground  floor  of  a barn.  At 
St.  Etienne  the  constituent  members  were  all  imor,  and  hired  for 
their  chapel  an  attic  room.  A man  and  woman,  between  sixty  and 
seventy  years  of  age,  were  in  the  habit  of  walking  a distance  of 
ten  miles  to  attend  the  i^ublic  service  in  this  nx)i)er  room.  Dr. 
Devan  commenced  public  worshij)  in  an  apartment  j and  when 
the  church  was  reconstituted  in  1850,  it  worshix)ped  in  a school- 
room, which  was  small,  dark  and  inconvenient.  Here  the  church 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


(>90 


worsliipped  for  iliirt(‘(Mi  ye;iis.  TIk*  only  l)n])ti8tei-y  wns  ;i  Jai-j»e 
batliing-tiil).  Tlie  oandidatc  sat  down  in  tliis  tnb  and  was  snl>- 
mcrged  by  tlic  administrator^  avIio  stood  outside. 

In  1870  the  niiml)or  of  inenilxns  in  all  the  missions  was  four 
hundred  and  sixty.  During  the  Franeo-derman  Avai-,  almost  all 


Baptist  Chapel  In  Paris. 


th(5  niah‘  nKOidters  of 
the  elmreh(‘s  ])erforim‘d 
military  diiti(*Sj  and 
th(*r(*foi‘e  all  our  mis- 
sion stations  sntlei‘ed 
from  their  absene(‘.  Ibit 
still  the  same  nnmb(‘r 
w(‘i*(‘  ieceiv(*d  by  bjij)- 
tism  as  in  the  preced- 
ing year.  Xone  of  the 
members  in  Taris  suf- 
fered for  la(;k  of  food^ 
their  British  l)rethren 
having  sent  ])rovisions 
siiflicient  to  support 
them  ■ throngliont  the 
siege.  The  public  ser- 
vices Avere  luaiutaiued 
in  Paris  during  the 
siege.  The  young  sol- 
diers belonging  to  the 
Baptist  churches,  Avho 
Avere  in  CA^ery  battle, 
numbered  from  thirty 
to  forty.  Though  ex- 
posed to  the  deadly  lire 
of  gnus  that  AV(‘re 


iK'V'cr  before  e<niall(‘d,  yet  only  one  Avas  hilled.  In  the  (*ities 
boiiihai'dcd  by  llie  (lermans,  Avhere  there  Avere  Ba])tist  families, 


PRESENT  SITUATION  IN  FRANCE. 


G91 


not  one  received  the  smallest  harm,  althougli  the  bombs  fell 
upon  and  into  their  houses.  Kor  did  one  of  them  have  his 
house  burned  or  his  cattle  driven  away  by  the  soldiers. 

The  accessions  to  the  rrench  mission,  from  ISoG  to  1877  inclu- 
sive, have  averaged  about  twenty-eight  annually.  From  1877  to 
1881,  the  average  number  added  every  year  has  been  thirty-five. 

The  financial  condition  of  the  mission  is  equally  promising. 
In  1800  a member  of  the  church  in  Paris  donated  to  the  mission 
a chapel,  where  meetings  were  held  and  Scriptures  and  tracts  dis- 
tributed. In  September,  1873,  there  was  dedicated  in  Paris  a 
commodious  chapel  with  a marble  front.  More  than  seven  thou- 
sand dollars  of  the  expense  were  contributed  by  friends  in 
England.  In  1877,  a chapel  was  built  at  Moutbeliard,  costing 
$0,500.  The  same  year  witnessed  the  enlargement  of  the  famous 
chapel  of  Chauny,  which  had  been  closed  by  the  G overnment 
for  twelve  long  years  from  the  time  of  its  completion. 

IVIr.  Foulon,  whom  we  have  mentioned  along  with  Mr.  Lepoids, 
removed  to  the  State  of  Illinois,  and  became  i)astor  in  a French 
colony,  some  of  whom  emigrated  with  him.  Tlie  church  at 
Douay  was  dissolved  in  1853  j while  the  church  at  Denain,  four- 
teen miles  east  of  Douay,  was,  in  1881,  the  most  prosperous  in 
France,  numbering  202  members,  while  that  of  Paris  counts  129. 
The  church  at  Lyons  is  still  visible,  having  49  members,  25  of 
whom,  however,  reside  at  two  out  - stations.  A church  of  much 
promise  is  situated  at  Moutbeliard,  a town  not  far  from  the 
borders  of  Switzerland,  38  miles  north  of  Besan^on.  Thirty 
more  were  added  to  its  membership  in  1877.  Three  of  the 
converts  were  Swiss.  In  1881  it  reported  a membership  of  77.  , 

The  present  movement  of  the  French  people  towards  Protes- 
tantism receives  its  iiiost  iiowerful  impulse  from  party  spirit. 
It  has  become  the  popular  belief  that  Protestantism  is  favorable 
to  liberty  and  republicanism.  Says  M.  Lemaire,  jiastor  at  St. 
Saveur,  writing  in  1881:  Nothing  is  more  common  than 

adherence  to  Protestantism  as  a good  religion,  better  than 


THE  SI'OHY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


()02 


Cntliolipisin;  blit  liow  bir  siicli  ndlionMic-c  from  true  (conversion 
tliat  brings  salvation!”  Tlierc  is  a ^ood  r(*inaik  on  tliis  ])oint  in 
the  Coinnientaries  of  tine  (quaint  old  Puritan  dolin  Trapp : A 

Protestant  is  wheat  sepai'at(*d  from  the  straw  5 a (diristian  is 
wheat  separated  from  the  (chaff.”  At  j)ies(‘nt  th(‘i(‘  is  in  hhan(c(‘ 
more  threshing- than  fanninj^-j  but  we  may  (confidently  hoi)e  that 
thewe  Avill  yet  be  a mighty  si)iritnal  r(‘snrre(cti()n,  as  well  in 
Fraiu'e  as  in  Switzerland.  This  is  that  first  resnrr(*eti()n  which 
is  predicted  in  llevelation  20:  4-0,  wlnnein  the  soxiJh  of  the  mar- 
tyrs are  to  rise  and  rein’ll  with  Christ  a thousand  years.  There 
is  yet  to  ap^iear  in  France  a resurjj;ence  of  souls,  the  re-ajipear- 
ance  of  Christians  who  shall  remind  ns  of  the  S])irit  and  jmwer 
of  the  martyred  Albigeiises  and  Waldenses. 

Ill  preparation  for  the  full  realization  of  this  happy  day,  few 
things  are  more  needful  than  a more  thorough  theological  train- 
ing of  the  rising  pastors  of  France  and  Switzerland.  The  apos- 
tacy  from  the  Ihiptist  faith  of  siudi  of  the  AValdenses  as  remained 
after  the  martyrdom  of  the  best  of  them,  was  partly  owing  to 
the  fact  that  they  accepted  as  pastors  young  men  who  had  been 
educated  at  Geneva,  in  the  theological  school  of  Calvin.  Such 
a fact  should  not  only  humble,  but  enlighten  and  animate  ns. 
It  should  teach  ns  the  importance  of  a sound  theological  educa- 
tion. This  is  the  more  important  for  France  and  Switzerland, 
for  the  reason  that  in  those  lands  iiastors  have  always  been  com- 
jielled  liy  the  chnrches  to  take  the  lead  in  the  administration  of 
jiarochial  aftairs.  Of  the  thirty-six  millions  of  that  nation,  a 
Fremcli  writer  estimates  that  only  ten  millions  really  take  an 
interest  in  iiolitical  ideas,  the  rest  being  indifferent.  Writing  in 
1881,  the  Itev.  Mv.  Andrn,  iiastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Paris, 
laments  that  it  is  very  diflicnlt  to  bring  the  French  to  be  seri- 
ously concerned  with  the  affairs  of  the  church.  Too  long  bowed 
down  under  an  ecclesiastical  despotism,  they  lack  the  initiative 
sjiiritj  and  the  pastor  is  often  forced  to  use  authority  which 
ought  to  be  assunu'd  by  the  members.’^  In  our  own  country, 


RECENT  HEATHENISM  IN  BRITTANY. 


693 


some  Baptist  cliurclies  may  iirosper  under  the  care  of  uneducated 
pastors.  Not  so  in  France ; there  a thoroughly  x) repared  min- 
istry is  of  vital  necessity^  and,  next  to  sincere  and  devoted 
X)iety,  intellectual  discixiline  and  enrichment  are  justly  demanded. 

II. 

Brittany  was  one  of  the  cradles  of  the  old  Norman  civilization, 
and  yet  ui>  to  a very  recent  x)eriod  it  has  remained  in  great  x^art 
a x^agan  land.  The  Boman  xM’iests,  im^tead  of  evangelizing  the 
Bretons,  grafted  their  own  worshix^  on  that  of  the  xR’iaiitive 
Druids.  They  x>erniitted  the  x>eoxile  still  to  adore  certain  stone 
columns,  or  sacred  fountains,  x)rovided  they  would  allow  them  to 
fix  ux>on  them  a cross,  or  image.  Near  the  old  miracle-working 
fountains  the  Pox)ish  x)riests  set  uxi  images  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
St.  Anne,  and  other  Ivoman  Catholic  idols,  in  place  of  the  earlier 
X)agan  images.  But  still  there  were  xdaees  in  which  the  old  hea- 
thenism was  left  nnmixed  with  Bomanism.  It  is  scarcely  two 
hundred  years  since  the  islands  of  Molene  and  Oussant  still  XRO- 
fessed  the  religion  of  the  Druids ; and  at  the  end  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  an  image  of  the  Armorican  Isis  was  still  wor- 
shix^x^^^^i  fii®  inhahitants  of  one  of  the  districts  of  ]\Iorhihan. 

In  1827  the  French  Protestants  began  to  circulate  among  the 
peoxfie  the  New  Testament,  as  translated  into  the  Breton  dialect. 

Many  years  ago  the  corresxiondence  in  language  and  race 
( both  being  Celtic),  awakened  in  the  Welsh  Bax^tists  a very  nat- 
ural concern  for  the  sx^iritual  welfare  of  the  Breton  x>^ox)le.  At 
first  the  churches  of  the  Glamorganshire  Association  had  a mis- 
sion of  their  own  in  Brittany.  But  in  1843  it  was  transferred  to 
the  English  Baxdist  Missionary  Society.  The  Bev.  J.  Jenkins, 
who  had  already  been  laboring  about  ten  years  in  the  country, 
now  commenced  the  x^i’ex)aration  of  tracts  and  books,  and  a 
revised  version  of  the  New  Testament,  in  the  Breton  tongue. 
Established  at  Morlaix,  on  the  line  of  the  railway  from  Brest,  he 
made  freciuent  visits  to  distant  toAvns  and  villages.  He  was 


THE  STORY  OE  BAPTIST  AlISSIONS. 


im 

assistiMl  ])y  (*()l])()rt(‘iirs  and  family  sc^liools.  Many  (*()])i(^s  of  tln^ 
revis(‘(l  N(‘\v  TostaiiKMit  circnhdnd,  and  (diajx'ls 

(TecttMl  at  Morlaix  and  at  Tr(mi(‘1 5 and  in  l<sr>7  a s(*(H)nd  (‘dition 
of  four  tlionsand  (•o])i(‘s  of  tli(‘.  Xew  T(‘stain(nd  was  i)iint(*d.  In 
1871  work  was  inncli  int(*i‘rni)l(*d  by  tin'  kranco-dcnnan 
war,  and  by  tbo  doatli  of  ]\Ir.  Jenkins,  al‘t(‘i'a  d(‘voted  sei‘vi(*(‘,  of 
seven-and-tliirty  y(‘ars.  That  year  tin',  (dnireli  nnnd)ei(‘d  forty 
members.  Itev.  Alfred  flenkins  sneeecMled  his  father  at  Morlaix, 
Avldle  llev.  iAlr.  llonhon  Avas  ])astor  at  Ibiene.,  and  Ih'v.  Air. 
Leeoat  aatis  pastor  at  Tremel.  From  the  tii-st,  mneh  oi)position 
AA  as  eiK'ountered  from  the  Ivomish  priests. 

In  1874  speeial  exertions  Avere  made  in  a sidnirb  of  Alorlaix  to 
reach  tlie  aa  orkiiij?  classes.  These  Aviwe  so  siuau'ssfnl,  that  in  187() 
a mission  chapel  Avas  built  in  the  ])lace.  EATny  Sunday  eAT'idng’ 
a congregatioii  of  eighty  Homan  Catholics  ('ame  to  hear  the  Cos- 
pel.  But  ])ersecutiou  is  all  the  aa  bile  at  Avork,  thiiiuiiig  the  ranks 
of  the  faithful,  and  ])re\"eutiug  the  timid  from  openly  aA'OAving 
their  faith.  Another  cause  of  the  sIoaa'  ])rogress  made  by  the 
mission  is  the  eiuigratiou  coutiiiually  going  forAA  ard  to  the  Chan- 
nel Islands,  to  large  French  (dties,  and  eA^en  to  America.  In  1883 
the  emigration  Avas  nnnsnally  great.  It  reached  such  a iioint 
that  no  AA'orking  man  was  to  be  found.  There  Axere  in  that  year 
72,000  Bretons  in  IlaAn*e.  FeAV  remained  in  the  congTegations, 
excejit  AviAms  and  children.  Until  of  late  years  Brittany  was  a 
land  almost  entirely  closed  against  iieAv  ideas.  A belief  in 
Avitches  and  fairies  generally  preATiiled,  while  a peculiar  adhes- 
iveness kept  the  Bretons  on  their  natlA^e  soil,  in  spite  of  hopeless 
poAmrty.  As  the  most  ignorant  of  the  Eoniaii  Catholics  CA^ery- 
Avherc^  declare  their  determination  to  die  in  the  felloAAship  of 
that  church  Avherein  they  AA^ere  baptized,  so  the  men  of  Brittany 
resoUTd  to  die  in  the  land  of  their  nativity;  and  young  Bretons 
Avho  AV(U(i  comiudled  to  serve  in  the  French  army  Avere  pro\mrbi- 
ally  alllict(‘d  Avith  homesickness,  and  Avonld  pine  aAAay  and 
di(‘,  nid(‘ss  tlu'y  wer(‘,  pc'iiuitted  to  A isit  occasionally  their  native 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  INJUSTICE. 


095 


shores  aud  mouiitaiiis.  But  Protestant  elmrches  and  schools 
have  taught  their  luiiids  to  rise  superior  to  inatter,  have  broad- 
ened their  views  of  the  terraciueous  globe,  and  fired  their  liearts 
with  the  spirit  of  modern  enterprise. 

The  progress  of  the  Breton  mission  is  slow.  In  1883  there 
were  only  four  stations : Morlaix,  St.  Briene,  Tremel  and  Brest, 
with  an  aggregate  membership  of  ninety-nine.  The  persecution 
has  been  most  i)ersistent  and  bitter.  Sometimes  converts  have 
suffered  so  many  annoyances  and  insults  from  their  relations, 
that  they  have  been  led  voluntarily  to  leave  their  native  place. 
Children  on  their  way  to  and  from  Baptist  schools  have  been 
called  reproachful  names  and  pursued  with  stones,  sticks  and 
dogs.  Priests  have  been  known  to  spit  in  the  face  of  a Bible 
colporteur.  One  of  the  oldest  members  of  the  church  in  Mor- 
laix,  an  industrous  and  successful  tradesman,  was  brought  to 
poverty  in  the  following  manner  : A body  of  teaching  friars 
came  and  built  a large  establishment  next  to  his  premises.  They 
acted  so  unneighborly  that  he  was  unwillingly  dragged  into  a long 
law-suit,  which  he  lost  both  on  a first  and  second  appeal.  The 
boast  of  their  head  man  was  that  he  would  send  that  Protestant 
a-begging.  It  proved  true,  for  he  was  literally  ruined  and  all  his 
property  sold  at  auction.  ^AYhen  I heard  the  result,’^  adds 
Mr.  Jenkins,  I called  on  our  good  brother's  lawyer,  and  asked 
for  some  explanations.  ^ I never,’  said  the  advocate,  ^ in  my  life 
met  with  such  a denial  of  justice.  The  poor  man  has  fiillen  a 
victim  to  tlie  sympathy  of  the  bench  for  the  clergy.  To  this  fact 
I ascribe  the  evident  bias  I have  noticed  throughout  the  case 
against  your  friend.’  ” This  piece  of  injustice  happened  in  the. 
year  1880,  and  while  Prance  was  in  the  enjoyment  of  a Ke])ubli- 
can  Government.  Xo  avowed  Protestant  can  expect  to  win  a 
cause,  however  just  it  may  be,  if  it  is  to  be  decided  by  a Bomau 
Catholic  judge  or  jury,  even  in  the  United  States.  This  conclu- 
sion is  not  dictated  by  prejudice,  but  by  a knowledge  of  estab- 
lished facts, 


090 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Ill  1883  there  were  in  Fnineci  niiui  liajitist  cliurehes,  witli  a 
nieinbersliii)  of  six  Iniiidred  and  seventy-two. 

For  some  y(‘ars  jiast  the  French  ])eoi)le  liave  sliown  a strong 
tendency  to  forsake  lloinainsm  and  tak(‘.  refuge,  some  in  Pro- 
testantism and  some  in  iidid(‘lity.  ‘Mt  i)roved  by  experience,” 
says  llev.  E.  (k  Mitchell,  1).  1).,  ^^that  the  attention  which  the 
people  gave  to  the  Gosiiel  whenevin-  it  was  preached,  was  act- 
ually far  more  ready  and  constant  than  Avas  gained  by  any 
infidel  or  atheistic  leader.”  In  1883  and  1884  the  French 
Eepnblic  AA'as  thought  to  be  passing  through  a moral  crisis 
which  seemed  to  be  detrimental  to  the  ])rogress  of  the  Gospel. 
A reaction,  as  often  before,  had  commenced  in  favor  of  the  Ihipal 
superstition.  Clerical  monarchists  are  once  more  erecting  wood- 
en crosses,  which  are  in  no  long  time  to  be  again  oonsumed  by 
the  bonfires  of  infidel  rejiiiblicans.  The  French  mission  AAas  in 
1883  afflicted  by  the  death  of  the  Itev.  Hector  Eoileau,  the 
esteemed  jiastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Montbeliard;  he  Avas 
also  editor  of  V Echo  de  la  Verite. 

HI 

In  1833  Prof.  Barnas  Sears  Avent  to  Germany  for  the  purpose 
of  pursuing  theological  studies  in  one  or  more  of  its  universities. 
He  Avas  iXMiuested  liy  the  Board  of  the  General  Convention  to 
inquire  and  report  concerning  the  condition  and  prospects  of 
the  Baptists  of  that  country.  Prof.  Sears  found  many  individuals 
holding  Baptist  sentiments  scattered  through  the  land.  Of 
these,  some  went  to  the  Lutheran  churches  j others  were  living 
a])art  from  any  Christian  congTegation ; while  some  were  wont 
to  meet  in  little  companies  here  and  there  privately  for  mutual 
edification.  In  the  city  of  Hamburg  he  found  a small  circle  of 
the  latter  descriiition.  They  AA^ere  seA^en  in  all,  and  among  them 
Avas  ^Ir.  J.  G.  Oncken.  They  reipiested  Prof.  Sears  to  baiitize 
them ; and  accordingly  they  crossed  the  Elbe  to  Altona  about  mid- 
niglit  on  the  2-Jd  of  April,  18:U,  and  AA'ere  baptized  ‘Linder  the 


THP:  BEGINNINO  in  GERMANY. 


697 


friendly  light  of  the  stars.”  A more  public  administration  of  the 
ordinance  would  not  have  been  permitted  by  the  authorities.  On 
the  day  following  they  were  organized  into  a church,  of  which 
Mr.  Oncken  was  soon  ordained  the  pastor  by  Mr.  Sears, 
Agreeably  to  the  recommendation  of  Mr.  Sears,  the  Board  in 
1835  appointed  Mr.  Oncken  their  missionary  for  Germany, 
together  with  Mr.  C.  F.  Lange.  They  were  directed  to  maintain 
l)ublic  Avorship  at  Hamburg,  to  distribute  tracts  and  Bibles,  and 
to  i)reach  in  Bremen,  Oldenburg  and  other  towns  in  ^7ortheru 
Germany.  In  pursuance  of  this  object,  they  hired  a room  in  the 
upper  story  of  a long  brick  building,  standing  with  its  side  to 
the  street.  The  work  prospered  beyond  expectation.  In  1836, 
fourteen  were  baptized,  one  of  whom,  Mr.  Kbbner,  Avas 
destined  to  take  an  important  part  in  the  advancement  of  the 
Gospel  in  Denmark.  A Jew  by  birth  and  an  engraver  by  trade, 
he  became  pastor  of  the  first  church  in  Copenhagen,-  and  the 
editor  of  the  hymn-book  used  by  the  Baptist  churches  in 
Germany.  He  also  prepared  a hymn-book  for  the  use  of  the 
churches  in  Denmark. i 

Within  little  more  than  four  years  from  the  beginning  of  the 
mission,  churches  Acere  constituted  at  Berlin,  at  Oldenburg  and 
at  Stuttgrat.  These  and  the  church  at  Hamburg  counted  in  all 
a hundred  and  tAventy  members.  Besides  these  many  had  been 
baptized  at  Marburg,  Javer  and  other  towns.  An  ingenious  and 
effective  system  of  tract  loan  distribution  was  adopted  and 
kept  in  active  oiAeration.  The  tracts  were  lent  to  the  individuals 
and  families.  By  loaning  rather  that  giving  away,  the  distribu- 
tor could  call  again  and  ask  the  reader’s  opinion  of  the  matter 
of  the  tract,  and  so  commence  a religious  talk. 

The  earliest  attemiAt  to  put  an  end  to  the  exertions  of  Mr. 
Oncken  and  his  associates,  Avas  in  September,  1837,  just  after 
eight  persons  had  been  baptized  and  added  to  the  church  at 

1.  This  man  of  mark  died  at  Berlin,  in  February,  1884, 

48 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPT  I ST  AIISSTONS. 


(>08 


nniiibur^’.  ('oitjplaiiits  iiindf*  to  .s(Miioi-  oftlo*,  Taithoran 
clergy  of  tlio  city.  Tliis  di^^oiitaiy,  al()ii«>’  witli  tin*.  S(aiato  of 
ITainbin  i;’,  ro(pi(*,s1  iiijj^  tlic  ijolicc  to  ])iit  a stop  to  their  ])roc(M*d- 
ings,  ]\lr.  ()ii('lv(‘ii  and  scvci*al  ni(*iid)(*is  of  the  cliiircJi  Avene 
suniinoned  l)efore  th(‘.  ina^istrat(‘.s  and  cpK'stioiicd  al)ont  their 
faitli  and  jnnctice,  particidarly  in  r(‘.s])ect  of  l)aptisin.  Xo  fiiad 
order,  lioAvevcT,  Avas  taken  aj^aiiist  tli(*m.  Tiideed  one  of  tin*. 
Senators,  a dosei)h  of  Ariinatliea  redivmis^  ^avi'/  tliein  counte- 
nance. r>nt  it  AAais  deein(‘d  prudent  to  administer  l)aptisni  on 
the  0])posite  side  of  the  Elbe,  in  the  neighboring  jnrisdiedion  of 
IlanoA’er.  Ent  as  the  ncAV  sect  aatis  more  and  more  talked  of, 
and  the  meetings  of  the  church  grcAA'  in  numbers  afid  interest, 
the  Senate  of  Trand)nrg  made  another  attem])t  to  sni)press  the 
heresy  and  schism.  It  issued  a decree  enjoining  the  Chief  of  the 
l^olice  to  inform  Mr.  Oncken  that  the  Senate  regarded  his  socaety 
as  a criminal  schism,  of  Avhich  he  AAais  the  sole  author,  and  to 
imdiibit  him  from  the  exercise  of  his  unauthorized  functions. 
AVhereupon  the  Board  of  the  General  Convention  and  the  church 
in  Hamburg  sent  a petition  to  tlie  Senate,  praying  that  Oncken 
and  his  associates  might  be  alloAA^ed  the  exercise  of  freedom  of  faith 
and  AA’orship. 

For  seA^eral  months  the  church  Axas  alloAved  to  continue  its 
l)nblic  serATces,  but  in  May,  1840,  Mr.  Oncken  Avas  arrested  and 
cast  into  prison.  One  of  the  members  of  the  church  Avas  also 
imx)risoned  for  alloAving  a religious  meeting  at  his  house.  The 
imprisonment  of  Mr.  Oncken  continued  for  four  AAX^eks.  On 
being  set  free,  his  furniture  Avas  sold  by  the  i)olice  in  order  to 
defray  the  charges  of  his  arrest  and  his  keeping  Avhile  in  prison. 
AVhile  on  a late  visit  to  Mr.  Oncken,  Eev.  Dr.  S.  F.  Smith  Avrote 
as  folloAvs : lie  took  me  to  the  vicinity  of  one  of  the  many 
canals'  Avhich  intersect  the  city  of  LTamburg,  fdthy  Avith  the 
diuiimge  of  the  (dty,  and  iminting  to  a grated  AvindoAV  in  the 
third  or  Ibiirth  story  of  a building,  formerly  the  city  jail,  he  said : 
On  lliati'oom  I wns  confim'd  for  thirty  days  for  the  testimony 


LUTHERAN  INTOLERANCE.  ()^)9 

of  Jesus  by  the  enemies  of  the  Gospel.^  His  coffee  and  food 
were  sent  him  from  Ids  home,  or  brought  in  by  members  of  the 
church  ayIio  were  not  forbidden  to  visit  him.  lie  spent  his  time 
in  reading  and  in  i)rayer,  and  in  writing  letters  to  various  parts 
of  Germany  5 and  thus  labored  in  his  conflnement  for  the  King- 
dom of  God.  It  was  not  a profitless  or  gloomy  imx)risonment. 
On  the  contrary,  to  use  his  own  words,  ^That  whole  month  was 
one  long  Sabbath  of  communion  with  Christ  and  with  God,  and 
Avitli  the  saints  on  earth  and  in  heaven.^  Then  we  went  around 
to  another  side  of  the  jailj  and  he  pointed  out  a narrow  and 
loathsome  room  in  the  lowest  story,  saying:  ^In  that  base- 
ment, the  most  unclean  and  ill-smelling  dungeon  in  which  a 
human  being  was  ever  confined,  I spent  weeks  of  a second 
imprisonment  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.’  His  health  gave 
way  under  the  suff’ering  and  malaria  to  which  he  was  exposed. 
He  petitioned  the  Senate  of  Hamburg  that  he  might  be  released 
for  a season,  promising  t^  return  when  his  health  should  be 
restored  and  finish  his  term  of  imprisonment.  But  his  jailers 
had  no  mercy.” 

When  these  persecutions  became  known  to  the  Board  of  the 
General  Convention,  they  appointed  the  Bev.  Dr.  Welch,  of 
Albany,  to  proceed  to  Washington  to  confer  with  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  and  to  obtain  his  influence  with  the  Gov- 
ernment of  Hamburg  in  behalf  of  the  oppressed  and  iiersecuted 
Baptists  of  that  city.  And  accordingly  the  American  Consul 
at  Hamburg  was  instructed  to  lay  this  grievance  before  the 
proper  authorities.  Memorials  were  likewise  prepared,  and, 
signed  by  distinguished  names  in  the  United  vStates,  in  England 
and  Scotland,  were  iiresented  to  the  Senate  of  the  city.  A depu- 
tation from  the  Baptists  of  England  went  over  to*  Hamburg  to 
plead  the  cause  of  their  iiersecuted  co-religionists.  Such  depu- 
tations seldom  further  a good  cause.  What  cannot  be  accom- 
plished through  ambassadors,  consuls  and  official  correspond- 
ence, can  rarely  be  brought  about  in  any  other  way.  These 


700 


THE  STOJIY  OE  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


represpiitatious  ai)pear  to  liave  Iiad  a ^ood  oOpct  so  far  as  tin* 
clnircli  ill  llainliiug  was  concerned,  Init  liad  little  inllnencci  in 
other  iiarts  of  Germany.  Persecution  still  continued  in  Olden- 
burg, Berlin,  and  other  cities  of  J’rnssiaj  at  Stuttgart  and  in 
several  towns  of  Hesse,  Bavaria  and  Pomerania.  Even  in  the 
Kingdom  of  Hanover,  the  Baptists  suffered  ofiicial  annoyance. 
It  Mas,  it  M ill  be  remembered,  Mithin  the  limits  of  this  kingdom 
that  Mr.  Oncken  and  six  others  M^ere  baptized.  By  reason  of  its 
connections  Mutli  England,  it  mtis  thought  religious  liberty  might 
there  be  enjoyed.  But  even  there  some  Mere  imiuisoned  and 
others  suffered  the  confiscation  of  their  property.  In  Berlin 
baptisms  in  the  open  air  M^ere  prohibited.  In  Hesse  the  disciples 
Mwe  fined  and  banished.  In  Bavaria  they  m ere  forced  to  meet  in 
great  secrecy.  In  many  cases  the  converts  Mere  comiielled  to 
carry  their  children  for  sprinkling  to  the  ministers  of  the  national 
church.  These  acts  of  intolerance,”  says  the  eloquent  historian 
of  missions.  Prof.  Gammell,  ‘Gvere  ^he  bitter  yet  unfailing  fruits 
of  the  vicious  principle  engrafted  upon  the  constitutions  of  these 
several  States,  by  Mdiich  the  Government  mtis  clothed  M'ith 
authority  to  prescribe  the  religious  faith,  as  M^ell  as  to  protect 
the  persons  and  property  of  its  subjects, — a ininciple  Mdiich,  in 
M’hatever  tiart  of  the  M'orld  it  has  been  recognized,  has  uniformly 
been  iiroductive  of  the  most  disastrous  and  iniquitous  results.” 
It  has  been  thought  that  the  fact  that  these  Baptist  disciples 
M^ere  for  the  most  part  of  the  humbler  classes  of  society,  may 
serve  to  explain  the  readiness  Muth  which  the  magistrates  inflicted 
the  penalties  of  the  hiM^  It  seems  strange  to  us  that  as  late  as 
1842,  not  only  the  magistrates,  but  the  Lutheran  clergy,  and 
learned  professors  and  authors  of  world-Mude  renown  in  the  cap- 
ital (jf  Ih’ussia,  should  have  been  so  sIom"  to  reduce  to  practice 
the  doctrine  of  Boger  Williams  concerning  the  liberty  of  the  soul. 

But  intolerance  Avas  not  confined  to  the  higher  sections  of 
German  society.  When  Mr.  Oncken  and  his  coadjutors  com- 
imoiced  their  labors,  tlui  Iom  estof  the  people  Avere  quite  as  uurea- 


LUTHERAN  INTOLERANCE. 


701 


sonable  in  their  bigotry  as  clergymen  and  learned  iirofessors. 
Some  years  since^  Mr.  Oneken  \Yas  one  day  showing  an  American 
friend  the  hall  in  which  he  first  iireached  at  Hamburg,  There,” 
said  he,  I have  stood  and  preached  the  Gospel  till  every  iiane 
of  glass  in  the  windows  was  broken  by  the  stones  thrown  by  the 
mobj  and  at  the  risk  of  my  life  proclaimed  the  wonders  of 
redeeming  grace  and  dying  love.” 

In  1837  Mr.  Oneken  visited  Berlin,  and  held  meetings  for  sev- 
eral weeks.  Here  he  baj)tized  Mr.  G.  W.  Lehmann,  his  wife 
and  four  others.  These  were  organized  into  a church,  and  Mr. 
Lehmann,  who  was  chosen  their  pastor,  was  in  1841  sent  over  to 
England  to  be  ordained,  in  order,  we  are-  told,  to  secure  a 
higher  respect  for  his  ministerial  character.  But  in  no  long 
time  he  was  compelled  to  share  the  punishments  wliich  both 
Church  and  State  inflicted  on  his  fellow  Baptists  in  other  parts 
of  Germany.  It  is  right  to  add,  however,  that  the  Baptists  of 
Berlin  were  treated  with  far  greater  toleration  than  in  the 
smaller  towns  of  the  kingdom.  This  may  have  been  owing  in 
part  to  the  influence  of  citizens  of  England  and  America,  who 
resided  temporarily  at  the  Prussian  capital.  In  1842  a decree 
was  passed  allowing  the  Baptists  of  Prussia  to  assemble  as  a 
religions  community,  but  not  as  a chnrclij  also  permitting  the 
administration  of  the  sacraments,  provided  that  it  were  done 
lirivately,  and  that  all  baj)tisms  were  reported  to  the  rector  of 
the  iiarish  and  the  headquarters  of  the  police. 

The  church  in  Berlin  has  flourished  markedly  under  the  care 
of  Mr.  Lehmann.  In  1877  the  church  numbered  109  members; 
it  now  counts  about  600.  In  ilovember,  1861,  the  present  place 
of  worship  in  Schmidt  Strasse  was  dedicated.  The  services  of 
the  occasion  showed  that  a great  change  had  taken  place  in 
public  sentiment.  Ponr-and-twenty  years  before  it  was  neces- 
sary to  worship  in  secret  and  to  baptize  in  the  shade  of  night. 
Kow  the  church  dared  to  invite  the  King  and  Queen,  as  well  as 
the  Prince  and  Princess ; and  a deputation  was  present  from  the 


702 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


City  Oouiieil,  in  the  insignia  of  office.  TIk*.  cliaix*!  is  a loiij;  l)rick 
building,  two  stories  high,  standing  side  to  the  street,  and 
l)ainted  of  a buff  color.  Along  the  entire  sid(‘.  is  ])ainted,  in  black 
German  letters,  the  motto,  ^AVe  preach  Christ  crucifunl.”  A 
year  later,  the  church  celebrated  its  twenty-fifth  anniversary  in 
connection  with  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Prussian  Association. 
iNIr.  Lehmann  visited  England  several  times,  to  collect  funds  for 
the  i)oor  churches  of  Germany,  and  always  returned  with  sub- 
stantial proofs  of  the  interest  their  Pritisli  bndhren  took  in  the 
])rogress  of  Divine  truth  and  grace.  In  his  Pecollections  of  the 
German  Mission,  i Lev.  Dr.  Smith  describes  the  Sunday  services 
of  this  church  : ^G>n  the  Lord’s  day,  towards  evening,  I joined 
the  company  of  worshi])pers  who  filled  the  chai)el.  Their  aj)* 
pearance  indicated  that  most  of  them  belonged  to  the  laboring 
classes 5 but  they  showed  a cheerfulness  and  solemnity,  a glad- 
ness to  meet  together  for  the  worship  of  God,  which  made  it 
evident  that  their  hearts  were  in  the  service.  Christian  love 
seemed  to  beam  in  every  eye  and  to  hallow  every  motion.  The  pul- 
l)it  was  too  high  by  at  least  four  or  live  feet,  removing  the  preacher 
too  far  above  the  congregation.  In  front  was  a wide  i)latform, 
under  which  1 found  later  was  the  baptistery.  Mr.  Lehmann, 
the  father,  preached  on  the  occasion.  Ilis  quick  eye  discovered 
me  in  the  congregation  5 and  he  referred  affectionately  in  his  prayer 
to  the  stranger  from  across  the  sea.  After  the  iniblic  worship,  a 
church-meeting  was  held,  at  which,  after  other  business,  a young 
woman,  a fair-haired  Saxon,  was  examined  as  a candidate  for 
ba])tism.  A chair  was  placed  for  her,  on  the  platform  near  the 
])astor5  and  in  a clear,  distinct  voice,  and  in  a manner  perfectly 
s(‘lf-])ossessed,  she  gave  the  reasons  of  the  hope  that  was  in  her. 
1 discovered,  from  her  relation,  that  she  found  her  x>Jithway  to 
Cliiist  not  without  difficulties,  having  met  with  opposition  in 
her  family^  but  she  had  found  peace  in  believing.  Her  exi)eri- 


1.  MisKionjiry  Sketches,  ])i).  371  to  373. 


REMARKABLE  ACCESSIONS  IN  TURKEY. 


703 


ence  bad  the  true  ring  of  the  Gospel j and  it  was  evident  tbatj 
ill  tlie  words  of  Leigh  Kiclimoud,  ^Though  some  men  are  black 
and  some  are  white,  true  Christianity  is  all  of  one  color.’  After 
service,  in  company  with  a few  friends,  I spent  an  hour  or  two  in 
the  family  of  the  pastor,  in  delightful  Christian  conimnnion. 
‘They  did  eat  their  bread  Avitli  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart, 
praising  God,  and  having  favor  with  all  the  iieople.’  ” 

IMr.  Lehmann  iiassed  to  the  church  triumphant  February  21st, 
1882,  in  the  eighty-third  year  of  his  age.  Ilis  son  Joseph  is  an 
ordained  minister,  and  was  associated  Avitli  his  father  in  the  pas- 
toral care  of  the  church.  He  speaks  English  excellently  well, 
having  received  his  theological  education  in  England.  He  suc- 
ceeds his  father  as  iiastor  of  the  church. 

At  the  eighth  Triennial  Conference,  held  in  July,  1870,  the 
German  Baptists  were  reported  to  have  entered  all  the  quarters 
of  the  globe.  As  early  as  1859  they  had  gone  across  the  German 
States,  from  the  North  Sea  to  Bussia,  and  from  the  Baltic  almost 
to  Italy.  In  18G5  they  sent  a jnissionary  to  British  Caftfaria,  in 
South  Africa 5 in  1867  they  sent  a missionary  to  China.  In  1866 
the  Gospel  entered  Kurland,  in  Eussia.  Ten  families  of  the 
Eussian  Baptists  were  in  1865  driven  by  persecution  into 
Turkey.  Of  these,  some  were  banished  by  Eussia  and  others 
left  of  their  own  accord.  Crossing  the  boundary,  they  found 
that  refuge  in  the  shadow  of  the  Crescent,  which  was  not 
enjoyed  beneath  the  shade  of  the  Greek  Cross.  These  exiles 
and  emigrants  were  attended  by  the  power  of  the  Divine  Spirit, 
and  a revival  drew  to  their  comxiany  the  Lutherans  of  that 
region,  so  that  the  Lutheran  chapels  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
Baptists  and  their  bells  were  rung  to  call  all  the  population  to 
Baptist  worshixi. 

But,  in  spite  of  xiersecution,  the  Baptists  made  jirogress  in 
Eussia.  In  1863,  two  hundred  and  forty  were  baptized  in  the 
dominions  of  the  Czar.  In  1867  it  was  reported  that  there  were 
three  churches,  numbering  857  members,  flourishing  in  Middle 


704 


TIIK  STOKV  OF  FAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


Kussia.  Ten  yeai\s  later,  the  llnssian  r>ai)ti.sts  imitilxM'CMl  :i,0.S(;. 

Tlie  outposts  of  tlie  lunv  relif»ious  luoviunent  during  th(‘. 

Ilussa-Turkisli  war,  found  to  luivc  keen  advaueed  as  far  as  Tiflis 
or  Tetiis,  tlie  cajiital  city  of  Georgia  and  of  all  Itussiaii  Traiis- 
Caucasia.  The  origin  of  the  churedi  in  that  land  of  Ghristian 
twilight  is  replete  with  iuterest.  A German  lirother  and  his  wife 
had  settled  there  and  liegnn  to  preaeli  to  the  jieojde.  Jn  no  long 
time  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  on  their  ])ious  examide  and  testi- 
mon}’ gathered  seventy  disciples.  A young  man  from  among  them, 
called  to  the  ministry,  went  to  Hamburg  to  finish  his  theological 
education.  After  ordination,  he  returned  to  his  native  land  to 
preach  the  Gospel.  Many  believed,  of  whom  several  were 
baptized  by  him,  and  among  them  his  oAvn  father.  At  the  time 
of  the  war,  several  members  of  the  Bajitist  commnnity  ottered 
their  services  as  nurses  in  the  army.  The  document  in  which 
they  made  their  otter  Avas  iniblished  in  the  newspapers  by  order 
of  the  Governor,  so  that  the  existence  of  the  Baptist  church  in 
Tihis  was  officially  recognized.  At  the  latest  accounts,  this 
Georgian  pastor  had  set  out  on  a tour  to  the  eastward  of 
Tihis,  in  the  region  of  the  Caspian  Sea  and  Mount  Ararat. 

During  the  fifty  years  of  its  operations,  the  German  Baptist 
^Mission  has  gone  steadily  forward  until  the  present  time,  Avhen 
it  numbers  157  churches,  in  eleven  associations,  Avith  more  than 
30,000  members.  ^‘The  missionaries  and  churches  thus  con- 
nected,” says  Prof.  Fetzer,  of  the  ITamburg  Biblical  School, 
^‘niay  be  found  in  the  extremes  of  European  Eussia,  near  the 
Ural  monntains,  and  in  the  Caucasus  not  far  from  the  Persian 
borders;  in  Turkey,  Bulgaria,  Eoumania,  Galicia,  Ilungaiy, 
Jhilaiid,  SAvitzerland,  Jlolland  and  Denmark;  thus  AAorking 
among  a jiojmlation  of  perhaps  two  hundred  millions.  In  nearly 
lift(‘(‘u  hundred  clti(‘S  and  villages  is  the  AAuird  of  God  regularly 
])reaclicd;  and  in  at  least  seAuwal  thousand  difierent  places  are 
j)(M)ph*.  living  Avlio  hold  lirndy  the  temds  ol‘  baptists,  and  Avhoare 
oxcrcisiiig,  by  (li(‘,  z(‘al  tiny  manifest,  au  incalculable  inlluence 


ONCivEN,  THE  GERMAN  Al'OSTl.E. 


705 


upon  tlionsauds  of  their  fellow  iiien.  If  our  work  shall  continue 
to  spread  thus,  our  brethren  will  soon  he  able  to  Join  hands 
with  the  Baptists  working  in  Italy  and  Constantinople,  a city 
from  which  they  are  not  very  far  away.”  During  the  year  the 
two  oldest  Baptist  workers,  Oncken  and  Kbbner,  were  called 
home.  The  loss  is  felt  very  muchj  but  who  dares  to  say  that 
they  have  not  deserved  their  rest? 

The  Kev.  John  Gerhard  Oncken  has  been  styled  the  Apostle 
of  the  German  Baptists.  He  Avas  born  at  Yarel,  in  the  Grand 
Duchy  of  Oldenburg,  January  2(>th,  1800.  In  early  youth  he 
went  to  England,  Avhere  he  married,  was  converted,  and  became 
an  earnest -Christian  worker.  In  1823  he  was  sent  back  to  Ger- 
many as  a missionary  of  the  British  Continental  Society.  His 
first  labors  were  be- 
stowed on  Hamburg 
and  Bremen,  and  in 
the  province  of  East 
Frisia.  In  1828  he  left 
the  service  of  the  Oon- 
tinental  Society,  and 
opened  a book-store 
in  Hamburg,  as  agent 
of  the  Edinburgh  Bi- 
ble Society  and  the 
Lower  Saxony  Tract 
Society.  Although  he 
had  not  received  a col- 
legiate education,  he 
had  made  large  ac- 
quisitions in  linguistic 
lore,  and  had  a good 
knowledge  of  theology.  Turning  his  attention  to  the  subject  of 
Bai)tism,  he  concluded,  after  diligent  study,  that  immersion  is 
the  Scripture  ordinance,  and  waited  for  an  opportunity  to  receive 


Rev.  J.  G.  Oncken. 


700 


THE  STOllY  OE  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


it.  On  tlio  occasion  of  tlic  visit/)f  Prof.  liarnas  Scars  to  llain- 
l)nrg,  lie  and  six  others  were  l)aptized  at  niidiii^lit  in  tlie  river 
Elbe,  o])])osite  IIanil)nrg,  Avithin  the  Jurisdiction  of  lliinover. 
The  little  company  being  the  next  day  orgaidzed  into  a churchy 
Mr.  Oncken  aatis  chosen  their  jiastor. 

lie  AAas  twice  inijirisoned  in  Hamburg — in  1840  and  in  184.*^. 
Mr.  Oncken  always  remained  ])astor  of  thechnr(;h  in  Iland)U'i^  — 
the  first  Oermaii  BajitivSt  church  after  the  American  ])attern. 

]\[r.  Oncken  freipiently  Ausited  England  to  solicit  funds  for  his 
YQTy  expenslAm  missionary  undertakings,  Avhich  embraced  not 
only  the  employment  of  ])reachers  and  <iol[)orteiirs,  but  the  oper- 
ations of  a ])rinting-h(mse  and  the  building  of  chain*! s as  a\t*I1. 
In  1853  he  Aisited  the  United  States  for  the  purpose  of  collecting 
funds  for  building  chapels  in  Germany.  He  traAa*lled  exten- 
sively in  the  Eastern  and  AUestern  States.  He  was  on  the  train 
of  cars  that  plunged  into  the  riA^er  near  iS'orwalk,  Conn.  Many 
were  hurt  and  some  killed.  He  receiAmd  an  injury  in  his  foot 
and  ankle  which  disabled- him  for  many  AA^eeks.  He  remained  in 
this  country  tifteen  months.  The  Executive  Committee  of  the 
Board  of  the  Union  voted  to  aid  his  mission  in  erecting  chapels 
to  the  extent  of  $8,000  a year  for  five  years.  In  1805  he  Adsited 
the  United  States  the  second  time. 

In  1859,  on  the  anniversary  of  the  baptism  of  Mr.  Oncken  and 
the  formation  of  the  churcli  in  Hamburg,  a half-jubilee  festiAuil 
Avas  held  in  the  church  at  Hamburg.  On  the  Avail  behind  the 
pul])it,  in  two  circles  of  eA^ergreen,  were  displayed  the  figures  7 
and  7,000 — a memorial  record  of  the  groAvtli  of  the  mission.  He 
has  Ausited  many  parts  of  Germany,  Henmark,  Austria,  Hun- 
gary, Turkey,  Bussia  and  other  nations  of  Europe.  AAdien  he 
Avas  lat(‘ly  au sited  by  Bca^  Dr.  S.  E.  Smith,  he  Avas  found  enfee- 
l)hMl  in  body  and  mind,  but  rejoicing  in  the  progress  of  the  mis- 
sion, and  esi)ecially  that  the  Gospel  has  free  course  in  Bussia. 

Tin*,  soul  of  Mr.  Om^ken  stretched  its  Avings  for  the  land  of 
unfading  day,  at  /uricli,  Switzerland,  January  2d,  1884. 


CHAPTER  LII. 


MISSIONS  IN  DENMARK,  NOE  WAY,  AND  SIYEDEN. 

I. — Denmark. — Oncken’s  Visit  to  Copenhagen. — The  Opposition  of  the 
Clergy  and  Magistrates. — Arrest  and  Imprisonment  of  Mr.  Moesnster. — 
Ariests  and  Fines. — The  Sympathy  of  British  and  American  Baptists 
Enlisted. — Two  English  Quakers  Plead  their  Cause. — Professors  Conant 
and  Hackett  Visit  Copenhagen. — Fishes  Allowed  to  Live  Provided  they 
will  Keep  Away  from  Water. — Baptists  were  to  Allow  their  Children  to 
be  Sprinkled,  and  were  Required  to  Pay  the  Usual  Fees  to  the  Clergy. — 
A Church  in  the  Netherlands. — The  Progress  of  the  Baptists  in  Germany, 

Denmark  and  Elsewhere. II. — Norway. — The  Northmen,  their  Early 

History  and  Character. — The  Origin  of  the  Baptist  Churches. — A Swedish 
Basket-maker. — A Church  at  Tromsoe. — Six  Baptist  Churches  in  1868. — 
The  Growth  of  the  Churches  in  Eight  Years. — The  Visit  of  Mr.  Hubert 
to  the  United  States. — A Great  Revival  in  Norway  in  1883. — This  Mis- 
sion is  Chiefly  under  the  Patronage  of  British  Baptists. — The  Churches 

Hold  to  Strict  Communion. — The  Influence  of  Sweden  and  America. 

III. — Sweden. — Individual  Exertions. — Mariners’  Baptist  Church  in 
New  York. — Messrs.  Schroeder  and  Nilsson. — Mr.  Wiberg. — Nilsson  Ban- 
ished, Goes  to  America. — The  Hamburg  Baptists.— A Sketch  of  Wiberg. — 
Palmquist. — Broady  and  Edgren. — Influence  of  the  Missions  in  India. — 
The  Work  in  Finland. — The  Missionary  Spirit  among  the  Swedish  Bap- 
tists.— Statistics  and  Emigration. — The  Progress  of  the  Baptists  in  Lap- 
land. 

I. 

HE  origin  and  growth  of  the  denomination  in  Denmark 
merits  a separate  examination.  Mr.  Oncken  first  Adsited 
Copenhagen  in  the  Antnmn  of  1831).  One  of  his  assistants  had 
gone  before  him  in  the  Summer  of  the  same  year,  and  had  rallied 
a small  nnmber  of  believers.  These  ]Vlr.  Oncken  baptized  and 
formed  into  a chnreh.  The  report  of  these  proceedings  was 
published  thronghont  Denmark,  and  caused  a general  commo- 
tion. It  was  proAa)king  that  tliese  adventnrers  should  prononnce 
the  baptism  of  infants  nnscriptnral  and  void.  The  missionaries 
and  their  disciples  were  denounced  as  the  successors  of  the  Ana- 
baptists of  Miinster.  The  leading  clergy  wrote  letters  to  the 


708 


'I'lIK  STORY  OF  RAI’TIS'P  MISSIONS. 


more  r(‘iiiote  Lutlieran  pastors  and  tli(‘ir  (*lnir(0i(‘s,  warning  tliein 
against  tlie  Baptists  as  jmaiiiilj^fators  of  lieresy,  disorder  and 
lawlessness. 

Tlie  ma;;»istrates  eaine  to  the  aid  of  the  alarmed  and  indignant 
clergy.  The  little  church  and  their  ])astor  w(*re  one  hy  one  sum- 
moned hefore  the  court,  and  s(‘areJdngly  (piestioned.  Tiny 
were  then  called  together  and  warned  hy  tlie  Public  Impiisitor, 
who,  while  discharging  his  oftieJal  duty,  (confessed  that  they  had 
proved  tliemselves,  not  a band  of  fauatics  and  deceivers  as  he 
expected,  but  persons  of  hrm  principles  and  most  Cliristian  tem- 
])ers.  The  atfair  being  referred  to  the  Department  of  8tat(‘,  a 
decree  was  promulgated  in  April,  18t0,  that  their  meetings 
should  be  discontinued,  and  that  they  should  abstain  from 
administering  tlie  Lord’s  Supper,  and  from  everytliing  relating 
to  re-baptism.”  But  meetings  were  held  in  inivate,  new^  com 
verts  were  baptized,  and  other  churches  siirang  up.  The  church 
at  Copenhagen  tlie  same  year  grew^  to  the  number  of  thirty- 
two,  while  their  pastor,  Bev.  Peter  Moenster,  and  Mr.  Oncken 
w’ere  hunted  by  the  police,  and  rewmrds  offered  for  their  appre- 
hension. In  the  autumn  of  1840  the  pastor  and  his  brother, 
Bev.  Adolph  Moenster,  wxre  arrested  and  imprisoned.  The 
former,  being  banished  the  kingdom,  refused  to  leave  his  native 
land,  and  was  in  conseipience  sentenced  to  a long  term  of  imi)ris- 
onment.  Severe  penalties  were  also  inflicted  on  many  members 
of  the  church  in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom.  Besides  fines 
and  arrests,  it  was  decreed  by  the  King  that  their  children 
should  be  sprinkled  by  the  Lutheran  ministers,  in  order  that 
‘^they  might  not  be  debarred  the  blessing  of  immediate  admis- 
sion into  the  Christian  church.” 

Tills  intolerance  had  now  come  to  be  intolerable.  Mr.  Oncken 
th(U‘(*for(5  r(‘Solved  to  go  over  to  England,  and  enlist  the  sym- 
])athi(‘S  of  his  P>ritish  brethren  in  behalf  of  their  Danish  co- 
r(‘ligjonisfs.  1I(‘.  obtaiiUMl,  from  English  Bajitist  pastors  of 
disfinctlon,  (M*rt ilicafi's  d(‘(daring  that  tiny  regarded  fhe  Danish 


TRIBULATIONS  IN  DENMARK. 


709 


Baptists  as  tlieir  own  bretlireiij  and  their  cliiirclies  as  re![>iilar 
and  well-ordered  eliurclies  of  Christ.  He  also  procured  sim- 
ilar certilicates  from  the  United  States.  In  the  eourse  of  the 
Summer  of  1841,  a deputation  from  the  British  Baptists  went 
to  Denmark,  and  were  introduced  at  court.  Two  philanthropic 
members  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  Mr.  Joseph  J.  Gurney, 
and  his  sister,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Fry,  at  that  time  on  a visit 
at  Copenhagen,  joined  their  voices  to  those  of  the  deputation 
in  pleading  the  cause  of  oppressed  and  imprisoned  Baptists. 
But  no  change  was  made  in  the  policy  of  the  Government.  In 
November  in  the  same  year,  the  two  Moensters  were  indeed  lib- 
erated, but  they  were  directed  to  abstain  from  all  further  exer- 
cise of  their  ministry. 

Another  attempt  to  alleviate  the  condition  of  the  Danish  Bap- 
tists, Avas  made  by  the  Boards  of  the  Convention  and  the 
American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  ayIio  requested  Professors 
Couant  and  Hackett,  at  that  time  ( 1842  ) in  Germany,  to  repair 
to  Copenhagen  and  communicate  with  the  church  and  its  pas- 
tor, and  again  petition  the  King.  At  the  time  of  their  visit 
the  King  was  absent  from  his  palace,  but  the  Estates  were  in 
session,  and  Messrs.  Conant  and  Hackett  held  interviews  with 
many  of  the  members.  These  learned  gentlemen  were  patterns  ' 
of  iirudence  and  courtesy;  their  clear,  dispassionate  and  well- 
considered  statements  made  favorable  impressions.  The  result 
of  these  foreign  influences  ayus  that  the  King,  in  December  of 
the  same  year,  put  forth  what  AYas  termed  a ^^Law  of  Amnesty.” 
It  declares  that  forasmuch  as  the  Baptists  hold  doctrines  AYliich 
difier  from  those  of  the  Augsburg  Confession,  they  cannot  be 
allowed  the  free  exercise  of  their  religious  rites  in  the  kingdom. 
It,  however,  allows  them  to  establish  a separate  church  in  Fred- 
ericia,  a fortified  town  in  Jutland,  thus  banishing  them  from  a 
city  of  50,000  inhabitants  to  one  of  7,000.  It  likewise  grants  Bap- 
tists in  other  parts  of  the  realm  the  right  to  assemble  iirivately  for 
AYorship,  and  to  administer  the  Lord's  Siqiiier,  but  it  forbids  the 


710 


THE  STOKY  OE  HAPTLST  HUSSIONS. 


adniiiiistratioii  of  baptism,  and  n^ipiires  them  to  liavc.  llmii- 
childnm  baptized  by  tlH‘,  ])arisli  minister,  within  tier  a^(‘,  jnc 
seribed  l)y  law.  Tlie  Kin,i;’s  eone(*ssion  }imoiint(‘d  to  this:  Vo 
that  are  hslies  may  remain  tishes;  but  yon  ar(‘.  not  allow(Ml,  under 
any  pretense,  to  flop  and  Ixmnee  near  any  deep  and  oj)en  wat(ir. 

This  little  Kin^  of  a little  kingdom  did  not  eommend  his  opin- 
ions to  all  his  subjeets.  Many  individuals  in  jniblie  stations,  we 
are  told,  and  even  some  Lntheran  elergymen,  d(‘elared  in  favor 
of  tolerating  13a})tists;  some  of  the  public  Journals  advocated 
their  cause,  and  pamphleteers  Avrote  in  their  defence.  i The 
Baptists  did  not  and  conld  not  coniine  their  exertions  to  Fred- 
ericia,  bnt  went  wherever  they  saAV  an  oi)en  door.  They  were, 
hoAvever,  subject  to  line  and  imprisonment 5 the  ministers  were 
throAvn  into  prison  for  administering  baptism;  children  of  Ba])- 
tists  Avere  taken  by  the  police  to  be  sprinkled  by  the  parish 
clergy,  and  on  their  refusal  to  paj^  the  fees  demanded  for  sprink- 
ling, they  Avere  strii)ped  of  their  goods.  They  Avere  exposed  to 
these  annoyances  and  exactions  until  1850,  Avhen  they  began  to 
enjoy  religions  liberty.  In  January,  1819,  an  Association  Avas 
formed  in  Denmark;  in  1805  another  Avas  organized.  At  the 
close  of  1877  the  Danish  churches  nnmbered  2,111.  These 
churches,  like  many  others  in  Europe,  suffer  loss  from  emigra- 
tion and  also  from  i)opnlar  ignorance.  The  majority  of  the 
Danish  Baptists  are  opposed  to  ministerial  education.  lYere 
Jesns  noAv  among  them,  they  would  probably  oppose  his  disci- 
ples for  folloAving  Him  three  years  as  their  Teacher. 

ilot  only  in  Denmark,  bnt  in  other  sections,  the  Kingdom  of 
Christ  commenced  through  the  agency  of  the  German  mission. 
Tims,  in  1809  the  first  church  in  the  Netherlands  was  constituted 
at  Haarlem,  and  in  1875  a church  Avas  organized  in  St.  Peters- 
burg. 

The  progress  of  AAdiat  has  been  appropriately  styled  the  Sec- 
ond Beformation,^’  to  be  adecpiately  traced,  must  be  vieAAxnl  in  the 

].  Ja-of.  Oainiiiell’s  “ Ilistoiy  of  Missions,”  pp,  277-292. 


GRATIFYINa  FRUITS  OF  THE  GERMAN  MISSION. 


711 


light  of  tlie  following  facts:  In  1834  a church  was  organized  in 
Ilainburg,  consisting  of  seven  members.  In  1859  the  church  had 
become  7,000.  In  1840  there  had  been  established  in  four  of  the 
German  States,  and  in  Denmark,  six  churches,  containing  about 
200  mend)ers5  in  1845  there  were  thirteen  churches  in  seven  dif- 
ferent States  of  Germany,  besides  three  in  Denmark,  numbering 
in  all  nearly  1,500.  At  the  close  of  1877  there  were  in  Germany 
15,287  members  5 in  Austria,  eighty-one  j in  Denmark,  2,114;  in 
Holland,  109;  in  Switzerland,  403;  in  Poland,  1,748;  in  Kussia, 
3,C8G;  in  Turkey,  150;  in  South  Africa,  447;  total,  24,033.  In 
1881  the  aggregate  Avas  28,038.  More  than  a thousand  are  annu- 
ally lost  by  emigratiou. 

The  German  Baptists  held  a jubilee  at  Hamburg  in  Ai)ri], 
1884.  In  the  Baptist  church,  ou  the  Avail  back  of  the  pulpit, 
rested  on  a bracket  a bust  of  Dr.  Oncken.  AboA^e  it  was  an 
open  scroll,  with  the  following  record:  ^M834,  7 members;  1859, 
1,290  inembers ; 1884,  2,180  members.” 

These  facts  and  figures  are  derived  in  part  Irom  the  reports  of 
the  German  Baptist  Union,  composed  of  churches  in  the  coun- 
tries already  mentioned.  The  American  ]\Iissionary  Union  does 
not  claim  the  honor  of  being  alone  in  advancing  the  Second 
Keformation”  in  Germany.  It  desires  that  it  may  be  ^Ginder- 
stood  that,  while  assistance  from  America  has  been  a poAverful 
element  in  the  origin  and  progress  of  the  Baptist  cause  in  these 
countries,  much  credit  is  also  due  to  the  efforts  of  the  German 
churches,  and  to  the  benevolence  of  the  English  Baptists,  ayIio 
have  rendered  important  aid  to  their  German  brethren.” 

II. 

Our  missions  in  UorAvay  and  SAveden  have  been  carried  for- 
ward among  a hardy  race,  the  Scandinavians,  the  fierce  and 
warlike  Northmen  Avho,  in  the  Dark  Ages,  ravaged  Avitli  their 
naval  exiieditions  the*  coasts  of  England  and  France.  Under 
the  reigns  of  Charles  the  Bold  and  Charles  the  Eat,  they 
ascended  the  livers  of  France,  captured  many  towns,  and  plun- 


TII  Fi  S'l’OIJY  OF  HAF'I'ISI'  MISSIONS, 


Coast  Scene,  Norway. 

Nu\vliei(‘>  is  there  a better  example  of  the  formative  effects,  on 
a l aev,  of  tlie  earth’s  coiiffguratioii,  tliaii  that  \vhich  is  furnished 
by  the  coast  of  Xorway.  Sh(‘lt(‘red  in  part  by  a cliain  of  more 
Ilian  a ImmlrtMl  islands  from  the  storms  of  the  Atlantic,  the 


der(‘d  Paris  itsi'lf.  Their  skill  as  navi^^ators  irnnh*  them  masters 
of  the  seas,  and  a i^reat  scouij^e  to  the  slior(‘s  of  I^h'anc-f*.  At 
first  their  retreat  Avas  purchasial  with  K<>ld,  but  in  1)12  (hiarh‘s 
the  Simple  was  compelled  to  cede  to  them  that  ])art  of  the  kin^^- 
dom  which  afterwards  took  the  name  of  A'ormandy,  and  to  give 
his  daughter  in  marriage  to  Kollo,  th(*ir  (dii(‘f.  Piom  this  race 
proceeded  the  soldiers  avIio,  in  lOhh,  under  William,  Duki*,  of 
Normandy,  invaded  Kugland  and  raised  William  to  the  Bi  itish 
throne. 


PROGRESS  TOWARD  THE  NORTH  POLE. 


713 


inhabitants  found  their  coasts  to  be  a school  for  the  most  skillful 
and  daring  sailors  in  the  world.  Let  the  reader,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  any  good  map,  trace  this  marvellous  chain  of  islands, 
serving  as  a partial  breakwater  to  a long,  bold  and  stormy  coast, 
and  he  will  no  longer  wonder  that  the  I^’orthmen  of  the  Dark 
Ages  became  the  lords  of  every  sea,  established  a kingdom  in 
Italy,  conquered  a part  of  France,  and  subjugated  the  whole  of 
England. 

The  early  history  of  the  Baptists  in  I^'orway  is  obscure, 
although  we  know  that  German  coli^orteurs  had  travelled  in  that 
region  five-and-twenty  years  before  a church  was  organized, 
and  our  British  brethren  had  done  some  missionary  work  among 
the  ilorwegians.  These  Baptists  began  to  draw  general  atten- 
tion in  the  Autumn  of  1868,  when  four  believers  were  baptized 
at  Tromsbe,  north  of  the  Arctic  Circle,  the  nearest  church  in 
Euroi)e  to  the  line  of  perpetual  snow.  In  1869,  a Swedish 
brother,  a basket-maker  by  trade,  visited  the  place,  and  was 
permitted  to  preach  in  the  meeting-house.  His  preaching  was 
blessed  to  the  conversion  of  twenty-eight  souls.  These  were 
baptized,  and  on  the  last  day  of  the  year  a church  was  organ- 
ized, consisting  of  fifty  members.  In  January  eleven  more  were 
baptized,  and  two  in  February.  This  Swedish  jDeddler  of  bas- 
kets has  silenced  many  heavy  guns  j for  how  often  have  we  been 
told  that  we  could  not  baptize  in  that  cold  climate.  We  cannot 
learn  that  any  have  been  frozen  to  death  by  the  baptismal 
waters.  At  any  rate,  about  a hundred  were  reported  as  mem- 
bers of  this  church  in  1871.  In  the  year  1872  as  many  as  sixty- 
two  were  baptized  in  Norway.  In  1868  there  were  six  Baptist  • 
churches  in  this  cold  region,  numbering  two  hundred  members. 
In  1872  there  were  three  hundred  and  thirty  Baptists  in  Nor- 
way. The  Baptist  Missionary  Society  of  England  were,  in  1872, 
supporting  five  brethren,  Norwegians  and  Swedes,  for  this  field 
of  labor.  Four  others  were  rendering  gratuitous  service. 

From  1872  to  1880  the  churches  in  Norway  nearly  doubled  their 
49 


714 


Tjm  STORY  OF  RAFTIST  IVIJSSIONS. 


numbers.  Jii  l}itt(‘r  y(*ur  tlu're,  foiii'  clmiclies,  wifli  a 

membersliii)  of  (Mo.  Tliesc  ('Jiui-elu's  Ibrmed  Norwegian 

TJiiioii  of  ]>aj)tist  Clnir(!lu‘s.”  Tlic  I)aj)tist  Missioiiaiy  Society 
of  England  supported  two  missionaries  and  j)astors  in  full,  and 
seven  others  in  pai  t.  (1.  irubert,  of  Larvig,  s(‘rv(*d  as  an  (‘.vam 
gelistin  various  parts  of  the  hingdom,  and  was  en(a)urag(‘d  by 
considerable  success.  Tlie  n(‘xt  year  showed  an  addition  of 
eighty-nine  to  the  membershii).  During  this  yeai-  ^Ii-.  IlUbert 

paid  a visit  to  the  Enit(*d 
States,  with  a vi(nv  to 
seeur(‘  binds  for  tin*  erec- 
tion of  a ehaiiel,  and  a 
loan  fund  for  the  g(‘m*ral 
])ur])oses  of  the  Eaptist 
rnion.  lie  met  with  a 
fair  amount  of  ja'cmniary 
assistan(*e.  After  his  re- 
turn he  Avas  lilessed  with 
extraordinary  marks  of 
the  l)i\u'ne  faAau*.  In 
1883  he  AAwites:  ^‘Xcatw 
in  my  life  have  my  eyes 
Avitnessed  such  a rcAuval 
in  Xoi  Avay  as  I liaA^e  seen 
this  year.”  At  Skein  he 
baptized  fourteen,  and 
many  more  AA^ere  inquir- 
ing about  the  right  way.  At  Laugesund  and  tAvo  other  places 
a glorious  revival  had  taken  place,  and  many  Avere  Avaiting  for 
baptism. 

rt  is,  ])erhaps,  AAmrthy  of  notice,  that  the  Baptist  churches  in 
Noi  way  do  not  folloAV  the  exainple  of  their  British  founders  and 
suj)i)ort(‘is  in  the  matter  of  o[)en  communion — a proof  of  the 
inflinuKje  of  th<i  tracts  and  treatises  of  Mr.  Wiberg,  and  of  the 


THE  HAWN  IN  SWEDEN. 


715 


letters  aud  visits  of  their  eountrymen  in  America.  By  emigra- 
tion they  have  lost  in  numhers^  hut  they  have  gained  in  the 
knowledge  of  our  church  polity. 

III. 

The  Bai^tist  mission  to  Sweden  did  not  commence  its  oi)era- 
tious  until  the  field  had  been  entered  by  independent  toilers.  A 
young  Swedish  sailor^  Sehroeder  by  iiamCj  who  had  recently  been 
converted  at  sea,  was  induced  one  Sunday  morning  to  go  to  the 
Mariners’  Baptist  Church  in  Xew  York.  He  was  deeply  affected 
by  the  sight  of  the  baptism  of  two  sailors,  and  a few  Aveeks  later 
he  was  baptized  himself.  About  the  year  1842  another  Swedish 
sailor,  F.  O.  Yilsson,  having  been  converted  in  Ycav  York,  and 
proving  a very  efficient  worker,  was  appointed  by  the  Seamen’s 
Friend  Society  to  labor  as  a colporteur  among  the  seamen  of 
Gothenburg.  After  his  return  to  Sweden,  Mr.  Sehroeder  met 
Avith  Mr.  Mlsson,  and  opened  a correspondence  Avith  him.  A 
remark  of  Mr.  Sehroeder,  in  a letter  from  Hamburg,  led  Mr. 
Yilsson  to  examine  the  subject  of  bax^tism.  After  considerable 
study,  prayer  and  mental  conflict,  he  made  uxa  his  mind  that  he 
ought  to  be  baxAtized.  In  vain  did  he  inquire  after  a Bax)tist 
minister  in  Sweden.  He  could  find  no  one  to  administer  the 
ordinance,  and  consequently  he  travelled  in  search  of  Mr. 
Oncken  at  Hamburg,  where  he  was  baptized  in  July,  1847.  On 
the  21st  of  Sex)tember  of  the  year  following,  the  wife  of  Mr 
Mlsson  and  four  others  were  baxAtized  in  the  inlet  Cattegat,  by  a 
Baptist  missionary  from  Hamburg.  The  same  evening  the  first 
Baptist  church  in  SAveden  was  organized,  consisting  of  six 
members. 

In  1849  Mr.  Mlsson  was  ordained  in  Hamburg,  and  returned 
to  SAveden,  x^i’eachiug  the  GosxacI  of  the  Kingdom  Avherever 
he  could  find  an  ox)portunity.  But  the  Swedish  laws  not 
recognizing  his  ordination  as  valid,  he  was,  in  July,  1849, 
arrested  for  jjretending  to  administer  Christian  ordinances.  He 


71(> 


THE  STOKY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


was  tried,  condemned  and  piddicly  admonislied.  Jle  was  af^ain 
arrested  in  Jannaiy,  1851,  and  was  kept  in  ])rison  six  days,  and 
was  then  transferred  to  anotlier  prison  forty  inil(;s  away ; knt 
was  linally  released  tlirougli  the  entreaties  of  liis  wife.  A 
month  later  lie  was  arrested  for  the  third  time.  He  aiipeared 
twice  before  the  High  Court,  and  his  trial  awaken(‘d  a great 
interest.  The  minutes  of  the  proceedings  were  printed  in  a 
liamiihlet  form,  and  were  scattered  by  thousands  throughout  the 
kingdom.  Mr.  Xilsson  said,  ^^Thiis  my  appearance  before  the 
Higli  Court  was  the  ])ublic  introduction  of  Baptist  jirinciples  in 
Sweden.  Noav  let  the  poor  sailor  be  banislied  from  tlie  realm. 
AVhat  matters  that  ? The  truths  which  by  his  trial  have  been 
disseminated  in  Sweden,  can  never  be  banished.’’  He  was  per- 
mitted to  appeal  to  the  King.  He  had  an  interview  with  him, 
but  his  last  petition  Avas  rejected.  He  Avas  banished  from  the 
kingdom,  and  took  his  leave  of  his  Aveeping  friends  July  4th, 
1851.  lie  had  taken  every  occasion  that  was  given,  during  his 
detention  and  imxirisonment,  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  at  Stock- 
holm he  made  acquaintance  Avitli  several  Baptists,  who  were  the 
nucleus  of  a church  in  that  city. 

Leaving  behind  him  fifty- six  scattered  believers,  he  repaired 
to  the  capital  of  Denmark,  Avhere  he  remained  about  two  years. 
While  there  he  had  a visit  from  Mr.  Wiberg,  AAdio  was  on  his 
way  to  America.  The  sailing-vessel  in  which  he  had  set  out 
liroAudentially  tarried  near  Copenhagen,  July  17,  1852,  long 
enough  to  allow  him  to  be  baptized  by  Mr.  Mlsson,  at  a late  hour 
of  the  night. 

Banished  from  his  native  land,  Mr.  Kilssoii  now  turned  his 
thoughts  to  the  common  refuge  and  home  of  freedom.  In  1853 
he  Avas  Ausited  by  a comi)any  of  tAventy  or  thirty  SAA'edish  Chris- 
tians, Avho  invited  him  to  acconq)any  them  as  their  pastor  to  the 
K(iw  World.  Ho  gladly  accepted  the  call.  The  little  flock 
landed  in  Kew  York  in  »Iuiie,  1853,  and  AAauit  forAvard  and  settled 
in  one  of  the  Western  States. 


SKETCH  OF  EEV.  ANDREAS  WIBERG. 


717 


While  Mr.  Nilsson  was  thus  laboring  in  Sweden  to  prepare  the 
way  for  an  American  mission,  the  German  Baptists  were  like- 
wise busy  in  the  same  field.  In  1851  they  reported  the  formation 
of  a church  in  Sweden,  numbering  fifty-eight  members.  In  1852 
they  report  the  organization  of  three  more  churches  in  Sweden. 
In  1854  two  Swedish  brethren  came  to  Hamburg,  requesting  to 
be  baptized  and  ordained.  One  of  these  was  Mr.  P.  F.  Hej den- 
berg,  who  was  very  successful  in  winning  souls  to  Christ.  In 
1855  two  churches,  numbering  about  eighty  members  each,  were 
organized  in  the  eastern  part  of  Sweden.  The  Hamburg  Bap- 
tists did  good  service  in  this  nation,  by  sending  into  many  parts 
of  it  colporteurs  to  scatter  among  the  i)eople  a Baptist  literature. 
As  early  as  1842  they  reported  that  one  of  their  colporteurs  was 
laboring  in  Norway. 

With  the  Swedish  mission  must  always  be  associated  the 
name  of  the  Eev.  Andreas  Wiberg.  He  Avas,  under  God,  its 
founder,  and  has  thus  far  been  its  master  builder.  His  biogra- 
phy blends  with  the  history  of  the  mission,  and  yet  we  may 
here  profitably  put  on  record  some  facts  regarding  his  life. 
His  birthplace  was  Hudiksvall,  seventy  miles  north  of  Gefle, 
in  Sweden.  He  was  born  in  1816.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  he 
narrowly  escaped  being  drowned.  This  peril  showed  him  the 
necessity  of  being  prepared  to  die,  and  his  rescue  from  it,  the 
duty  of  dedicating  his  life  to  the  service  of  the  Lord.  Sur- 
rounded by  skeptics,  he  was  for  a time  exi)osed  to  doubts,  but 
while  pursuing  his  studies  in  the  University  of  Upsala,  he 
gained  cheering  proof  that  he  was  a new  creature.  In  1843  he 
was  ordained  as  a minister  in  the  Lutheran  church.  This  being 
the  State  Church,  like  the  Church  of  England,  admits  to  the 
communion  many  unconverted  persons.  Mr.  Wiberg  was  so  dis- 
satisfied with  this  desecration  of  the  Lord’s  Supper,  that  he 
retired  from  the  actiA^e  duties  of  the  ministry,  and  gave  himself 
for  two  years  to  translating  some  of  Luther’s  works,  and  editing 
a religious  newspai)er.  At  this  period  he  became  intimate  with 


7 IS 


STORY  OR  liAPTJST  MISSIONS. 


some  liko-iiiiiided  (dii  istimis  in  tli<‘  iioiTlKn  ii  ])art  of  Sw(?d(ni,  in 
the  latitude  of  liis  native  ])laee.  llavin^^  ])nl)licly  expressed  liis 
ap2)rol)atioii  of  these  new  Prot(‘stantS;  lie  lell  nnd(;r  tlie  l)an  of 
intolerance. 

In  the  Si)ring  of  1(851  he  visited  llanihiir^^,  and  hecaine 
acquainted  with  Mr.  Oncken  and  the  r)a])tist  clnirch  of  which 
he  was  pastor.  In  no  long  time  he  was  led  to  agree  with  them 
concerning  the  proper  mode  and  candidates  for  haptism.  Tlie 
next  year  he  set  out  for  America.  While  on  his  way^  he  Avas 
haptized  by  the  Kev.  Mr.  Kilsson,  duly  23d^  1852^  at  eleven  o’clock 
in  the  night,  near  the  island  of  Amager,  a short  distance  from 
Copenhagen.  Soon  after  his  arriA^al  in  Xcav  York,  he  made 
acquaintance  with  the  Baptists  of  the  city,  and  commenced  work 
as  a colporteur  among  seamen,  under  the  patronage  of  the 
Bnblication  Society.  At  length,  this  society  resolved  to  establish 
a system  of  colportage  in  his  native  land,  and  to  appoint  Mr. 
Wiberg  its  sniierintendent.  Accoi’dingly,  he  embarked  for 
Sweden  in  September,  1855,  and  landing  in  Stockhobn,  he 
immediately  began  to  organize  his  Avork. 

lie  had  iirepared  the  way  for  his  enterprise  in  1852,  before  he 
left  home,  by  writing  a book  on  Baptism,  the  circulation  of 
wliich,  during  his  absence,  had  brought  hundreds  to  adopt  his 
views.  As  many  as  became  Baptists  were  subject  to  bitter 
persecution,  and  the  injustice  they  suffered  served  only  the 
more  to  noise  abroad  their  sentiments.  So  mightily  had  the 
truth  adAmnced,  that  Mr.  Wiberg  found  on  his  return,  after  an 
absence  of  three  years,  that  there  Avere  already  nearly  fiA^e 
liundred  Baptists  in  Sweden. 

On  Kcav  Y'ear’s  day,  185G,  IMr.  Wiberg  commenced  a semi- 
monthly, called  The  Evangelist.  Happily  the  press  was  not 
under  the  same  intolerant  rule  as  the  pulint,  and  therefore  Mr. 
Wiberg  Avas  at  liberty  to  circulate  his  periodical  in  every  part  of 
tlie  land.  ComnuniOng  Avith  five  hundred  subscribers.  The 
Evangelist  has  giown  in  circulation  and  is  noAV  the  organ  of  the 


t>33RSEOtJTlNa  A BLIND  COLPOKTEUK, 


'719 


denomination.  In  1859  Mr.  Wiberg  went  to  England  to  eollect 
money  to  build  a cliai)el  at  Stockliolm.  Altliongh  lie  obtained 
$5,500,  this  Slim  was  found  insufficient  to  erect  tlie  edifice,  and 
accordingly  be  came  to  America  in  1803,  to  solicit  funds  ade- 
quate to  the  undertaking.  During  bis  absence  tbe  cliapel  was 
finisbed,  at  a cost  of  nearly  $35,000.  It  accommodated  twelve 
bnndred  bearers,  and  yet  tbe  new  edifice  was  soon  filled  to  over- 
flowing. 

Mr.  Wiberg  lias  given  most  of  bis  time  and  strengtb  to 
authorial  and  editorial  service.  He  bas  written  three  books  on 
Baptism,  and  translated  a number  of  oiir  Baptist  tracts  and 
volumes.  In  the  Summer  of  1882,  be  bad  the'  bapxiiness  of  see- 
ing a iiainful  division  among  bis  Swedish  brethren  healed,  and 
their  comiilete  restoration  to  unity  and  concord. 

Although  tbe  periodical  iiress  was  free  in  Sweden,  tlie  same 
could  not  be  said  of  tbe  liberty  of  Bible  and  tract  distribution. 
Tbe  Lutheran  magistrates  in  many  places  seized  upon 
every  legal  technicality  as  a pretence  for  checking  tbe  diffusion 
of  Scriptural  knowledge.  One  colporteur,  a blind  man,  was 
imx)risoned  eight  days  for  distributing  tracts  j afterwards,  with 
an  iron  chain  attached  to  bis  ankles,  be  ivas  transferred  to 
another  prison,  where  new  irons  were  placed  upon  him;  and 
finally  be  was  compelled  to  pay  a considerable  sum  to  tbe 
authorities  for  their  trouble. 

Tbe  intolerance  that  bad  banished  Mr.  Xilsson  i)ursued  bis 
successors  while  i)reacbing  tbe  Gospel  and  administering  tbe 
ordinances.  Mr.  Ilejdenberg  was  summoned  before  the  tribunals 
six  times,  to  answer  for  having  held  meetings  contrary  to  law, 
and  was  imprisoned  in  six  different  iilaces,  from  two  to  fourteen 
days  in  each.  Another  of  tbe  preachers  was  fined  fourteen 
crowns  for  preaching  tbe  Gospel,  and  five  crowns  additional 
for  desecrating  tbe  Sabbath  in  iireacbing.  A third  was 
sentenced  to  pay  a hundred  crowns  for  reading  a chapter  of  the 
Bible  in  public.  A fourth  was  imiirisoned  for  several  weeks,  and 


720 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


kept  on  l)rea(l  and  water,  because  he  liad  allowed  a preac^her  to 
(commit  the  awful  crime  of  reading  the  Bible  in  his  cottage.  As 
late  as  1857,  six  Baptists  were  confined  in  cells,  and  some  of 
them  were  treated  with  atrocious  and  brutal  s(werity.  One  was 
seized  on  a cold  Winter  day,  rudely  buffeted,  sponged  all  over 
with  cold  water,  his  hair  cut  close  to  his  head,  and  then,  in 
thin  prison  clothing,  was  thrown  into  a damp  and  chilly  cell. 
As  in  France,  the  local  magistrates  and  Lutheran  ministers 
were  more  intolerant  than  the  su])reme  authority.  Even  to  this 
day  the  preachers  visiting  remote  districts  are  exposed  to  fine 
and  imprisonment. 

In  1857,  the  Bev.  G.  Palmquist  came  to  labor  in  this  mission. 
For  six  years  he  had  been  a missionary  among  the  Swedes  of 
Illinois  and  Iowa.  Two  of  his  brothers  also  became  efficient 
helpers  in  their  native  land.  The  same  year  the  first  Conference 
of  the  Swedish  Baptist  churches  was  held  at  Stockholm.  It 
was  a year  of  unusual  ingathering  j 1292  were  added  by  baptism. 
The  next  year  Baptist  principles  began  to  enter  the  higher  sec- 
tions of  Swedish  society.  Mr.  Adolph  Drake,  a nobleman  by 
birth,  who  had  studied  for  the  ministry  in  the  University  of 
Upsala,  was  baptized  at  Stockholm,  and  became  a powerful 
accession  to  the  working  staff  of  the  mission.  For  several  years 
he  edited  a weekly  paper,  and  afterwards  became  a professor  in 
the  school  for  training  young  Baptist  ministers. 

When  Mr.  Wiberg  returned  to  Sweden,  in  1866,  he  was 
accompanied  by  two  natives  of  Sweden,  who  had  both  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  our  Civil  War.  One  of  these,  Knut 
Oscar  Broady,  had  been  a colonel  of  a regiment j the  other, 
John  A.  Edgren,  had  been  a captain  of  a gunboat.  They  had 
both  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  study  in  the  Hamilton  Theological 
Seminary.  These,  together  with  Mr.  Wiberg,  went  out  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Missionary  Union,  to  whom  this  mission  was, 
in  1866,  transferred  by  the  Publication  Society.  Messrs.  Broady 
and  Edgren  were  designated  to  Stockholm,  where  they  were  to 


A BEGMNNINa  IN  FINLAND. 


721 


preach  on  Sundays,  and  to  commence  a theological  school. 
Under  the  name  of  the  Swedish  Bethel  Seminary,  the  school 
was  opened  in  October,  1866,  with  seven  students.  This  insti- 
tution has  continued  ever  since  to  educate  and  send  forth  intel- 
ligent and  energetic  pastors. 

The  Swedish  Baptists  have  twice  been  brought  within  the 
influence  of  our  missions  to  India.  The  wife  of  Mr.  Edgren  is 
the  daughter  of  the  late  Eev.  U,  Harris,  missionary  in  Shway- 
gyeen,  in  Bnrmah.  On  board  of  the  vessel  which,  in  1817,  car- 
ried two  of  onr  earliest  missionaries,  Colman  and  Wheelock,  to 
India,  two  Swedish  sailors  were  converted.  These,  on  their 
return  to  America,  habitually  attended  a little  prayer-meeting  in 
Boston.  ^^The  house  still  stands,’’  said  Dr.  Smith  in  1879,  ^4n 
the  northerly  x)art  of  the  city,  in  whose  parlor  these  joyful  dis- 
ciples told  in  broken  speech,  evening  after  evening,  to  a won- 
dering and  grateful  assembly: 

‘ What  a dear  Saviour  they  had  found.’  ” 

In  1867  revivals  were  reported  in  many  of  the  villages  and 
cities  of  Sweden.  There  were  four  places  of  worship  in  Stock- 
holm, and  a church  was  organized  near  the  southern  x)oint  of 
IN'orway.  In  the  year  following,  Mr.  Truve  was  designated  to 
Gothenberg,  and  Mr.  Edgren  was  transferred  from  the  Seminary 
to  the  pastorate  of  the  church  in  Upsala,  the  seat  of  the  princi- 
pal university  in  the  kingdom. 

This  year  the  Swedish  brethren  had  an  encouraging  view  of 
the  beautiful  words : ‘‘  Cast  thy  bread  upon  the  waters  : for  thou 
shalt  find  it  after  many  days.”  A brother  and  sister,  Mr.  and 
Miss  Heikel,  natives  of  Finland,  having  been  baptized  in  Swe- 
den, returned  to  their  own  country  and  sought  with  zeal  and 
diligence  the  conversion  of  others.  On  the  14th  of  July,  1868, 
the  first  baptism  was  administered  in  Finland,  on  the  shore  of 
the  Baltic,  near  the  city  of  Abo,  where  the  waters  of  the  Gulf 
of  Finland  mingle  with  those  of  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia.  See  how 


THE  STOUY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


the  hrend  that  was  awny  Avas  foinid.  About  twelv(‘.  years 

before^  some  poor,  perseeiitcul  liaptists  from  tlu*.  Island  of  Aland 
visited  Al)o,  and  were  arr(*sted  and  (^xainin(*d  befor(‘>  tin*  Lutlieran 
Consistory  of  that  city.  Prof.  Ileihel,  of  the*,  tlnivi'rsity  of  Abo, 
receded  tliese  thaptists  into  his  house,  and  treated  them  Avitli 
hospitable  kindness.  The  professor’s  two  (^liildren,  a son  and  a 
daugliter,  could  iieV'Cr  forget  the  visit  of  these  i)eople.  The 
children  were  converted,  and  became  tlaptists;  and  after  their 
baptism  in  SAA^eden,  they  returned  to  their  native  place,  to  be  the 
first  fruits  of  Finland,  and  the  leaders  of  the  little  fiock  in  Abo. 
Four  years  later  the  Kct.  dohn  irymander  AAms  ba])tized.  For 
forty  years  he  had  been  a respected  pastor  of  a Lutheran  church 
in  Fiidand. 

These  Baptists  of  Sweden  abound  in  good  AAvnks.  In  1872  the 
Stockholm  jMissionary  Union  aided  thirty-eight  preachers,  of 
whom  eighteen  received  from  that  society  their  Avhole  support. 
The  Swedish  Conference  also  organized  a foreign  mission  society 
to  aid  in  sending  the  Gospel  to  the  heatlien. 

According  to  the  reports  from  SAAmden  for  1881,  there  were  325 
churches,  sixteen  associations,  and  10,929  members.  During  the 
year,  477  emigrated  to  America.  In  1882  the  number  baptized 
was  4,519.  In  1883,  forty-six  churches  ^\GTe^  organized,  and 
3,023  Avere  baptized.  There  are  now  371  churches,  25,277  mem- 
bers, included  in  sixteen  associations.  In  1884  a great  revAml 
was  going  forward  in  Southern  Sweden.  In  estimating  the 
l)rogress  of  the  Gospel  in  Sweden  and  ilorway,  the  large  deduc- 
tions occasioned  by  emigration  must  be  taken  into  the -account. 
To  this  cause  must  be  attributed  the  slow  numerical  growth  of 
the  churches  in  Uorway.  The  latter  counted  only  seAmnty  more 
members  in  1878  tlian  they  possessed  in  1872.  The  Baptist  emi- 
grants from  Saa  eden  in  1883  numbered  003. 

A subj(‘(d  of  much  interest  is  the  iirogress  of  Baptist  princi- 
]>h*s  in  Lapland.  A coiiAmrted  Laplander  AA'as  reported  among 
llic  ju‘eachei  s (M)U]iected  Avith  tlie  Swedish  mission  in  1874,  \Ve 


AN  INTOLERANT  STATE  CHURCH. 


12S 


have  been  unable  to  obtain  any  adequate  information  about  the 
victories  of  truth  in  that  region,  where  once  reindeers  were 
offered  up  in  sacrifice  to  the  gods,  and  Bhamanisin  was  the  i)re- 
vailing  religion. 

As  Eev.  Dr.  S.  F.  Smith  and  his  wife,  after  their  recent  visit 
to  the  Baptists  of  Stockholm,  i were  setting  out  for  Norway, 
many  hundreds  gathered  on  the  shore,  and  many  pressed  on 
board  to  give  them  the  last  kind  farewell.  ^^As  the  vessel,^^ 
says  Dr.  Smith,  moved  from  her  moorings,  there  was  a flutter- 
ing of  hundreds  of  white  handkerchiefs  and  a waving  of  hats, 
which  continued  till  we  could  no  longer  distinguish  the  friends 
who  thus  gave  token  of  their  loving  farewells,  and  their  prayers 
for  our  safety.  A dear  disciple  of  noble  blood,  who  has  hith- 
erto been  iirevented  from  uniting  with  the  church  by  baptism, 
sent  a note,  saying  that  she  could  not  be  present  on  the  shore, 
'but  from  a certain  part  of  the  castle,  which  we  could  see,  she 
would  wave  her  handkerchief  in  token  of  her  affectionate  interest 
in  our  welfare.  She  is  not  a wholly  secret  follower  of  Christ j 
but  how  many  there  may  be,  even  in  the  high  places  of  Swe- 
den, who  have  learned  about  the  new  birth,  and  whom  the  Lord 
Jesus  has  taught  as  effectually  as  he  did  Mcodemus  ! ” 

The  spirit  of  persecution,  though  smothered,  is  not  quite 
extinguished.  Eev.  Dr.  Smith,  during  his  recent  visit  to  Swe- 
den, learned  that  two  young  ladies,  well  educated  and  refined, 
daughters  of  a wealthy  father,  became  Christians,  and  were 
convinced  by  the  New  Testament  of  their  duty  to  be  baptized. 
But  they  were  shut  up  at  home,  and  closely  watched  that  they 
might  have  no  communion  with  their  Christian  friends.  After 
a delay  of  two  years  they  escaped  to  a neighboring  town,  and 
were  baptized,  saying  that  the  day  was  the  hapiiiest  that  they 
had  ever  known,  and  they  scarcely  knew  whether  they  were  on 
earth  or  in  heaven.  They  at  once  wrote  to  their  father,  telling 
him  what  they  had  done,  and  assured  him  that  as  always,  so  now 

1.  “Rambles  in  Mission  Fields,”  pp.  23G-237. 


724 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


they  were  Avilling  to  lie  subject  toliis  wislies  in  all  tliin^^s,  excerpt 
when  liis  wislies  were  in  conflict  Avith  tlieir  fluty  to  Gofl.  From 
that  time  they  have  sujiported  themselv(‘s  in  the  town  where 
they  were  haptizefl,  one  hy  l)ook-keepin^^,  th(‘,  other  by  teaching. 
Their  father^  of  late,  is  evidently  relenting.” 

The  conflict,  which  has  been  very  animat(‘fl,  between  the  Estab- 
lished Church  in  Sweden  and  the  Dissenters  (chiefly  Baptists 
and  Methodists)  had,  in  1884,  so  exasjierated  the  bishops  and 
theologians  of  the  SAvedish  estalflishment,  that  they  protested 
against  the  summoning  of  a General  Conference  of  ^‘The  Evan- 
gelical Alliance”  at  Stockholm  at  the  jiresent  time,  as  was  pro- 
posed. Consequently  the  International  Conference  of  this 
society  was  held  at  Copenhagen,  in  the  first  Aveek  of  Septem- 
ber, in  1884.  The  action  of  the  SAAcdish  clergy  caused  much 
disappointment,  as  eighteen  months  of  jireparation  had  been 
made,  and  Stockholm  is  a place  so  easily  accessible  to  the  Chris- 
tian people  of  Sweden,  Norway  and  Denmark. 

An  incident  of  nnusnal  occurrence  took  iilace  at  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  First  Church  in  Stockholm,  January  21st,  1884. 
Dr.  Erik  Nystrom,  whose  name  is  familiarly  known  all  over 
Sweden,  appeared  before  the  church,  asking  to  be  restored  to  its 
felloAYship.  He  Avas  baptized  and  nnited  with  the  church  in 
18G0,  but  left  the  church  and  the  denomination  in  1873.  He  had 
for  seven  years  been  searching  for  the  true  church,  but  wished 
to  return  to  the  Baptists,  because,  after  all,  their  churches  now 
appear  to  him  to  approacb  nearest  to  the  Apostolical  pattern. 
Dr.  Nystrom  is  a man  of  learning,  and  one  of  the  greatest  Orien- 
tal scholars  in  Sweden.  Having  for  a number  of  years  worked 
on  a Bible  Dictionary,  which  has  been  published  in  two  editions, 
and  otherAvise  been  engaged  in  Bil)le  exposition,  he  is  no  doubt 
better  qualified  than  any  other  scholar  in  that  country  to  trans- 
late and  int(‘rpret  the  Scriptures.  He  is  also  a very  attractiA^e 
l)i(?acli(‘r,  drawing  great  numbers  of  liearers  AAdienever  he  enters 
the  i>ulpit. 


A THEOLOGICAL  SCHOOL  AT  STOCKHOLM. 


lu  October^  1883,  the  Bethel  Theological  Seminary  moved 
into  the  new  house  erected  for  its  use  by  the  muniflcenec  of 
Mr.  Forsel.  It  is  built  of  brick,  and  is  ninety-six  feet  long  by 
fifty-two  feet  wide,  and  is  four  stories  high  above  the  basement. 
It  has  a very  choice  location,  and  its  architectural  style  is  plain 
and  neat.  It  is  situated  at  the  north  end  of  Stockholm,  not  far 
from  field  and  forest. 


Another  Sort  of  Theological  School.— Brahmin  Teacher  and  Pupils. 


CHAPTER  LIII. 


MISSIONS  IN  GKEECE,  ITALY,  AND  SPAIN 

I. — Mission  in  Greece. — The  Modern  Greek  Church  Sinning  against  Light. 
Mahometan  Invasion. — The  Condition  of  Greece  at  the  Commencement 
of  our  Mission. — Messrs.  Pasco  and  Love. — The  First  Greek  Convert. — 
Mr,  and  Mrs.  Buel  at  Corfu. — A Mob  at  a Festival. — Another  Mob. — 
Apostolos. — Mr.  Love  Returns  Home. — The  Revolution  of  1843. — Mrs. 
Dickson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arnold  and  Miss  Waldo  Join  the  Mission. — Mr. 
Arnold  Commences  Preaching  in  the  Greek  Language  at  Corfu. — He 
Moves  to  Athens. — Intolerance  of  the  Government.— Mrs.  Dickson’s 
Marriages. — Mr.  Arnold  Returns  to  the  United  States. — Outline  of  the 
Life  of  Dr.  Arnold. — An  Account  of  Sakellarios. — One  Cause  of  the 
Present  Apostasy  of  the  Greek  Church. — The  Tract  Called  “Teaching 

of  the  Twelve  Apostles.” II. — Missions  in  Italy. — Operations  of  the 

Southern  Board. — Dr.  Jeter  Visits  Rome. — A Chapel  Built  and  Dedi- 
cated.— Dr.  Taylor  at  Venice. — Rev.  W.  C.  Van  Meter’s  Enterprises. — 
Labors  of  British  Baptists  in  Rome. III. — Mission  in  Spain. — Pro- 
testant Reformation  in  Spain. — Castelar. — Professor  Knapp  at  Madrid.— 
A Church  Established  in  1870. — A Church  at  Alicante. — The  Effect  of  a 
Tract  on  Baptism. — The  Movement  at  Linares. — Baptist  Beginnings  in 
Portugal. — Revolution  in  Spain. — Protestant  Chapels  Closed. — Mr.  R.  C. 
Cifr^  Appointed  Missionary. — Professor  Knapp  Returns  to  America  and 
becomes  a Professor  in  Yale  College. — Mr.  Cifre  at  Barcelona. — The 
Death  of  Mr.  Canencia. — The  Ascendancy  of  Sagasta. — The  Excesses  of 
the  Socialists  Unfriendly  to  Religious  Liberty. 

I. 

'YIYHE  modern  Greek  churchy  like  the  Catholic  Church  of 
iJiLs  Spain  and  Portugal^  rejected  the  light  of  the  Reformation, 
and  therefore  has  sunk  into  the  obduracy  and  debasement  that 
must  ever  result  from  sinning  against  light.  Both  the  Latin 
and  the  Greek  churches  had,  before  the  Reformation,  some  poor 
excuse  for  the  practice  of  idolatry,  and  the  substitution  of  the 
worsliip  of  i\lary  for  that  of  Jesus  j and  midtitudes  of  redeemed 
souls,  W(i  muy  charital)ly  b(‘li(‘ve,  lived  and  died  in  those  apos- 
tate clnir(dM\s,  Invause  tliey  walked  and  r(\joiced  in  all  the  light 


THE  MISSION  IN  GIIEECE. 


T21 

that  had  as  yet  risen  uiion  them.  But  those  countries  which 
extinguished  the  first  kindlings  of  the  Eeformation,  have  been 
abandoned  to  judicial  blindness.  Melancthon  and  other  reform- 
ers attempted  in  vain  to  restore  the  leaven  of  the  Gospel  to  the 
Eastern  Ohnrch,  while  Cyril  Lucaris,  Patriarch  of  Alexandria, 
and  afterwards  Patriarch  of  Coustantinoide,  also  undertook  to 
reform  the  church  by  engrafting  uiion  its  doctrines  the  principles 
of  Calvinism.  Unhappily,  however,  his  plans  of  reform  were 
frustrated  by  the  intrigues  of  the  Jesuits.  lie  Avas  five  times 

deposed,  and  as  often  rein- 
stated. At  last  he  was  mur- 
dered by  the  Turks  at  the 
instigation  of  the  Jesuits. 
Tlie  church  afterwards  repel- 
led the  approaches  of  the 
Jesuits,  but  showed  its  de- 
gradation by  anathematizing 
tlie  reformed  doctrines  of  the 
Patriarch  Cyril. 

At  the  time  of  the  Greek 
war  of  liberation,  the  Patri- 
arch was  appointed  by  the 
Sultan.  He  was  in  the 

A Greek  Patriarch.  haiuls  Of  thC  TurkS,  Who 

compelled  him  to  forbid  the  struggle  for  freedom.  After  the 
people  had  won  their  independence,  they  resolved  that  the 
King  of  Greece  should  be  the  head  of  the  Church,  and  that  it 
should  be  governed  by  a synod  like  that  of  the  Bussian  Church.* 
But  the  Hellenic  Church  still  remained  totally  unreformed.  It 
still  paid  homage  to  tbe  old  pictures  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and 
reverenced  the  miracle-working  saints  and  relics.  It  still 
believed  in  penance,  the  confessional,  the  real  presence,  extreme 
unction  and  the  infallibility  of  General  Councils. 

The  idolatry  of  the  Greek  Church  was  very  scAwely  rebuked 


728 


THE  STORY  OF  RAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


by  tlio  MaliometanSj  who  in  their  invasions  of  the  Greek  Empire 
smote  down  all  “icons,”  or  ima^^es,  inelndiii^^  (aossc^s.  The 
despair  of  nominal  Christians  when  they  saw  tin*,  idols  in  which 
they  trusted  destroyed,  and  the  stinj;iiif(  vexations  to  Avhieh 
they  Avere  snbject,  not  only  in  payinj>^  ti  ibnte,  but  in  many  i)ro- 
hibitions(as  in  being  forbidden  to  ring  their  church-bells  and 
allowed  only  to  toll  them,  and  the  lik(i),  ai’c  supposed  to  be  rex)- 
resented  in  Rev.  0 : 5-0.  It  has  been  justly  remarked  that  the 
Mahometan  xilague  did  not  consist  of  devastating  only,  but  an 
obscuration  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  (verse  2).  The  i)eriod 
given  ( five  months  or  150  days  ),  marks  tiie  historic  fact  that  it 
AA^as  limited  as  to  idolatrous  Christians,  and  yet  Avas  an  incom- 
l)lete  i)eriod  in  respect  of  all  the  conquests  of  Islam.  Observe, 
too,  that  in  the  first  AA^ars  the  Mahometans  did  not  attenq)t  to 
proselyte  Christians  by  argument  or  persuasion.  They  demanded 
either  an  immediate  assent  to  a formula  or  the  payment  of  trib- 
ute, and  other  humiliating  exactions.  The  tails  of  the  horses 
had  stings,  but  no  heads,  as  in  verse  19,  where  the  serpent-like 
wisdom  of  the  Mahometan  teachers  is  symbolically  represented. 

When  our  Greek  mission  AAms  commenced,  in  1836,  Greece  was 
divided  into  the  Kingdom  of  Greece,  governed  by  a constitu- 
tional monarchy,  and  the  Ionian  Rejiublic,  which  embraced  seven 
islands  in  the  Ionian  Sea.  The  latter  was  a deiiendent  soverignty, 
of  AA^hich  the  head  was  a Lord  High  Commissioner,  appointed  by 
Great  Britain  j it  also  had  a iiarliament  consisting  of  a senate 
and  legislative  assembly.  In  1863-4  the  Ionian  Republic  was 
iiicorjiorated  AAuth  the  Kingdom  of  Greece.  The  British  govern- 
‘ irient,  at  this  time,  abandoned  its  protectorate  of  the  seven 
islands,  and  Prince  George  of  Denmark  was  elected  King  of 
Greece. 

The  inhabitants  of  modern  Greece  are  of  mixed  races,  and 
many  of  the  ])eox)le  are  in  a semi-barbarous  state.  Besides 
Greeks,  tluoe  are  All)anians,  Wallachians  and  JeAA^sj  AAdiile 
many  of  the  ohl  ViaKdian  colonists,  si)eaking  Italian,  remain  in 


THE  WONDERFUL  ST.  SPIRIDION. 


720 


the  louian  and  other  islands.  The  lawlessness  of  this  kingdom 
is  illustrated  by  occasional  instances  of  brigandage.  Many  will 
remember  the  recent  case  of  an  Englishmaiij  who  was  seized  by 
banditti  in  his  residence  atmidnightj  and  carried  oft*  to  the  moun- 
tains, where  he  was  held  a captive  waiting  to  be  ransomed  by 
his  friends.  A more  notorious  instance  of  this  kind  occurred  in 
1870.  Four  Englishman  were  thus  captured  j and  they  were  put 
to  death  because  the  government  refused  to  grant  a large  ransom, 
and  amnesty  to  the  robbers.  For  such  men,  modern  civilization 
has  nothing  better  than  ai^plied  mechanics.  But  the  religion  of 
Christ  remembers  that  there  is  hope  even  for  the  penitent  thief, 
and  that  there  is  nothing  which  these  Greek  robbers  so  urgently 
need,  as  the  tranforming  force  of  Gospel  grace. 

Our  mission  in  Greece  was  founded  in  December,  183G.  Messrs. 
Cephas  Pasco  and  Horace  T.  Love  arrived  at  Patras  at  this  time, 
and  being  left  to  their  own  judgment  in  the  choice  of  their  sta- 
tion, they  resolved  to  estal)lish  themselves  in  that  city.  While 
acquiring  the  language,  they  successfully  petitioned  the  govern- 
ment for  leave  to  open  a school  for  both  sexes,  the  schools  already 
in  oi)eration  being  designed  exclusively  for  boys.  The  school 
soon  contained  forty  scholars.  The  missionaries  also  engaged 
in  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  and  of  religious  tracts. 

As  the  missionaries  had  not  as  yet  determined  where  to  plant 
the  mission  permanently,  in  the  Autumn  of  1838  Mr.  Love  made 
a tour  to  different  cities,  and,  as  a result  of  his  explorations,  it 
was  resolved  that  Mr.  Pasco  should  remain  at  Patras,  and  Mr. 
Love  should  tix  at  Zante.  In  July,  1839,  Mrs.  Harriet  E.  Dick- 
son, who  had  been  connected  with  government  school  in  Corfu, 
was  api^ointed  a teacher  at  the  mission  station  of  Patras.  In 
the  Autumn  of  the  same  year,  Mr.  Pasco  was,  by  reason  of  ill 
health,  compelled  to  return  to  the  United  States.  In  consequence 
of  his  departure,  the  design  of  establishing  a station  at  Zante 
was  abandoned.  In  September,  Mr.  Love  commenced  a Sunday 

service  in  Greek.  The  climate  of  Patras  proving  unfriendly  to 
50 


730 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


the  health  of  Mr.  Love,  in  1840,  he  rinnoved  with  his  family  to  the 
island  of  Corfu.  This  island,  then  the  eai)ital  of  tlie  Ionian 
Eepnblic,  became  the  imineixial  seat  of  the  mission.  In  Au^^ust 
he  baptized  the  first  Greek  convert,  Apostolos  by  name.  He 
became  an  assistant  missionary,  and  resnmin;^^  the  station  at 
Patras,  labored  there  for  many  years  with  commendable  zeal. 


Ulysses  Isle,  Corfu. 


In  the  Slimmer  of  1841,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Biiel  joined  the  mission. 
While  learning  the  language,  Mr.  Bnel  preached  in  English,  and 
distributed  tracts.  On  the  12th  of  December,  Mr.  Bnel,  as 
his  custom  was,  walked  through  the  town,  taking  with  him  a 
bundle  of  tracts.  It  was  the  day  of  the  feast  of  St.  Spiridion,  the 
greatest  festival  of  the  year  in  Corfu.  This  saint  was,  according 
the  Greidv  tradition,  a great  worker  of  miracles.  Indeed,  in  this 
r(‘spect  he  was  an  Anti-Christ;  for  the  popular  belief  and  obser- 
vance set  him  above  Christ.  The  present  writer,  many  years 
ago,  brought  home  witli  him  from  Italy  a common  jiriiit — a 
Iforlrait  of  this  idolized  Thaumaturgus,  surrounded  by  smaller 
j)i('t iiics  ol*  mirach\s  he  had  wrought.  BiMiig  a sheidierd,  as 
tin;  Icgmids  tell  ns,a  gaiigof  theives  attemjited  one  night  to  carry 


POPULAK  BIGOTRY  IN  GREECE. 


731 


off  some  of  liis  sheep,  hut  were  stoi)ped  hj  an  invisible  hand  and 
fixed  to  the  spot.  Kext  morning  tlie  saint,  finding  them  thus 
secured,  set  them  at  liberty  by  his  i)rayers.  Soon  after  the 
death  of  his  only  daughter,  Irene,  a certain  person  came  to  him 
demanding  a thing  of  great  value,  which  had  been  committed  to 
her  for  safe-keeping.  Spiridion  could  not  find  it,  and  nobody 
knew  where  it  was  hid.  Whereupon  he  went  to  the  place  where 
his  daughter  was  buried,  called  her  by  name,  and  asked  where 
she  had  laid  what  such  a person  had  left  in  her  hands.  She 
answered  that  she  had  hid  it  in  the  earth,  and  told  him  where 
he  would  find  it.  He  found  it  accordingly,  and  restored  it  to  the 
afflicted  owner.  Such  are  some  of  the  lying  legends  that  serve 
to  raise  this  saint  in  the  esteem  of  the  ignorant  and  superstitious 
Greeks  and  Eomaiis. 

Mr.  Buel  found  the  streets  thronged  with  iieople,  and  on  ap- 
X)roaching  a church  dedicated  to  the  great  saint,  began  to 
distribute  tracts  among  the  crowd.  From  some  mysterious  cause, 
the  anger  of  the  multitude  was  instantly  aroused,  and  they 
began  to  insult  him  with  opprobrious  words,  and  at  length  to 
assault  him  with  open  violence.  He  fled  to  his  own  house, 
followed  by  a mob,  who  broke  into  the  house,  smashed  the 
windows  and  doors,  and  destroyed,  in  their  fury,  the  Bibles, 
tracts  and  books  of  every  descriiition  which  they  found  within. 
Mr.  Buel  and  the  ladies  of  the  mission  were  rescued  from  im- 
minent perils  by  the  timely  arrival,  from  the  British  garrison, 
of  an  officer,  who,  at  the  head  of  a detachment  of  soldiers, 
conducted  them  in  safety  to  the  citadel.  The  affair  did  not  end 
here,  for  a few  days  later,  in  the  midst  of  the  excited  feelings 
still  subsisting  between  the  Greeks  and  the  English,  a collision 
took  place  between  the  soldiers  and  the  populace,  which  unhap- 
pily was  not  ended  without  the  sacrifice  of  several  lives. 

The  occasion  of  the  first  tumult  was  this:  It  had  been 
reported  that  Buel  had  distributed  tracts  against  the  favorite 
Saint  Spiridion,  and  had  also  charged  the  people  with  idolatry 


732 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


ill  asseiiiblin^^  to  worsliij)  liis  ima^(‘..  Tlio  report  was  ])rov(‘(l  f o lie 
entirely  false.  But  as  the  exeitcment  did  not  ahati*,  Mr.  Ihiel 
deemed  it  prudent  to  withdraw  from  Corfu,  lie  took  passa^^e 
in  a vessel  kindly  i)rovid(‘d  for  him  by  th(‘.  Lord  lli^h  Commis- 
sioner, and  sailed  to  Malta,  Avhere  he  continued  to  reside  witli 
his  family  for  nearly  two  years.^ 

A similar  elndlitioii  of 
lioxmlar  bigotry  occurred 
at  l^atras  the  following 
year.  Two  Greeks,  who 
were  convertiMl  through 
the  iireaching  of  Mr. 

Apostolos  at  ratras, 

Avent  to  Corfu  in  order 
to  be  baptized  by  Mr. 

Loat^,  AAdio  AA'as  iirepar- 
ing  to  leaA^e  the  country 
on  account  of  declining 
health.  They  were  bai)- 
tized  on  the  4th  of  De- 
cember, 1842,  and  on  the 
.lily  following  started  Peasants  ».  CcU 

AAuth  Apostolos  on  their 

return  to  Patras.  On  their  arrival  they  were  assailed  by  a 
mob,  aa4io  followed  them  to  their  houses,  shouting,  ^‘Away 
AAuth  the  rreemasons!  Away  with  the  Anti-Christs!’^  Kext 
day  a rabble  again  collected  near  their  dwellings,  uttering 
threats  of  violence,  and  charging  Apostolos  with  turning 
the  ])(‘oi)le  into  Americans,  and  breaking  down  their  religion. 
Though  ])rote('ted  by  the  jiolice,  they  thought  it  prudent  to 
retire  for  a season  from  their  labors  in  Patras.  Apostolos  took 
})assage  for  Athens,  Avhere  he  continued  Ids  missionary  labors. 


1.  “History  of  Bajitist  Missions,’’  by  Prof.  Giunmell,  pp.  303-4. 


TAJfTALIZINa  TOLERATION.^^ 


733 


The  mission  at  Patras  was,  in  consequence,  entirely  broken  up. 
Mr.  Love  returned  home,  arriving  in  'New  York  in  the  Spring 
of  1843  j and  after  waiting  for  more  than  two  years,  in  hope  of  a 
restoration  of  health  and  a return  to  Greece,  he  withdrew  from 
the  service  of  the  Board.  He  became  the  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary of  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  and,  some 
years  later,  the  financial  agent  of  Brown  University.  The  rev- 
olution of  1843  obtained  for  the  Greeks  a new  constitution, 
which  was  deemed,  by  the  founders  of  the  mission,  favorable  to 
religious  liberty.  Its  first  article,  which  grants  toleratiou  to 
every  kind  of  worship,  yet  expressly  prohibits  “proselytism 
and  every  other  interference  with  the  prevailing  religion.”  This 
restriction  clearly  warrants  the  rudest  interference  of  the  local 
magistrates  with  every  attempt  to  invite  sinners  to  Christ.  Mr. 
Buel,  however,  hoped  that  the  concessions  of  the  new  Govern- 
ment, and  the  progress  of  opinion,  would  enable  him  to  resume 
his  more  active  duties  without  further  molestation.  He  there- 
fore left  Malta  and  removed  to  Piraeus,  the  port  of  Athens.  For 
the  first  six  months  he  gave  himself  to  the  i)reparation  of  school- 
books, and  notably  to  the  re\dsion  of  Wayland’s  Moral  Science. 
This  treatise  was  received  with  unexpected  favor  in  Greece,  not 
only  by  friends  of  the  mission,  but  by  scholars,  i)rofessors  in  the 
university,  and  even  by  the  ecclesiastics  themselves.  It  was 
introduced  into  many  of  the  gymnasia  and  Hellenic  schools,  as 
well  in  Greece  x^roper  as  in  the  Ionian  Eepublic,  and  read  by 
many  of  the  educated  men  of  the  land.  Other  works  were  also 
translated  and  i)ublished  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Buel. 

Apostolos  went  to  Piraeus  and  engaged  in  x)rivate  x)ursuits. 
After  the  removal  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Love,  Mrs.  Hickson  was  the 
only  missionary  still  residing  at  Corfu.  In  1844  she  was  joined 
by  Eev.  A.  Y.  Arnold,  Mrs.  Arnold  and  Miss  S.  E.  Waldo.  While 
acquiring  a knowledge  of  modern  Greek,  Mr.  Arnold  x)reached 
to  an  English  congregation,  chiefly  soldiers  of  the  garrison,  and 
baptized  several  of  them.  From  various  causes,  the  work  of 


734 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


evangelizing  the  Greeks  advanced  very  slowly,  and  donbts 
began  to  be  entertained  <at  home  about  tlie  expc'diency  of  con- 
tinning  this  mission.  The  deficiencies  of  the  treasury  addiul 
weight  to  these  donbts.  But  neitlnw  Mr.  Arnold  nor  .Mr.  Bin*! 
was  willing  to  advise  the  extinction  of  the  mission.  The  Jioard 
had  been  authorized  to  discontinue  it 5 but  in  view  of  the  state- 
ments of  the  missionaries,  it  was  thought  ex])edient  to  give  tlumi 
still  further  trial. 

In  1846  ]Mr.  Arnold  (commenced  jireaching  in  Greek,  to  a small 
congregation  in  Corfu.  He  also  continued  to  prea(4i  to  the 
British  soldiers  of  the  garrison.  But  such  was  tlie  iiolitical 
condition  of  the  Ionian  Ke])ublic,  and  so  mixed  was  the  iioimla- 
tion  of  Corfu,  that  it  became  very  manifest  that  no  new  religious 
movement  commencing  in  either  of  the  seven  islands,  and 
notably  in  Corfu,  could  extend  to  the  entire  mass  of  the  Greek 
lieople.  In  1851,  therefore,  Mr.  Arnold  removed  to  Athens.  He 
had  been  very  active  and  useful  in  Corfu.  Soon  after  his  arrival, 
Eev.  Mr.  Loundes,  who  had  long  resided  on  the  island  as  the 
agent  of  several  benevolent  societies  in  England  and  as  one  of  the 
Commissioners  of  Public  Instruction,  removed  and  transferred 
many  of  liis  philanthropic  duties  to  Mr.  Arnold.  Two  young  men 
had  been  baptized  there  by  Mr.  Arnold,  one  of  whom  had  been 
engaged  in  studies  preiiaratory  to  usefulness  among  his  country- 
men. His  Greek  congregation  had  numbered  from  thirty  to 
forty,  but  the  labors  which  had  borne  the  most  immediate  fruit 
had  been  bestowed  on  the  soldiers  and  other  English  inhabitants. 

But  while  he  had  found  his  usefulness  too  circumscribed  in 
Corfu,  he  encountered  at  Athens  ecclesiastical  prejudice  and 
ojiposition.  The  year  after  his  arrival,  Eev.  Jonas  King,  a 
missionary  of  the  Congregational  Board,  was  by  reason  of  some 
of  his  jmblications  sentenced  to  imprisonment  for  fifteen  days 
and  cx])ulsion  from  the  kingdom.  An  official  protest  saved  him 
from  lin*.  (‘X(*cution  of  the  sentence,  but  for  a time  persecution 
tlireatciM'd  to  break  up  tlie  mission  with  which  he  was  connected. 


THE  GREEICS  AND  REV.  DR.  ARNOLD. 


735 


Several  years  before,  in  1847,  our  own  mission  at  PiraBus  was 
threatened  by  the  ecclesiastical  and  civil  authorities  of  the  town. 
Mrs.Buel  and  Mrs.  Waldo  had  been  teaching  a small  school  there, 
and  Mr.  Buel  had  held  meetings  in  his  own  house  every  Sunday 
for  preaching  and  Bible  instruction.  The  Demarch  or  mayor  of 
Piraeus  ordered  Mr.  Buel  to  dismiss  the  school  kept  in  his 
house.  The  order  was  obeyed,  but  the  Sunday  meetings  were 
continued  as  usual.  A week  afterwards,  Mr.  Buel  was  sum- 
moned to  appear  before  the  Court  of  Magistrates  to  answer 
to  the  charge  of  teaching  contrary  to  law.  The  court  decided 
that  by  his  Sunday  meetings  he  had  violated  the  law,  and 
imposed  on  him  a fine  of  fifty  drachmas.  The  case  was  carried 
up  to  the  Court  of  Ai)peals  at  Athens,  which  reversed  the 
sentence  of  the  court  below.  By  this  decision,  the  mission 
was  saved  from  the  extinction  wliich  threatened  it  in  the  King- 
dom of  Greece.  The  school,  however,  was  not  resumed  j and 
Miss  Waldo  became  the  associate  of  Mrs.  Dickson,  in  the  school 
at  Corfu,  until  1848,  when  she  was  married  to  Mr.  York,  left  the 
mission  and  went  to  reside  at  Zante. 

Although  Zante  is  the  capital  of  a republic,  and  by  its  com- 
merce connected  with  the  most  enlightened  nations,  yet  it  was  as 
late  as  1851  the  scene  of  intolerant  proceedings.  Sixty  priests 
of  the  Greek  Church  complained  to  the  Bishop  of  Zante  that 
their  religion  had  been  assailed,  and  demanded  the  banishment 
of  the  two  Greek  assistants  of  our  mission  from  the  islandt 
One  of  them  was  kept  in  prison  eleven  days  and  then  banished. 

Mr.  Arnold  returned  to  the  United  States  in  August  1855, 
when  he  resigned  his  office  as  missionary. 

Eev.  Albert  K.  Arnold,  D.  D.,  for  ten  years  missionary  in 
Greece,  was  born  in  Cranston,  11.  I.,  February  12th,  1814.  He 
was  graduated  at  Brown  University  in  1838,  and  finished  his 
theological  course  at  Kewton  in  1841.  He  was  ordained  pastor 
in  Kewburyport,  Mass.,  September  14th,  1841,  and  in  1843  he 
received  an  appointment  as  a missionary  to  Greece.  After 


730 


THE  STORY  OF  EAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


liis  return  to  America,  lie  was  for  three  y(*ars  Professor  of 
Cliureli  Ilistory  at  Newton.  For  the  next  six  yeni'S  lie  was 
jiastor  of  the  Baptist  ehnreh  in  Westboroii^h,  Mass.  For  five 
years  he  was  Ih'ofessor  of  Exegesis  and  of  Pastoral  Care  at 
Hamilton  5 and  for  four  years  he  was  Professor  of  New  Testa- 
ment Greek,  in  the  Theological  Seminary  in  Cliicago.  lie 
resigned  in  1878,  and  went  to  reside  near  Providence,  K.  I., 
where  he  engaged  in  literary  imrsnits  as  far  as  his  impaired 
health  permitted.  lie  was  one  of  our  first  Biblical  scholars; 
and  few  or  no  Americans  eijnalled  him  as  masters  of  the  modern 
Greek  language  and  literature.  ]\Ir.  Arnold’s  linguistic  gifts 
and  attainments  were  extraordinary.  AVhile  he  resided  at  Athens 
he  xireached  in  his  own  house,  to  a small  assembly,  chietly  of 
young  men  from  the  nniversity,  who  came  not  so  mu(;h  because 
they  were  attracted  by  the  Gospel,  as  because  they  were  drawn 
by  ]\Ir.  Arnold’s  ekxpience  in  the  use  of  the  Grei‘k  language. 
This  might  aiipear  woi^derful  to  us,  did  we  not  consider  that  the 
modern  Greeks  have  not  ears  as  sensitive  to  the  niceties  of  lan- 
guage as  the  ancient  Attics  possessed,  and  that  the  story  told 
about  the  way  the  latter  corrected  the  })ronunciation  of  Demos- 
thenes is  probably  a fabrication  of  the  later  Soi^hists.  The 
races  to  whom  classic  Greek  descended  as  an  inheritance  must 
have  been,  for  the  most  part,  stupid  barbarians,  while  the 
Greek  ecclesiastics  who  had,  to  say  the  least,  the  Septuagint 
and  the  Greek  New  Testament  for  so  many  centuries,  were  so 
ignorant  and  dull,  that  they  did  little  to  save  either  themselves 
or  the  jieojile  from  daily  torturing  even  the  language  of  Chry- 
sostom and  Gregory  of  Nazianzum.  Those  who  speak  the 
Bomaic  of  to-day  are  as  little  related  to  the  ancient  Greeks  in 
blood  as  in  taste.  Prof.  Arnold  died  at  the  old  homestead  of  the 
family,  in  Crnnston,  11.  I.,  October  11th,  1883.  AYe  noAV  resume 
our  account  of  tlie  Greek  mission. 

iMr.  Bn(‘l  relnrmxl  to  the  United  States  in  November,  1855. 
I femcti  iiis  Z.  Sak(‘llarios,  the  oidy  assistant  remaining,  closed 


Mil.  SAKELLARIOS  IN  GREECE. 


737 


his  labors  in  1857.  During  fifteen  years  following,  the  work 
was  suspended.  At  the  end  of  this  long  interim,  in  1871,  Mr. 
Sakellarios,  the  former  asssitant,  was  appointed  a missionary, 
and  established  himself  at  Athens.  This  native  of  Greece,  a 
printer  by  trade,  had  visited  this  country  and  pursued  theo- 
logical studies  at  17ewton,  and  before  setting  out  for  home,  had 
married  Miss  Edmonds,  of  Charlestown,  Mass.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sakellarios  took  up  the  work  of  the  mission  with  commendable 
vigor  and  perseverance.  Meetings  were  held  every  Sunday,  and 
almost  every  evening  in  the  week.  A nephew  of  the  missionary 
was  baptized,  and  became  a colporteur  and  a student  in  the 
university.  In  1873  a Greek  woman  was  converted.  The  next 
year  appeared  the  fruit  of  seed  sown  many  years  before.  One  of 
the  regular  attendants  of  the  mission  was  converted,  and  in 
relating  his  experience,  said  that  eighteen  years  i^reviously  a 
copy  of  the  Bible  and  a tract  were  handed  him.  The  reading  of 
them  made  no  impression  on  his  mind  at  that  timej  but  subse- 
quently hearing  them  read  and  commented  on,  he  gained  a clear 
view  of  Christ  as  his  Saviour. 

In  1875  there  were  some  signs  of  a refreshing.  One  was  bap- 
tized, and  there  were  two  hopeful  inquirers.  But  the  Govern- 
ment began  to  suspect  that  there  were  attempts  to  make 
proselytes.  The  mission  school  was  closed  by  the  police,  and  a 
promise  not  to  teach  evangelical  religion  was  demanded  as  the 
condition  of  being  allowed  to  ojoen  it  again. 

In  1876  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sakellarios  visited  England,  Scotland 
and  France,  and  received  some  contributions  in  behalf  of  a 
chapel  which  they  proposed  to  erect  in  Athens.  On  their  return 
a place  was  secured  for  a school  and  a teacher  was  engaged,  but 
the  Government  again  interposed  and  prevented  the  school  from 
being  opened.  But  the  meetings  and  services  of  the  mission 
church  were  permitted  by  the  authorities.  One  conversion  was 
ret)orted  in  the  year  1876.  The  report  of  1881  informs  us  that 


738 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


the  churcli  is  composed  of  seven  memhers.  As  iisualj  one  was 

bai) tized  during  that  year. 

“ Such  is  the  aspect  of  this  shore : 

’Tis  Greece,  but  living  Greece  no  more! 

So  coldly  sweet,  so  deadly  fair, 

We  start,  for  soul  is  wanting  there.” 

One  cause  of  the  present  degradation  of  Greece,  and  of  the 
Greek  Church,  was  the  neglect  of  tlie  warnings  of  Jesus  to  the 
seven  churches,  contained  iti  tlie  P>ook  of  Itevelation,  and  of  the 
prophetic  malediction  uttered  against  those  who  add  to  the  Avords 
of  the  Apocalyjise  ( llcv.  22  : 18  ),  and  hy  imidication  to  the  Avoids 
of  other  ftarts  of  Scripture.  (I)eut.  4:2j  18:22j  Prov.  30:0.) 
A cheap  and  accessible  example  of  these  additions  is  a tract  called 
The  Teaching  of  the  TAvelve  Apostles,”  recently  discovered  by 
the  Greek  ecclesiastic,  Bryennios.  This  tract,  like  many  other 
spurious  writings  forged  in  the  name  of  the  Ajiostles,  is  almost 
all  found  in  the  seA^enth  book  of  the  Afiostolic  Constitutions.” 
It  is  chiefly  A-aluable  as  showing  Iioav  the  blind  led  the  blind  and 
both  fell  into  the  ditch. 

II. 

The  operations  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Board  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention  in  Italy  hav^e  been  attended  Avith  very  sub- 
stantial results.  When  the  army  of  Victor  Emanuel,  King  of 
Italy,  entered  Borne,  Seiitember  23d,  1870,  it  secured  a toleration 
of  Protestant  missionary  service.  Our  Southern  brethren  accord- 
ingly, in  1870,  appointed  W.  K.  Cote,  M.  D.,  son  of  the  late  well- 
known  C.  II.  O.  Cote,  M.  B.,  of  the  Grand  Ligne  Mission,  Can- 
ada, to  suiierintend  mission  Avork  in  Borne.  There  were  asso- 
ciated Avith  him  Signors  Bosa,  Gardiol  and  Pinelli.  In  1871  he 
r(*])orted  to  the  Board  the  organization  of  a church,  twelve  bap- 
tisms and  a church  membership  of  eighteen.  In  1872  was 

baj) tized  in  the  river  Tiber,  under  the  shadow  of  the  Vatican,  G. 
B.  Gioja,  a natiA^e  of  Borne  and  a linguist  of  marked  ability. 
Altlioiigh  a mere  novice  in  the  religion  of  Christ,  he  Avas  almost 


^‘IN  ROME  ALSO.” 


739 


immediately  ordained  to  the  ministry,  and,  in  the  temporary 
absence  of  Dr.  Cote,  was  made  pastor  of  the  chnrcli.  Some 
troubles  having  risen  in  the  church,  which  could  not  be  settled 
by  themselves,  Eev.  Dr.  J.  B.  Jeter  was  sent  out  as  a special 
commissioner  to  adjust  differences.  The  result  of  his  investiga- 
tions was,  that  Bev.  G.  B.  Gioja  was  dismissed  from  service,  and 
Dr.  Cote  advised  to  withdraw  from  the  mission.  Gioja  i)roved 
himself  a self-deceived  hypocrite.  As  for  Dr.  Cote,  there  had 
been  nothing  in  his  conduct  that  compromised  his  moral  char- 
acter, or  imi^aired  confidence  in  his  capacity  as  a missionary. 
Partly  disengaged  from  his  work  at  Eome,  Dr.  Cote  now  spent 
much  time,  travel  and  research  in  preparing  a work  on  the  Bap- 
tisteries of  the  East,  which  has  been  published.  He  died  at 
Eome  in  1877,  of  a disease  of  the  heart,  supi)osed  to  have  been 
aggravated  by  the  troubles  which  befell  his  mission.  From 
the  beginning  a permanent  place  of  worship  was  a want  deeply 
felt  and  often  expressed.  After  occasional  exertions  to  this  end 
for  eight  years,  a chapel  was  built  and  dedicated  in  1878,  at  the 
cost  of  $34,821.04.  Its  site  is  on  Via  Theatro  della  Valle^  one 
of  the  great  thoroughfares,  two  hundred  yards  from  the  Pan- 
theon. A local  newspaper,  the  organ  of  the  Pope,  referred  to 
the  dedication  as  the  Opening  of  an  Infernal  Hall.”  In  1879 
the  mission  reported  eleven  important  stations,  nine  evangelists 
and  134  church  members.  Among  the  laborers  are  Columbo,  an 
honored  preacher  at  Taranto,  Bellondi,  late  missionary  of  the 
Jews  in  Venice,  Brachetto,  formerly  pastor  of  the  Eree-Church, 
and  Laura,  professor  in  the  College  at  Turin.  But  more  eminent 
than  the  rest  is  Count  Oswald  Papengouth,  of  Eussia.  He  had 
received  a liberal  education,  and  was  connected  by  marriage 
with  a noble  English  family.  When  arrested  by  the  grace  of 
God,  he  was  living  in  sin  and  vice.  His  x)ious  housekeeper  often 
gave  him  tracts,  which,  instead  of  reading,  he  threw  into  the 
waste-basket.  One  day  seeing  a scrap  of  paper,  he  picked  it  up, 
and,  though  it  was  one  of  the  tracts  he  abominated,  his  atten- 


740 


THE  STOIIY  OF  liAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


tioii  was  HOW  arrested  l)y  some  words  that  met  liis  eye.  He  read 
OH  and  OH^  Hiitil  lie  was  eoHvi(d(‘d  of  sin;  and  in  this  jiaiiifid 
state  of  mind  he  went  out  into  tlie  str(‘ets.  His  stejis  were 
lirovideiitially  directed  to  a croAvd  to  whom  tlie  celebrated  Bap- 
tist AV.  Koel  was  preacliiiig’  an  ojieH-air  sermon.  Through 
grace,  the  words  lie  heard  comxileted  the  Avork  Avhich  the  Avoi  ds 
he  had  read  had  commeiiced.  After  his  hajitism  h(i  coHS(‘crated 
his  time,  talents  and  treasure  to  missionary  Avork,  mostly  in 
Italy.  Full  of  zeal  and  faith,  he  has  been  very  useful  in  Naples, 
as  he  had  before  been  in  France  and  SAvitzerland. 

At  Yenice,  in  June,  1877,  lleA".  Dr.  Cl.  B.  Taylor,^  General 
Snperintendent  of  the  Italian  mission,  bajitized  Signor  Bellondi 
^dn  the  locality,”  it  is  said,  ^GAiiere  so  many  Christians  Avere 
drowned.”  This  must  be  receiA^ed  Avith  some  grains  of  alloAV- 
ance;  for  the  exact  locality  Avhere  heretics  Avere  droAvned,  whether 
in  the  Lagoon,  or  east  of  Lido,  far  uaa  ay  in  the  Gulf,  can  never 
be  knoAvn.  They  were  taken  from  their  xilaces  of  imxirisonment 
at  the  tAA^elfth  hour  of  the  night,  placed  in  a gondola  and  rowed 
out  to  sea,  to  a spot  Avhere  another  gondola  Avas  in  Avaiting. 
There  the  Baptist,  or  other  heretic,  had  AA^eights  fastened  to  his 
head  and  his  feet.  He  was  then  xilaced  on  a xilank,  which  Avas 
laid  across  the  two  boats,  and,  as  these  boats  were  shoved  axiart, 
the  xibndv  fell  betAveen  them,  OA^erset,  and  so  threw  the  heretic*, 
into  the  dexiths  of  the  dark  and  silent  sea.  Signor  Bellondi 
is  gathering  a Baxitist  church  at  A^euice.  He  is  A^ery  active, 
both  as  an  eA^angelist  and  aAvriter.  In  1881  he  xmblished  a book 
on  the  Ancient  Baxitists  of  Yenice.  Hitherto  Italian  historians 
haAa5  ignored  the  former  Baxitists  of  the  City  of  the  Sea.  This 
little  volume,  Avhich  has  gone  into  many  houses  in  AYiiice, 
ai)i)(‘ars  to  be  engaged  in  a good  cause,  and  is  receHed  Avith 
favor  by  the  cadtivated  classes.  Signor  Bellondi  has  likeAvise 
Avritt(*n  SOUK*.  ol‘  the  best  hymns  that  are  sung  in  the  Baxitist 
chnr(‘li(*s  ol’  Italy. 

4'h(‘.  Soiilliern  Ihqitists  r(‘])ort  tlie  coiiA’(*rsion  of  Prof.  Torre, 

].  S(m;  Appriidi); 


MR.  VAN  meter’s  WORK  IN  ROME. 


741 


of  the  Lyceum  of  Bologna,  who  in  1881  first  preached  the  Gos- 
pel and  lectured  on  Italian  literature  in  Eoine.  In  1883  he  gave 
a sermon  at  Capri,  which  made  a profound  imi)ression.  Profes- 
sors, lawyers,  doctors,  and  other  men  of  note  were  among  the 
crowded  audience.  Another  hopeful  accession  to  the  mission  is 
Signor  Mcolas  Papengouth,  son  of  the  missionary.  Count 
Papengouth  of  i!laples,  a young  man  of  education  and  piety. 
In  May,  1884,  he  settled  as  pastor  in  Milan. 

The  members  of  this  mission  (1884 ) are  as  follows  : G.  B.  Tay- 
lor, J.  H.  Eager,  Mrs.  Eager,  Signors  Basile,  Ferraris,  Paschetto. 
Bellondi,  Colombo,  Torre,  Martinelli,  Volpi,  Papengouth  and 
Cossu.  The  stations  are : Rome,  Torre-Pellice,  Pinerolo,  Milan, 
Venice,  Bologna,  Modena,  Carpi,  Bari,  Barletta,  ^laples  and 
the  Island  of  Sardinia.  Death  has  removed  from  this  mis- 
sion Mrs.  George  B.  Taylor,  whose  soul  suddenly  went  to  glory 
March  7th,  1884.  According  to  the  testimony  of  Rev.  J.  II. 
Eager,  Mrs.  Taylor  was  a martyr  to  the  work  in  Rome,  and  it 
will  never  be  known,  until  the  Great  Day,  what  burdens  she  bore 
and  what  sacrifices  she  made,  during  the  eleven  years  of  her  life 
in  Italy. 

In  October,  1883,  the  Baptists  of  Italy  associated  themselves 
under  the  name  of  ^^The  Apostolical  Baptist  Union j”  and  in 
May,  1884,  its  first  general  meeting  was  held  in  Turin. 

The  missions  of  the  Rev.  W.  C.  Van  Meter,  in  Rome  and  other 
parts  of  Italy,  are  deserving  of  a full  narration  5 but  the  mate- 
rials for  an  adequate  account  of  them  have  yet  to  be  collected. 
That  was  a high  day  for  his  mission,  when  two  colporteurs 
walked  in  the  procession  which  attended  the  King’s  triumphal 
entry  into  Rome,  by  the  side  of  a cart  drawn  by  a shepherd’s  dog 
and  filled  with  Kew  Testaments  in  the  Italian  language.  Among 
the  first  to  commence  mission  work  in  Rome,  he  went  forward 
with  a valor,  prudence  and  good-will,  which  were  all  too  suc- 
cessful not  to  call  forth  the  criticisms  of  correspondents  and 
editors,  writing  in  the  interests  of  societies  whose  incomes,  it 


742 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


was  feared,  iniglit  be  diminislied  by  bis  siiceessfnl  apj)eals  to  the 
eliurclies.  We  expected  lie  would  be  assassinated  by  the  Jesuits; 
but  we  are  sorry  to  add  that  his  assailants  have  been  found 
among  members  of  his  own  beloved  denomination.  One  of  his 
schools  was  close  to  the  Pope’s  palace,  the  Vatican  ; and  in  Sum- 
mer, when  the  windows  were  open,  the  three-hatted  P>ridge- 
Maker,  or  tiara-crowned  Pontifex,  could  hear  JMr.  Van  IVIeter’s 
juveniles  sing  American  Sunday-school  melodies  to  his  heart’s 
content.  Dr.  Prime,  of  the  Xew  York  Observer , says: 
attended  the  Sunday-school,  and  found  four  or  live  different 
rooms  filled  with  children  of  various  ages,  from  the  infant  class 
to  the  youth  of  sixteen.  An  efficient  coriis  of  teachers  were  giv- 
ing instruction  in  the  Scriptures.  They  were  then  all  assembled 
in  the  largest  hall,  and  engaged  in  singing  hymns;  and  the 
parents  of  some  of  the  children  coming  in,  addresses  were  made 
to  them  and  to  the  schools.  The  walls  were  hung  with  American 
and  Italian  flags ; texts  of  Scrixiture  were  inscribed;  these  rooms 
are  filled  every  day  in  the  week  with  scholars;  in  the  evening 
they  are  occupied  by  young  men  studying  the  Bible.”  During 
the  necessary  absence  of  Mr.  Van  Meter  in  1878,  the  Eev.  Dr.  G. 
B.  Taylor,  of  the  Southern  Baptist  mission,  took  the  manage- 
ment of  his  Vatican  schools;  and  it  ought  to  be  said,  to  the 
honor  of  Eev.  Dr.  Taylor  and  his  Italian  coadjutors,  that  they 
have  ever  highly  appreciated  Mr.  Van  Meter,  and  have  always 
extended  to  him  their  peaceable  and  concordant  aid. 

Our  British  brethren  also  have  missions  in  Eome.  The  Par- 
ticular Baiitists  are  represented  by  the  Eev.  James  Wall,  who 
was  among  the  first  to  enter  the  city  when  the  army  of  Vic- 
tor Emanuel  marched  into  it.  In  1881  three  of  their  mission- 
aries were  at  work  in  Eome,  assisted  by  eight  evangelists.  They 
rejiorted  a membership  of  133.  The  General,  or  Arminian  Bap- 
tists, likinvise  have  a mission  in  the  Italian  capital,  under  the 
direclion  of  the  Eev.  Y.  II.  Shaw,  assisted  by  Paul  Grassi,  once 
a canon  of  tlie  Eomisli  Church. 


THE  SIN  OF  SPAIN. 


743 


In  1884,  Mr.  Yan  Meter  commenced  an  nndenominational  mis- 
sion in  Eome.  His  friends  and  patrons  liave  for  many  years 
included  some,  both  in  England  and  America,  who  were  not 
Baptists.  Having  grown  imx)atient  of  dictation,  and  what  he 
considers  detraction  and  calumny,  he  has  set  on  foot  an  inde- 
pendent mission  in  his  former  field  near  the  Yaticau.  The  eve- 
ning reunions  at  his  own  residence  bring  together  evangelical 
visitors  and  sojourners  from  different  jiarts  of  the  terraqueous 
globe. 

III. 

The  suppression  of  the  Eeformation  in  Spain  formed  a curious 
eddy  in  the  current  of  Christian  civilization.  The  Eoman  Cath- 
olic ecclesiastics  whom  Charles  Y.  took  with  him  to  Germany  in 
order  to  refute  the  teachings  of  Luther,  imbibed,  instead  of 
destroying,  the  iiretended  heresy,  and  on  their  return  home  took 
a sympathetic  interest  in  those  of  their  countrymen  who  had 
already  become  Protestants.  It  has  been  thought  that  the 
Emperor  himself  died  a Protestant,  or  at  least  an  enemy  to  the 
Pope.  This  ojiinion  is  supiDorted  by  the  fact  that,  as  soon  as  he 
expired,  the  four  ecclesiastics  who  had  attended  him,  including 
his  preacher  and  his  confessor,  were  sent  to  the  Inquisition,  and 
either  committed  to  the  flames  or  put  to  death  by  some  other 
method  equally  terrible.  Many  other  friends  of  the  Emperor 
shared  the  same  fate.  Thus  did  the  Dominicans  quench  in 
blood  the  sparks  of  Protestantism;  while  the  Jesuits,  whose 
founder  was  a Spaniard,  contrived  by  duplicity,  fraud  and  secret 
persecution,  to  keep  the  knowledge  of  salvation  out  of  the 
Peninsula. 

For  more  than  three  centuries,  therefore.  Papal  bigotry  had 
full  possession  of  almost  all  this  field.  It  is  incontestably  true 
that  many  individuals  in  Spain  did  during  this  period  become 
Protestants,  but  they  were  either  killed  or  banished.  Many  also 
made  attemi3ts  to  introduce  juster  laws,  and  a more  tolerant 
government,  but  they  were  eventually  forced  to  choose  between 


744 


THE  STOUY  OF  liAPTlST  MISSIONS. 


martyrdom  and  (‘xilo.  Amon^j^  was  a,  drokor  of  (ladiz, 

Castcdar  hy  name,  who  resided  sevim  years  in  (libraltar  to 
escape  from  the  senteiiee  of  di^atli  wliieli  liad  Ixmmi  passed 
against  liim,  for  tiie  ])art  In*,  had  takcm  in  behalf  of  Spanisli 
liberty.  II is  son  Emilio  inherited  his  father’s  love  of  I'reedom, 
and  lias  became  famous  for  his  (‘hxpienc.e  and  his  jiatriotii?  exer^ 
tions.  He  first  drew  general  atbmtion,  in  bSIih,  by  taking  a 
leading  part  in  the  revolutionary  tronbh‘s,  which  were  siij)- 
pressed  by  Seri-ano.  Condemned  to  death,  he  escaped  hist 
to  (leneva  and  afterwards  to  Erance*.  When  the  revolnlioii 
of  1808  broke  out,  he  letnrned  to  his  native  (;onntry  and 
gave  himself  energetically  to  the  formation  of  a Eepublic. 
But  at  the  gemwal  election  in  1800,  the  Bepnblicans  could  return 
only  a small  number  of  their  candidates;  among  whom,  however, 
Avas  Sehor  Castelar.  He  had  kindled  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
people  by  his  eloipient  apiAeals  in  faxau*  of  a democracy.  In  the 
Cortes  lie  denounced  Prim  and  Serrano.  He  also  opjiosed  the 
choice  of  Amadeus  as  King,  and  after  the  abdication  of  the 
latter  he  became  Minister  of  Eoreign  Affairs.  In  1873  he  Avas 
elected  President  of  the  Executive  Power.  Eesigning  in  1874, 
when  Alfonso  XII.  Avas  raised  to  the  throne,  he  quitted  Madrid, 
and  in  1875  proceeded  to  GeneAui.  He  subsequently  returned  to 
Spain,  and  in  the  election  of  187G  he  obtained  a seat  in  the 
Cortes  as  Deputy  for  Madrid. 

It  Avas  while  Castelar  was  agitating  the  xmblic  mind  by  his 
bold  and  telling  orations,  that  Prof.  William  I.  Knapp,  a scholar 
and  educator  of  great  linguistic  gifts,  established  himself  at 
Madrid  as  an  independent  missionary.  In  18G0  he  asked  the 
^Missionary  Union  to  afford  him  some  assistance  in  his  work,  and 
accordingly  tAvo  brethren  Avere  sent  to  Spain  to  examine  the  field 
and  nqiort  on  the  expediency  of  opening  a mission  in  Madrid. 
.MeanAvhil(‘.  ]\Ir.  Knaj)])  Avas  successful  in  Avinning  souls.  In 
August,  1870  h(‘.  baptiz(‘d  six;  soon  after,  twel Am  more;  and  in 
I he  saiiK*,  month.  th(‘  Fiist  Baptist  Church  in  jMadrid  Avas  organ- 


THE  WORK  IN  SPAIN. 


745 


ized,  with  thirty-three  members.  The  delegates  having  reported 
favorably,  the  Executive  Committee  at  once  adopted  the  mission 
and  appointed  Prof.  Knapp  their  missionary. 

The  same  year  a church  was  also  formed  at  Alicante,  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  Peninsula,  and  one  of  the  converts,  a Span- 
iard, called  to  the  iiastoral  charge.  Mr.  Knapp  having  resolved 
to  give  himself  to  the  training  of  native  evangelists,  Mr.  Martin 
Kuiz  took  the  pastorate  of  the  church  in  Madrid.  In  the  Fall 
of  1870,  Eev.  John  W.  Terry  was  appointed  missionary  to  Sixain, 
and  arrived  in  Madrid  in  January,  1871 ; but  after  residing  there 
three  months,  he  concluded  that  the  affairs  of  the  mission  did 
not  demand  the  presence  of  more  than  one  agent  from  America. 
He  therefore  returned  to  the  United  States.  In  August  two 
persons  were  baptized  in  Madrid.  One  of  them  was  Eev.  G.  S. 
Benoliel,  who  had  taken  a leading  part  in  the  i)olitical  revolu- 
tions of  Spain,  and  was  popular  as  a public  speaker.  He  was 
afterwards  chosen  pastor  at  Madrid,  and  attracted  large  num- 
bers to  the  chapel  by  his  eloquence. 

The  origin  of  the  Baptist  church  in  La  Scala,  near  Valladolid, 
is  deserving  of  notice.  A former  colporteur  of  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  had  gathered  a church  in  the  village. 
The  i)eople  had  fitted  up  a chapel,  and  manifested  much  interest 
in  his  ministrations.  After  some  time.  Prof.  Knapp’s  tract  on 
Baptism  fell  into  his  hands.  Its  perusal,  and  the  investigation  to 
which  it  led,  convinced  him  that  if  he  would  follow  Christ  fully, 
he  had  something  yet  to  do.  Thereupon  he  hastened  to  Madrid 
in  quest  of  Prof.  Knapp,  in  order  that  he  might  be  baptized  and 
^Ghus  fulfill  all  righteousness.”  After  ordination  he  resumed 
work  for  the  church  of  which  he  was  already  pastor.  The  same 
year  a church  was  constituted  at  Y alencia,  and  ]Mr.  Euiz  became 
pastor  of  the  church  at  Alicante. 

In  1872  a new  i)lace  of  worship  was  i)rocured  at  Madrid.  A 
convert  of  much  promise  became  pastor,  and  several  were 

baptized.  The  church  iu  Alicante  also  had  several  added  by 
51 


74G 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  .MISSIONS. 


conversion  and  baidisin.  This  year,  Prof.  Knaj)])  visited  Ids 
native  land  for  a few  Aveeks.  Tlie  Carlist  insiirreetion  liad 
broken  out  in  the  ^orth,  and  Avas  eansin^^  inneh  exeitennad.  At 
this  time  the  nninber  of  Baptists  in  S])ain  Avas  rei)orted  to  be 
abont  tAvo  hundred. 

Tn  Linares,  fifty-one  AAxre  baptized  during  the  year  1873. 
This  toAvn  is  situated  south  of  Madrid,  in  the  proAinee  of  Anda- 
lusia, oil  the  southern  slope  of  the  Sierra  iVIorena.  Jt  is  tlie 
centre  of  one  of  the  oldest  and  richest  mining  districts  of  Spain. 
In  1871  it  yielded  more  than  G1,()()0  tons  of  lead.  It  has  more 
than  40,000  inhabitants,  and  lias  greatly  increased  in  imiiortance 
during  the  last  few  years.  AVhen  tlie  Baptists  first  entered 
Linares,  their  labors  AA^ere  attended  with  encouraging  success. 
One  room  after  another  Avas  taken  for  religions  services.  They 
were  soon  tilled,  and  many  iieople  AA'cre  obliged  to  go  away 
because  tliey  could  not  gain  admittance.  A native  iireacher 
having  held  a meeting  in  the  open  air  in  the  Aucinity,  he  Avas 
invited  by  the  authorities  to  preacli  in  the  pnlilic  hall,  the  city 
paying  for  the  lights  and  defraying  the  current  expenses. 

In  1863  Mr.  Benoliel  left  temtioraril}"  the  Spanish  Avork,  and 
commenced  a mission  in  Portugal.  Being  master  of  the  Portu- 
guese tongue,  he  went  to  Lisbon  and  opened  a hall  for  religious 
serAuce.  He  rallied  such  Baptists  as  Avere  already  in  the  city, 
and  drew  together  a congregation  of  fifty.  Our  celebrated 
hymn-AATiter,  Dr.  Smith,  tells  us  that  ^Hhe  Portuguese  Christians 
liaA^e  the  Avell-knoA\ui  hymn,  ^ The  Morning  Light  is  Breaking,’ 
translated  into  their  language  very  literally,  and  in  the  same 
meter  as  in  English;  and  not  only  in  Portugal,  but  among  the 
hills  and  in  the  valleys  of  Brazil,  AAdiere  there  are  Protestant 
believers,  it  is  heard  nearly  every  Sunday,  echoing  from  chapel 
to  chajiel  and  from  mountain  to  mountain:  and  from  numerous 
Christian  homes  the  SAA’^eet  cadence  of  the  tune  so  familiar  to  our 
ears,  tliongh  coni)](‘d  Avith  a strange  siieech,  floats  on  the  air  and 
IS  Avalteil  t()Ava»(ls  lieaveii.” 


CIVIL  DISORDERS  AND  RELiaiOIJS  TRIALS. 


747 


In  1874  there  were  reported  four  Spanish  clinrcheSj  four 
native  pastors  and  evangelists,  and  a total  membership  of  two 
hundred  and  forty -four.  The  year  1875  was  one  of  great  polit- 
ical commotion.  Serrano,  it  will  be  remembered,  held  executive 
power  until  January,  when  Alfonso,  who  had  been  proclaimed 
King  by  divisions  of  the  army,  landed  in  Spain.  The  new  King 
took  the  field  in  person  against  the  Carlists,  and  though  the  son 
of  Isabella  II.  and  in  favor  with  the  Catholic  inhabitants,  his 
first  military  movements  were  not  successful.  He  was  defeated 
at  Lacar  on  the  9th  of  March.  The  struggles  of  the  Eoyalists 
continued  with  varying  results  until  October,  when  some  of  the 
Carlist  forces  met  with  a fatal  reverse,  and  from  that  time  their 
cause  began  to  lose  ground.  It  was  a year  not  only  of  martial, 
but  of  i^olitical  battles.  The  Intransigentes^  or  the  x)arty  refus- 
ing comx)romise,  and  their  adversaries,  the  Eoyalists,  were  very 
troublesome  in  Madrid.  All  the  Protestant  churches  were  closed 
by  royal  decree.  The  Papal  Kuncio,  in  a circular  note  to  the 
bishops,  i^rohibited  all  worship  except  the  Catholic,  which  Avas 
declared  the  established  religion  of  Spain.  Disgusted  at  the 
royal  decree  respecting  education,  Castelar  resigned  the  chair  of 
history  in  the  University  of  Madrid.  The  Bax^tist  missions  suf- 
fered much  from  the  ascendency  of  Popery.  The  x^i’omising 
church  at  Linares  was  totally  scattered  and  the  x^astor  banished. 
Other  little  churches,  however,  refused  to  disband,  although  they 
thought  it  prudent  to  hold  meetings  and  baptize  in  private,  and 
with  some  circumspection.  In  this  way  five-and-twenty  were 
baptized  in  Alicante,  and  Mr.  Benoliel  boldly  ventured  to  that 
city.  This  year  the  Board  apxAoiuted  as  missionary  to  Sx)ain,  Eev. 
Eicardo  P.  Cifre,  a Sx^aniard,  ayIio  had  been  a student  of  Kewton. 

In  November,  1876,  Prof.  Knapx)  resigned  his  office  as  mis- 
sionary to  Sx^aiii,  and  returned  to  this  country.  While  temx^orar- 
ily  employed  in  correcting  the  catalogue  of  the  Ticknor  Sx)anish 
Collection  in  the  Boston  City  Library,  some  of  the  authorities  of 
Yale  College,  becoming  acquainted  with  his  exact  and  extensive 


748 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


knowledge  of  modern  langnag(\s,  took  st(‘i).s  to  seeaire  liis  ser- 
vices as  professor  at  Yale,  where  he  now  resides,  tie  did  good 
service  in  Si)ain,  as  well  for  missions  as  for  Christian  litcTatiin*. 

Meanwhile  the  church  in  Alicante  ])assed  through  fieiy  trials. 
The  ])astor  left  it  in  charge  of  an  evangelist,  and  in  1877  estab- 
lished a new  station  at  Alcoy,  a town  t wenty-fonr  miles  north- 
Avest  of  Alicant(‘.  The  chapel  Avas  formally  opened  in  Jum*,  and 
twelA^e  Avere  baptized. 

^Ir.  Cifre  found  it  impossible  to  establish  himself  in  the  city 
of  liarcelona,  but  Avith  much  difhcnlty  i)rocnred  a ])lace  of  Avor- 
shi})  ^Avithout  the  gates.’’  The  United  States  consul  Avas  at  the 
opening  seiwice.  Tn  1878  the  congregation  had  gradually 
increased,  and  a little  company  AAere  ready  to  confess  Christ 
before  men. 

In  1881  there  Avere  four  missionaries  and  three  churches  in 
Spain  5 one  at  Madrid,  one  at  Alcoy,  and  one  at  Figueras.  In 
that  year  the  church  at  Madrid  AA  as  called  to  mourn  the  death 
of  their  pastor,  Don  Manuel  de  Canencia.  He  Avas  a man  of  in- 
telligence, zeal  and  prudence.  He  Avas  called  hence  in  the  prime 
of  life.  Before  his  death  he  sent  to  America  a report,  of  AA'hich 
the  folloAAung  sentences  are  au  imiiortant  part:  Since  the  goA”- 
erument  of  Sagasta  AA^e  haA^e  more  liberty.  The  press  can  exjiress 
opinions  more  freely.  Newspapers  are  not  noAV  suppressed. 
There  is  more  liberty  of  association,  and  the  GoA^ernment  now 
neA^er  dissoh^es  any  public  meetings,  if  in  them  the  iierson  of 
the  King  is  respected.  The  liberal  spirit  of  the  GoA^ernment  is 
seen  in  the  iicav  civil  code,  AATiich  permits  choice  between  ciAul 
and  religious  inatrimony.  ^Ye  have  not  complete  religious  lib- 
erty as  yet,  but  there  is  a faAmrable  adAmnce  towards  it.  Pris- 
oners aie  ])ermitted  to  hav^e  the  ministers  of  their  own  faith 
to  A’isit  tliem  in  sickness.  The  GoAU'rnment  finds  itself  with  a 
constitution  o])pos(‘d  to  its  ])rincii)les,  and,  instead  of  making  a 
ncAv  one,  proposes  to  interpret  the  old  one  in  a more  liberal  way.” 


PRESENT  SITUATION  IN  SPAIN. 


749 


Praxedes  Mateo  Sagasta^  who  is  now  at  the  head  of  the  Gov- 
erumeutj  is  a man  of  liberal  principles.  For  the  part  he  took  in 
the  insurrection  of  Jnly,  185G,  he  was  comiielled  to  flee  to  France. 
Keturning  to  Spain  when  amnesty  was  declared^  he  became 
editor  of  La  Iheria^  the  organ  of  the  party  of  i)rogress.  After 
the  insurrection  of  Jnne^  1860^  he  fled  to  France  the  second  time, 
and  did  not  return  until  after  the  flight  and  deposition  of  Isa- 
bella 11.  During  th*e  presidency  of  Serrano,  he  held  several 
important  offices.  In  June,  1875,  he  became  a supporter  of  the 
policy  of  Alfonso,  and  endeavored  to  form  a party  in  favor  of 
constitutional  liberty.  From  1877  to  1879  we  find  him  taking 
the  side  of  the  opposition.  His  present  i:)osition  and  aims,  as 
described  by  onr  late  missionary,  Senor  Canencia,  are  coherent 
with  his  former  princi|)les  and  the  turning  points  in  his  public 
career. 

The  cause  of  religions  liberty  suffers  in  Spain  by  the  excesses 
of  socialists  and  other  revolntionaiy  spirits.  By  ofleuding  the 
friends  of  law  and  social  order,  they  cause  reaction  in  favor  of 
the  old  sni)erstition.  If,  therefore,  the  Eomish  priesthood  can- 
not have  their  own  way,  they  conspire  to  turn  every  other  way 
upside  down. 

Owing  to  the  removal  of  two  of  the  laborers  during  1883,  the 
Rev.  Eric  Lnud,  a Swede,  is  the  only  missionaiy  of  the  Union  now 
in  Spain.  He  has  labored  in  Spain  for  several  years.  He  has  now 
established  himself  in  Barcelona,  a large  commercial  port.  He 
has  opened  a Strangers’  Rest,”  with  which  he  has  connected  a 
work  for  the  benefit  of  sailors.  He  has  been  iiermitted  to  bap- 
tize a number.  He  has  also  given  some  attention  to  the  church 
in  Figneras,  where  a native  preacher  labors  part  of  the  time. 
The  mission  in  Spain  is  ])assing  through  deep  Avaters  by  reason 
of  persecution  from  Avithont  and  trials  from  within.  But  the 
baptism  of  affliction  is  to  be  received  by  all  Avho  ^Hollow  the 
‘Lamb  AYhithersoeA^er  he  goetli.”  * 


CHAPTER  LIV. 


WOMEN’S  FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETIES. 


Their  Origin. — Mrs.  Doremiis  and  the  Union  Missionary  Society. — Mrs. 
Carpenter  of  Bassein. — Origin  of  the  Woman’s  Missionary  Society  of 
the  East.— The  Woman’s  JMissionary  Society  of  tlie  West. — Attempted 
Consolidation. — The  Operations  of  the  Western  Society. — A Home  for 
Cliildren  of  Missionaries. — Eules  For  Applicants. — Sound  Views  of 
Theology  Eequired. — Organ  of  the  Societies.— Free-Will  Society. — Origin 
and  Growth. — Its  Eelation  to  the  General  Society. — Its  Organ. — Myrtle 
Hall  at  Harper’s  Ferry. — A Hopeful  Future. — Women’s  Missionary  So- 
cieties of  the  South. — Their  Origin. — Mrs.  Ann  J.  Graves,  of  Baltimore. 
Mr.  Ward  and  Dr.  Marshman. — An  Auxiliary  of  the  Union  Society  Es- 
tablished in  Baltimore. — A Baptist  Society  Organized. — Its  Eapid 
Growth. — Other  Societies  in  the  South  — Tlieir  Organ  Published  in 
Louisville,  Ky. — Mrs.  J.  W.  M.  Williams’  Sketch. — Examples  of  the 
Success  of  Women’s  Schools. — Scripture  Predictions  : Ps.  G8;  Joel  2: 
28-29. — The  Prophetesses  of  the  Primitive  Church. — Discriminations. — 
Example  of  Priscilla. — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  and  the  Kyens  of  Arra- 
can. — Women’s  Societies  and  the  Southern  Board. 


I. 


HILE  some  women  of  to-clay  are  asserting  tlieir  rights 
others  are  gaining  large  and  enlightened  views  of  their 
duties  and  privileges. 

Our  own  Womens’  Missionary  Societies  were  not  the  first  of 
this  descrix)tion.  The  first  was  the  Woman’s  Union  Missionary 
Society,”  organized  in  Uew  York  in  18G1.  Although  ladies  of 
different  denondnations  worked  with  it,  and  prayed  for  it,  Mrs. 
]\Iason,  on  her  return  from  Burmah,  seems  to  have  been  the  first 
to  fire  the  hearts  of  her  American  sisters  Avhen  she  related  to 
tlicm  in  Yew  York  the  story  of  the  degradation  and  needs  of  the 
Avomeii  of  India.  This  address  moved  Mrs.  Doremus,  a member 
of  tlie  Ptcformed  Dutch  Cliurch,  to  set  on  foot  the  Union  Society. 
Slu*  wjis  well  (lualiluMl  for  rallying  the  Yew  York  ladies  of  wealth 
and  enlisfing  them  in  this  service.  Her  own  home  Avas  knoAvn 


ORIGIN  OF  WOaiEN’S  SOCIETIES. 


751 


to  be  tlie  free  hotel  of  all  sorts  of  missionaries  and  tlieir  families. 
My  first  acquaintance  with  her  was  characteristic.  While  1 was 
looking  about  with  some  freedom  in  a bookstore  on  Broadway, 
she  came  in,  and,  taking  me  to  be  a salesman,  said : If  any 
missionaries  arriving  at  this  port  come  to  your  store,  please 

send  them  to  our  house,  Number . We  shall  be  glad  to 

have  their  company.  No  matter  what  denomination  they  are  of, 
send  them  along;  our  missionary  guests  are  of  almost  every 
evangelical  belief.’^  That  society  has  sent  out  to  the  East  more 
than  two  missionaries  every  year,  and  during  one  year,  its 
income  was  'fifty  thousand  dollars. 

Eev.  Dr.  Murdock 
had  long  cherished  the 
hope  that  Baptist  wom- 
en would  form  such  a 
society  for  the  further- 
ance of  their  own  mis 
sions.  When  the  matter 
was,  in  1870,  first  laid 
before  the  then  Foreign 
Secretary,  the  Eev.  Dr. 

Jonah  G.  Warren,  his 
uppermost  opinion  was, 

‘‘The  time  has  not  yet 
come.”  On  further  re- 
flection, however,  he 
added,  in  his  terse. 

Rev.  Jonah  G.  Warren,  D.  D. 

quaint  way,  “Yes,  go 

on,  God  may  be  in  it,  although  Jonah  has  not  seen  it  before.” 
And  he  ever  afterwards  gave  it  his  cordial  indorsement. 

These  societies  had  their  origin  in  letters  written  in  1869,  1870 
and  1871,  by  Mrs.  Carpenter,  of  the  Burman  mission  at  Bassein. 
The  number  of  girls  in  the  school  at  that  station  was  larger 
than  at  any  other,  and  the  demands  of  these  girls  on  the  mis- 


752 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST ‘MISSIONS. 


sioiiary’s  \Yifc  were  uii(*.o]jniioiily  ^rent.  A woiiiaii  of  ])i(ity, 
^■()()(1  eoiistitutiou  and  (aierjiy  was  iiecsled  1o  (oitire  e.liar^c* 
of  the  female  d(‘i)artmeiit,  in  order  tliat  Mrs.  (Jariamter  iriif»ht 
ac(;o:ii])aiiy  her  liiisbaiid  on  ti  ips  to  th(‘.  Jnnj;l(‘s  and  in(*et  the 
8^’an  Avoinen  at  the  clnirelies  and  in  tli(*ir  hom(‘s.  Tin*.  Mission- 
ary Union  had  sent  several  nnniai  ri(‘d  wonnai  to  tli(‘  for(‘ij;ii  held. 
Among  these  were  8ara]i  Cummings  and  Miranda  Adnton,  who, 
as  the  reader  learns  elsewhere,  toiled  aloiu'.  with  namiorabh*. 
success.  Several  others  were  still  living  and  working  in  our 
missionary  schools,  lint  the  oflh'ers  of  the  T7nion  did  not  feel 
sure  that  single  women  would  be  brave,  steady  and  contented 
when  far  from  home,  and  at  the  same  time  careful  of  their  health 
and  willing  to  be  guided  by  missionaries  of  more  exi)erience. 
They  therefore  did  not  thiidc  it  ])rudent  to  send  out  any  more, 
unless  some  new  accession  of  funds  to  the  treasury  should  justify 
further  experiments  in  that  dinMdion. 

In  1871  ]\lrs.  Carpenter,  in  a letter,  i‘(*commended  the  organiza- 
tion of  AVomeifs  ^Missionary  Societi(‘s  auxiliary  to  the  Union.  And 
accordingly,  on  the  2Sth  of  February,  1871,  eleven  ladies  of  the 
Baptist  church  in  Xewtou  Centre,  Mass.,  held  a preliminary 
meeting  with  the  view  of  organizing  such  a society.  They  met 
again  March  7th,  and  iwepared  the  way  for  a iiiore  general 
gathering  of  the  i)astors’  wives  and  other  ladies  of  the  two 
Boston  Associations.  On  the  3d  of  April  about  two  hundred 
ladic's  met  in  the  vestry  of  the  Clarendon  Street  Church.  The 
constitution  which  had  l)een  drawn  up  by  the  Secretary 
was  presented,  and  after  (?onsultation  the  M"oman’s  Baptist 
iMissionaiy  Society  Avas  formally  organized.  The  relations  of 
this  Society  to  the  IMissionaiy  Union  AA^ere  clearly  defined. 
Th(i  inovimai  of  the  former  is  to  aAvakeu  a missionary  spirit 
in  th(5  women  of  our  churches,  and  to  induce  them  to  con- 
tribute*. r(*gularly  to  its  treasury  for  the  support  of  female 
hiboicrs  among  tin*  females  of  the  foreign  field.  The  inission- 
ai'ics  to  be*  sii j)])e)rte*el  by  Ihei  former,  first  ])resent  theinsehms  to 


women’s  societies. 


753 


its  Board  of  Directors  for  examination^  and  if  found  satisfactory, 
are  by  that  board  recommended  to  the  Executive  Committee  of 
the  Missionary  Union  for  appointment.  The  latter  has  not  only 
the  appointment,  but  the  distribution  of  these  female  workers,  as 
well  as  the  fixing  of  their  salaries,  the  appropriation  of  funds  for 
their  support,  and  the  direction  of  their  work.  Any  woman  who 
pays  a dollar  into  the  treasury  is  a member  for  the  year  in  which 
she  pays.  Twenty-five  dollars,  paid  at  one  time,  make  her  a mem- 
ber for  life.  The  total  receipts  of  the  Society  from  A]Dril  1st, 
1884,  to  March  31st,  1885,  were  $03,424,71,  besides  $2,383.24  for 
the  Home  for  the  Children  of  Missionaries. 


Interior  of  a Hindu  Dwelling. 


On  the  6th  of  May,  1871,  was  formed  in  Chicago,  the  Woman’s 
Baptist  Missionary  Society  of  the  West.  This  organization  is 
independent  of  the  kindred  society  set  on  foot  in  Boston,  but 
like  it,  is  auxiliary  to  the  Missionary  Union.  Its  constitution  is 
very  similar  to  that  of  the  Boston  society,  except  that  the  terms 


754 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


of  life  membership  are  a shade  more  easy — the  contribution  of 
twenty-five  dollars  within  two  years.  Attempts  were  made  to 
consolidate  these  two  socictiesj  but  without  success j and  it  is 
now  admitted  by  all^  that  efhciency  and  concord  are  best  secured 
by  keeping  them  formally  apart. 

The  lire  in  Chicago  crippled  the  western  society  at  the  begin- 
ning of  its  career.  Its  funds,  though  small,  had  steadily 
increased  during  the  first  quarter  after  their  first  missionary. 
Miss  A.  L.  Stevens,  of  Wisconsin,  had  been  accei)ted  and  her 
thoughts  turned  towards  Burmah.  Such  were  tlie  desolations 
made  by  the  fire,  that  it  was  at  first  feared  that  she  could  not  be 
sent 5 but  with  the  aid  of  the  sister  society  in  the  East,  she  was 
equipped  for  the  journey  and  enabh‘d  to  sail  from  ^few  York, 
December  Kith,  1871,  as  an  assistant  to  l\Irs.  Car])enter  in  the 
Basseiii  school.  She  was  accompanied  by  the  first  missionary 
of  the  eastern  society.  Miss  K.  F.  Evans,  of  Virginia,  who  settled 
at  Thongzai,  as  the  educational  helper  of  Mrs.  Ingalls.  The 
eastern  line  of  Ohio  is  the  boundary  between  the  home  fields  of 
the  two  societies  5 but  each  society  is  at  liberty  to  receive  con- 
tributions from  the  nominal  field  of  the  other.  Thus,  the  western 
society  reports  donations  from  six  Eastern  States. 

The  western  society  has  published  a review  the  first  seven  years 
of  its  operations,  in  very  readable  little  publication,  entitled 
First  Fruits,  by  Mrs.  E.  C.  Mitchell  j and  another  review  of  much 
interest,  of  the  first  ten  years  of  its  history,  by  Mrs.  C.  E.  Tolman. 
From  the  eleventh  annual  report  (1882)  we  learn  that  the  soci- 
ety had  sent  twenty-seven  missionaries  in  all,  of  whom  seven 
had  married.  During  the  last  year  the  society  has  supported 
nineteen  missionaries  and  forty-one  Bible  women.  The  schools  re- 
j)ort  about  a thousand  pupils.  The  income  of  the  Society  during  its 
first  year  was  $4,244,00  j its  eleventh  year,  $21,229,82;  making  an 
aggregate  of  more  than  $140,000.  The  whole  number  of  life 
members  was  890.  For  the  year  ending  April,  1885,  the  total 
recei])ts  were  $80,418.80;  ex])enditures,  $29,252.22. 


QUALIFICATIONS  OF  FEMALE  MISSIONARIES. 


755 


A sister  society  exists  in  California^  called  the  Woman’s  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Pacific  Coast.  Its  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary is  Mrs.  G.  S.  Abbott,  San  Francisco,  California. 

In  1880  the  ladies  of  the  Foreign  Missionary  Society  es- 
tablished at  Newton  Centre,  Mass.,  a Home  for  Children,  of  Mis- 
sionaries. In  1881  land  was  purchased,  and  in  1882  the  house 
was  comifieted.  The  house  accommodates  eighteen  children. 
These  children  go  to  the  public  schools,  and  take  such  share  as 
they  are  able  in  keeping  the  house  and  premises  in  order.  Mrs. 
McKinlay  is  their  motherly  guardian  and  friend.  The  parents 
pay  from  $150  to  $200  for  board,  clothing  and  books  for  each 
child.  The  Society  provides  for  the  house  and  matron,  and  pays 
the  necessary  deficits. 

The  rules  of  the  Societies  concerning  applicants  for  appoint- 
ment as  missionaries  require  them  to  furnish  a health  certificate, 
and  X) refer  WDmen  between  twenty -five  and  thirty  years  of  age, 
although  excei:>tional  cases  are  admitted  to  consideration.  A 
knowledge  of  at  least  one  foreign  language  is  regarded  as  very 
desirable,  while  good  health,  a good  English  education,  and  some 
^ encouraging  exxierience  in  teaching,  are  considered  as  necessary 
qualifications.  ^Tntelligent  and  sound  views  of  the  leading 
X)rincix)les  of  theology,  as  well  as  piety  and  a sense  of  duty  to  the 
heathen,  shall  be  treated  as  indisx)en sable  qualifications  for  the 
service.  To  insure  the  first  of  these  qualifications,  a x^eriod  of 
careful  Biblical  [study  with  a competent  teacher  is  felt  to  be 
very  important.”  Upon  the  first  of  these  qualifications  last  named , 
Dr.  Murdock,  in  his  address  before  the  fifth  annual  meeting  of 
the  Western  Society,  made  the  following  very  weighty  remarks : 
^‘Encourage  your  candidates  to  take  into  their  hearts  direct 
Bible  teachings,  or  their  school  work  will  be  of  but  little 
account.  It  is  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  we  labor  for,  we  are 
organized  for,  and  it  must  be  done  by  x^ersonal  efforts  with  Bible 
truths  clearly  illustrated,  and  God’s  blessing  upon  the  effort.” 
For  the  year  ending  April,  1885,  the  income  of  the  W Oman’s  Mis- 


7.i(>  THE  STORY  OF  liAPTlST  IMISSIONS. 

sionary  8ocietieSj  east  and  west  was  $03^843  j tlie  exi)enditures 
nearly  the  same. 

Tlie  orji’an  of  this  enter])rise  is  lh(‘,  JTelping  Hand,  i)iil)lislied 
jointly  hy  The  Woman’s  ^Vlissionary  kSoeieties,  East  and  W(‘,st. 
It  was  formerly  a port  of  the  hnt  is  now  i)nl)lish(*d 

in  a separate  form.  Its  eircnlation  is  lar^e.  In  the  eleventh 
year,  7,0(19  copies  were  demanded  for  the  West  alone.  A large 
number  ai‘c  fnrnisluMl  for  free  distribution.  In  the  year  3 88.0  its 
eircnlation  exceeded  20,000. 


A Hindu  Village. 

The  Free-Will  Bajdist  Woman’s  Missionary  Society  was 
o)ganiz(‘d  June  11th,  1873.  Some  months  previously;  the 
rnnhs  of  the  missionaries  had  been  thinned  by  death,  and 
i(‘|)(*at(*(I  calls  for  h(‘lj),  from  the  survivors,  had  convinced  a 
nniiilx*]-  ol‘  woimm  of  llxi  necessity  of  making  exertions  to 


WOMEN^S  SOCIETIES. 


757 

enlist  the  sisterhoods  of  the  churches  in  the  work  of  loreign 
evangelization.  It  is  a fact  of  some  interest  thatj  at  the  very 
time,  letters  from  Free-Will  Baptist  missionaries  in  India  were 
on  their  way  across  the  deep,  urging  the  importance  of  the  same 
line  of  action.  The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Society  act  in 
unison  with  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 
and  the  appointment  and  recommendation  of  missionaries,  and 
the  designation  of  the  fields  of  labor  are  subject  to  the  approval 
of  the  Board  just  mentioned.  In  1879  this  society  had  two  mis- 
sionaries in  the  field,  and  was  supporting  twenty  Zenana 
teachers,  besides  salary  of  a teacher  at  Harper’s 

Ferry,  West  Yirginia,  in  a school  for  the  education  of  Freedmen. 
They  had  about  seventy  auxiliary  societies,  and  about  twenty 
Children’s  Bands.  There  has  been,  from  the  first,  a steady 
increase  of  funds.  The  Corresponding  Secretary  at  that  time 
was  Mrs.  J.  A.  Lowell,  of  Danville,  hT.  H.  They  publish  at 
Providence,  E.  I , an  organ.  The  Missionary  Helper^  Avhich  had 
more  than  2000  subscribers,  and  in  1880  united  exertions  were 
made  to  add  3000  more.  Eecently,  additional  missionaries 
have  been  appointed  and  new  fields  entered.  In  the  year 
1879  the  income  of  the  Society  was  $1,400.  Besides  this 
sum,  $500  was  raised  for  the  building  of  Myrtle  Hall  at  Harper’s 
Ferry,  W.  Ya.  The  Free-Will  BaiEists  of  the  United  States 
number  80,000.  The  missionary  societies  are  enterprising,  and 
promise  a sure  and  steady  increase  of  usefulness. 

Prior  to  any  attemi)t  to  re-organize  AYomen’s  Missionary  Soci- 
eties in  the  South,  the  first  endeavor  of  Southern  Baptist  women 
to  evangelize  heathen  women  was  made  in  1804,  by  Mrs.  Eva 
Graves,  wife  of  Dr.  Eosewell  H.  Graves,  missionary  in  Canton, 
China.  With  the  assistance  of  an  aunt  of  Dr.  Graves,  she  then 
began  to  supiiort  a Bible- woman  to  read  and  distribute  such  jior- 
tions  of  Scripture  as  had  been  translated  into  Chinese. 

Still  earlier  were  the  benevolent  exertions  of  the  mother  of 
of  Dr.  Graves,  Mrs.  Ann  J.  Graves,  a woman  of  extensive 


758 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


social  iufliieiiccj  who  had  already  identified  herself  with  this 
work  ill  connection  with  the  Union  Missionary  Socicdy,  orj^an- 
ized  ill  New  York  in  1801.  Through  her  efforts  a feniahi  inis- 
sionary  iirayer-nieeting  Avas  commenced  in  Baltimore  in  1807,  for 
the  support  of  uatiA^e  Bihle-Aromen  helouging  to  the  Canton 
Baptist  mission.  Such  women  as  attended  this  meeting  made 
annual  coutrihutions  to  that  object.  Hit  great  hojie,  we  are 
told,  for  the  exteusiou  of  Christ’s  Kingdom  in  heathen  lands 
Avas  through  familiesj  AAdiich  Avere  to  be  leacluMl  by  Avomen  read- 
ing the  Bible  to  women.  Often  did  she  quote  these  Avords  of  Dr. 
Anderson:  ^^Mr.  AYard,  of  Serampore,  after  his  faith  had  been 
long  tried  by  AAmnt  of  success,  AAms  walking  one  eAuming  on  the 
banks  of  the  Ganges  with  Dr.  Ararshman.  H),’  said  he,  Ghat 
God  Avould  giA’e  us  but  one  family,  into  A\diich  AA^e  could  go  and 
sit  doAAui  and  coiiAWse  about  the  things  of  God  !’  lie  gave  them 
Krishna  Pal,  and  all  under  his  roof,  and  this  family  AA^ere  among 
the  first  fruits  of  India  unto  God.” 

Mrs.  Ann  J.  GraA^es,  a Avomaii  of  vigorous  and  cultiAmted 
mind,  had  read  the  histories  of  all  great  missionary  enterjirises. 
In  18G9  she  iiwited  Miss  Brittan,  Avho  had  recently  returned 
to  this  country,  after  a serAuce  of  six  years  in  the  zenanas  of 
Calcutta,  to  Ausit  Baltimore  and  deliver  an  address.  By  giving 
extensiA^e  notice,  she  secured  a large  audience  from  various 
denominations.  So  deep  and  general  was  the  interest  awakened, 
that  in  February,  1870,  the  Christian  women  of  Baltimore  organ- 
ized an  “ Auxiliary  of  the  Women’s  Union  Missionary  Society.” 
Airs.  J.  AV.  AI.  AA^illiams  was  elected  President,  and  Airs.  Ann 
J.  GraA^es,  Corresponding  Secretary.  Both  these  ladies  were 
memb(*rs  of  the  First  Bajitist  Church,  and  both  addressed  Bap- 
tist AA'omen  on  the  subject,  through  the  denominational  papers 
])ublished  in  the  Southern  States.  They  also  urged  the  claims 
of  tli(j  cause  by  scattering  leaflets  and  addressing  letters  to  indi- 
viduals. 

In  Ocfobci’,  1871,  Avas  organized  in  Baltimore  the  ^‘AYoman’s 


SOUTHERN  WOMEN^S  SOCIETIES. 


759 


Mission  to  Woman^  of  the  Baptist  Churches  of  Maryland.”  Of 
this  society  Mrs.  rranklin  Wilson  was  elected  President.  Ac- 
cording to  the  twelfth  animal  report,  1883,  this  lady  was  still  the 
President.  Mrs.  Ann  J.  Graves,  who  was  elected  Corresponding 
Secretary,  wrote  letters  to  Miss  M.  E.  McIntosh,  who  led  in  the 
formation  of  similar  societies  in  South  Carolina,  which  have 
since  become  a part  of  the  South  Carolina  Baptist  Convention. 
In  1880  these  latter  societies  contributed  nearly  $3,000  to  the 
cause.  The  increase  of  donations  in  Maryland  is  exhibited  in 
the  following  figures:  Contributions  in  1808,  $141,295  1880, 

$1,041.63.  According  to  the  report  of  the  Maryland  Society  for 
1883,  it  now  contributes  to  missions  not  only  in  China,  but  in 
Italy  and  Mexico  as  well.  ^ It  also  holds  a monthly  prayer- 
meeting. 

Of  the  other  sister  societies  in  the  Southern  States,  we  have 
failed  to  receive  the  reports.  They  are  growing  rapidly  in  num- 
bers and  efficiency,  while  they  are  thought  to  diffuse  and  deepen 
the  interest  in  the  general  work.  Then  again,  the  Heathen 
Helper,”  edited  by  Miss  Osborne,  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  has  met  with 
such  success  that  it  has  been  enlarged. 

The  Southern  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  is  represented  in  all 
the  Southern  States  by  central  committees  of  women.  In  1883 
these  State  Committees  reported  the  existence  of  642  societies, 
which  had  contributed  to  the  treasury  of  the  Convention  $16,- 
895.58.  It  is  roundly  estimated  that  in  the  past  ten  years 
Southern  women  have  given  through  these  societies  an  aggre- 
gate of  $75,000.  Dimng  the  past  ten  years  the  Convention  has 
furnished  gratuitously  28,520  mite-boxes  for  the  use  of  these 
societies,  at  a cost  of  $733.40,— an  expenditure,  we  are  told,  which 
has  been  rewarded  an  hundred  fold  by  the  returns  of  the  State 
Central  Committees.  The  Foreign  Board  also  furnishes  the 

1.  For  this  account  of  the  Women’s  Societies  in  the  South,  we  are  chiefly 
indebted  to  an  excellent  “sketch,”  entitled  “Woman's  Mission  to  Wo- 
man,” by  Mrs.  J.  W.  M.  Williams,  ( J.  F.  Weishampel,  Baltimore,  1881). 


700 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


committees  witli  tracts,  leaflets  and  ])apers  for  eireiilatioii,  ami 
encourages  them  to  forma  missionary  society  in  cv(‘ry  clnirch, 
and  to  secure  contributions  from  every  Ba])tist  woman  of  the 
iSouth. 


Zenana  Teaching. 

The  efficiency  of  women  in  the  work  of  foreign  missions  has 
been  fully  denioustrated.  The  schools  of  the  second  Mrs.  Carey, 
of  the  hist  Mrs.  Judson,  of  IMrs.  Brown  in  Assam,  and  of  Mrs. 
Clough  in  Telugu-land,  as  Avell  as  maii}^  others  of  the  missionary 
sisterhood  elsewhere,  hav^e  been  productive  of  the  best  and  most 
abundant  fruit.  The  hrst  great  ingathering  in  Ongole  AAms 
largely  owing,  under  God,  to  the  direct  exertions  of  Mrs.  Clough’s 
pnj)ils  in  the  Aormal  School.  A grand-daughter  of  the  IleAX 
Andi(‘w  J''nll(‘r  spent  many  years  in  teaching  in  the  zenanas  of 
Lahor(‘,  Aortln'rn  India,  lly  reason  of  the  seclusion  of  maii}^ 
Oihmtal  Avoimm,  tln^y  are  only  to  be  reached  by  missionary 
women.  But  wlnni  on(;e  Jesus  has  entered  a heathen  household, 
;ijnl  s;ii(l  l*(‘jic(‘  b(‘,  unto  yon,”  many  hearts  resiiond  to  his  salu- 
tnlioji.  A missionnry  in  Jndia,”  says  JVIrs.  J.  AV.  M.  AATlliams, 


A PROVIDENTIAL  HOME-SICKNESS. 


7G1 


of  Baltimore,  regards  the  conversion  of  one  woman  as  equal 
to  the  conversion  of  twenty  men,  so  far  as  the  propagation  of 
Christianity  is  concerned.” 

Missionary  hoards  are  much  less  reluctant  than  formerly  to 
send  into  the  field  single  women.  Once  they  were  not  often  sent 
out,  and  the  widows  of  missionaries  were  expected  to  return 
home.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Ingalls,  of  the  Burman  mission, 
it  was  very  seriously  doubted  by  many  at  home  whether  it  would 
be  expedient  for  Mrs.  Ingalls  to  continue  in  Burmah  to  toil  and 
sufter  in  widowhood.  But  what  a record  she  has  been  making 
for  more  than  thirty  years!  Bev.  Dr.  S.  F.  Smith  styles  her 
^Hhe  queen  of  female  missionaries.”^ 

It  was  the  homesickness  of  a missionary’s  wife  that  providen- 
tially led  to  the  formation  of  our  missions  among  the  Telugus. 
The  wife  of  the  late  Kev.  Amos  Sutton,  the  British  Baptist  mis- 
sionary in  Cuttack,  after  an  absence  of  sixteen  years,  felt  a 
yearning  to  visit  her  native  city,  Boston.  Mr.  Sutton  needing 
the  benefits  of  a sea  voyage,  resolved  to  accompany  her  to 
America.  While  they  were  here,  in  1833-4,  Mr.  Sutton  was 
invited  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  Baptist  Triennial  Couavui- 
tiou,  and  to  make  an  address  on  the  occasion.  During  its  ses- 
sions he  strongly  urged  the  Missionary  Board  to  undertake  a 
mission  for  the  com^ersion  of  the  millions  of  Telugus,  wiiose  ter- 
ritory lay  adjacent  to  his  owui  field,  Orissa.  His  statements  and 
appeals  moved  the  Board  to  attempt  to  plant  the  mission  which 
is  now  so  famous  throughout  the  Christian  wmrld,  numbering 
between  twenty  and  tliirty  thousand  converts,  and  called  by 
Bev.  Dr.  S.  F.  Smith,  who  has  recently  visited  its  principal  sta- 
tions, ^Hhe  crowning  glory  of  modern  missions.” 

Among  the  early  converts  at  Nellore  w^as  a Telugu  WTiman 
named  Lydia.  In  his  recent  visit  to  this  mission,  Bev.  Dr.  S.  F- 
Smith  made  her  acquaintance.  He  describes  her  as  an  aged 
woman  dressed  in  pure  wdiite,  with  a long  white  veil  over  her 

1.  See  Appendix.  ^9 


762 


THE  STORY  OE  ]iAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


liead,  and  reacliin^^  lieldnd  to  lior  f(‘(‘t.  She,  was  proliably  not 
far  from  eighty  yoars  old^  and  liad  known  < Ik*,  mission  fiom  tin*, 
beginning.  We  w(‘re  reminded  by  lK*r  aj)i)(*aiane(‘,  of  Anna,  Ihe 
prophetess.”  In  her  younger  days  sin*,  apj)(*ars  to  have  (ixereised 
some  faitli  in  ^‘mnsenlar  (diristianity,”  as  the  following  an(‘(;- 
dote  Avill  sliow  : ^^The  l)rethr(*n  ])oint(‘d  out  to  ni(*,”  says  llitv. 
Dr.  Smith,  ‘^at  one  of  the  stations,  a Christian  eonveit,  now  a 
Bible  woman,  so  called,  avIio  in  lier  eliildhood  becaime  interested 
in  religious  things,  and  desired  to  be  a m(*nd)(‘r  of  ]\Irs.  d(*wett’s 
school  at  Kellore.  It  Avas  a special  case.  Such  AA^ere  tin*,  cir- 
cunistances,  that  her  remaining  Avith  the  missionary  institution 
on  the  one  hand,  or  lier  being  taken  liack  to  her  heatlien  rela- 
tions on  the  other,  became  a question  of  physical  force.  The 
heathen  relatiAX\s  came  to  the  mission  one  day  to  take  her  home 
by  force.  If  they  could  g(‘t  her  outside  the  line  of  the  mission 
premises  they  might  liaA^e  the  legal  right  to  take  her  aAvayj  but 
Avhile  she  was  aa  ithiu  the  sacred  limits  they  coidd  not  claim  her 
without  lier  oaaui  consent.  They  formed  a line,  joined  one  to 
another,  to  draAA-  her  aAvay.  The  Christians,  on  the  other  hand, 
opposed  force  to  force  (the  Christian  men  Avere  chiefly  absent) 
and  preAmiled,  draAAing  her  out  of  the  reach  of  her  xiersecutors. 
The  lieloved  Lydia,  the  iiroiihetess  ‘Anna’  of  the  mission,  tells 
the  story,  and  says  she  was  the  generalissimo  of  the  battle,  and 
gained  the  victory.”  i 

It  is  of  no  small  importance  to  define,  as  far  as  we  can,  the 
sphere  of  Avoman  in  the  field  of  missions.  Hitherto  those  who 
haATi  discussed  the  Scripture  precepts  and  examiiles  Avhich  relate 
to  this  subject  have  not,  so  far  as  Ave  know,  made  any  allow- 
ances for  exceptional  cases.  There  is  a strong  propensity  in 
m(‘n  of  zeal  (‘Ither  to  deny  that  certain  cases  are  exceptional,  or, 
by  ])ai  tial  inductions,  to  cr(‘ate  rules  out  of  them.  AVe  should,  I 
think,  admit  that  such  instances  as  Deborah  and  Iluldah  Avere 

1.  mniiblos  in  Mission  Eields,  ])y  S.  F.  Sniith,  D.  D.;  pp.  119,  166. 


“A  LIVINCI  CHURCH’^  IN  ARRACAN. 


703 


exceptional  j created  for  extraordinary  crises,  in  wliicli  Jehovah 
demanded  the  services  of  those  who  combined  great  strength 
and  great  tenderness  of  character.  In  onr  mission  fields  a sim- 
ilar kind  of  cliaracter  may  now  and  then  be  required. 

The  Kyens  of  Arracan  have  for  the  past  two  years  enjoyed 
the  teachings  of  Mrs.  0.  B.  Thomas,  and  her  preachers  from 
Henthada.  For  many  years  we  liave  had  no  missionary  in  this 
once  fiourishiiig  field.  The  Karens  still  remaining  in  it  have 
long  regarded  Bassein  as  the  centre  of  their  Christian  opera- 
tions. Mrs.  Thomas,  in  one  of  her  expeditions  in  1883,  met  a 
number  of  Kyens  from  Arracan,  who  strongly  urged  her  to  visit 
them.  Accordingly  she  spent  a part  of  Ajnil  at  Sandoway 
where  she  almost  daily  saw  Kyens  who  came  in  from  the  jungle 
villages.  The  preachers  who  went  with  her  explored  the  country 
to  a distance  of  four  days’  journey  south  from  Sandoway,  and 
north  as  tar  as  the  Tonngoop  X)^iss.  From  March,  1882,  to  Novem- 
ber, 1883,  the  number  baptized  was  fifty-eight.  Agreeably  to 
the  request  of  Mrs.  Thomas,  the  Bnrmah  Baj^tist  Association 
have  sent  a missionary  to  this  i)eople. 

Near  the  end  of  January,  1881,  the  Eev.  AV.  F.  Thomas  joined 
his  mother  in  her  most  promising  work  among  this  race.  ‘AA^e 
did  so,”  writes  he,  because  we  felt  it  would  no  longer  do  to  toil 
on  alone  in  such  an  ardnons  undertaking  as  a new  mission 
among  a rude  hill  tribe.  1 can  say  that  our  fondest  anticipa- 
tions in  regard  to  the  progress  of  this  work  were  more  than 
realized.  Myay-bya,  the  first  village  that  we  struck,  i^resented 
the  pleasing  spectacle  of  the  first  Christian  community  on  the 
western,  or  Arracan  Yoma  Eaiige.”  Mr.  Thomas  describes  a 
living  church,”  in  this  village.  In  another  village  he  baptized 
the  two  first  converts  of  the  place  in  a beautiful  mountain 
stream  at  the  foot  of  a romantic  hill.  * * There  are,”  adds 
he,  still  other  Kyen  villages  on  both  sides  of  these  Arracan 
Yomas,  where  there  will  doubtless  be  Christian  churches  in  the 
not  distant  future.”  In  describing  the  living  church  above  men- 


704 


THE  STORY  OF  liAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


tioiiod^  lio  says  : do  not  believe  a band  of  more  ‘ out  and  out’ 

Cliristians  can  be  found  on  the  face  of  tlie  earth.  I do  not  bcdieve 
there  is  silent  ])artner’  in  the  Kyen  chureli  of  Myay-bya. 
That  church  of  tliirty  or  forty  members  lias  its  missionary  reiire- 
sentatives  amon^  the  Kyens  of  Arraeau  and  Upix'r  Ibirmah.” 
The  llev.  AYilliam  George,  of  Zeegong,  declares  that  ‘Ghis  is  the 
brightest  mission  in  Ibirmah.”  Mrs.  Thomas  is  supported  by 
the  Woman’s  Bajitist  Missionary  Society. 

There  seems  to  be  a fultillment  of  a very  obscure  jirojihecy  in 
the  present  movement  among  women  to  spread  the  Gospel  among 
the  iiagan  women  of  the  East.  The  sixty-eighth  Psalm  (the 
07th  of  the  Septuagint)  has  this  very  noticeable  verse  (II): 

The  Lord  gives  the  Avord:  the  Avomen  })ublishing  the  good  news 
are  a great  host  ” i That  this  psalm  is  Messianic  is  proA^ed  from 
the  fact  that  verse  18  could  not  be  interpreted  until  Christ’s 
ascension  and  the  descent  of  the  DiAuiie  Spirit  at  Pentecost. 
(,Eph.  4:8.)  In  the  JcaaTsIi  ritual,  as  observed  in  some  parts 
of  the  AAmrld  to  this  day,  this  psalm  is  used  at  Pentecost  and 
the  Feast  of  Thanksgiving  for  Ilaiwest.  Tlie  12th  and  13th 
Akerses  of  the  Septuagint  compare  the  share  Avonien  are  to  IniAUi 
in  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  to  the  gold  and  sihuw  taken  as  spoils  in 
the  defeat  of  an  Oriental  army.  The  King  of  the  forces  of  the 
beloA^ed,  of  the  beloA^ed  is  AAitli  them  (the  great  company  of 
heralding  Avoinen),  and  Avill  grant  them  for  the  beauty  of  the 
house  to  diAude  the  spoils.  Even  if  ye  should  lie  among  the 
lots,^  ye  shall  liaA^e  the  Avings  of  a doA^e  coA^ered  Avith  sih^er  and 
her  breast  Avith  yelloAV  gold.”  Here,  as  Stier  says,  Ave  are  to 
understand  the  manifold  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  unfolding 
tlieir  sidendor.  We  may  add  that  such  splendor  is  increased 
wlnl(‘  the  heart  is  on  the  Aving.  The  Septuagint  Aversion  (a  auu'- 
sioii  generally  used  by  tlie  Jews  in  the  Messiah’s  day  ) renresents 

1.  Snell  is  the  literal  Hebrew.  See  llengstenberg,  Ferowne  and  Speak- 
er’s Coinminitary. 

2.  Or  iiibei  itaiiccs. 


PROPHESYINO  WOMEN. 


765 


tlie  LortFs  conquests  in  the  East  in  language  the  most  sublime : 

Make  a way  for  him  that  rides  upon  the  west  * * that  rides 

upon  the  heaven  of  heavens  eastward.’’’’  (Verses  4,  33.) 

It  was  foretold  by  Joel  that  the  daughters  of  the  faithful  should 
prophesy  5 and  according  to  the  A^iostle  Peter  this  prediction  was 
fulfilled  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost.  True^  the  women  as  well  as 
the  men  present  on  that  occasion  prophesied  by  x^raise,  rather 
than  by  teaching  or  x)roclamation.  And  it  is  very  remarkable 
that  the  singing  of  x^salnis  was  among  the  Jews  and  the  x^rimi- 
tive  Christians  called  x^i'ox^hesying.  The  words  x>i'oxfiiesy  and 
X)rox)het  then  comx^rehended  a greater  number  of  religious  duties 
than  we  now  understand  by  the  words.  Thus,  among  the  singers 
of  King  David  (1  Chron.  25:3)  there  were  some  who 
sied”  with  the  haiq)  to  give  thanks  and  to  x^i’aise  the  Lord.  In 
the  Septuagint  the  word  is  translated  sounding  loudly.”  In 
the  primitive  church  at  Corinth,  women  x-rayed  and  x^rox^hesied 
( 1 Cor.  11:  5 ),  and  Philix)  the  evangelist  ( Acts  21 : 9 J had  four 
daughters  who  xfrophesied ; that  is,  they  were  singers  of  x^salms 
in  the  primitive  assemblies  of  Christians,  as  were  the  xM’Ox^hesy- 
ing  women  of  Corinth.  Had  these  daughters  of  Philix)  been 
X)rox)hetesses  in  our  modern  sense,  why  did  they  not  foretell  what 
was  to  befall  St  Paul  at  Jerusalem,  as  Agabus  did  in  the  house 
of  this  evangelist  and  in  the  xwesence  of  these  x^roxfiietesses.  But 
if  we  regard  them  as  psalm- singers,  we  make  every  x)art  of  sacred 
history  intelligible,  and  the  words  of  the  Ax^ostle  Paul  in  1 Tim. 
2: 11-12,  and  1 Cor.  14:33-36,  cohere  with  what  is  said  elsewhere 
concerning  the  XM’opLesying  of  women.  In  1 Cor.  14 : 26,  we 
have  the  word  x^salm,”  where  we  would  naturally  have  looked 
for  the  word  x)rox)hecy. 

These  hints,  laid  together,  conspire  to  sux^x^ort  the  opinion  of 
those  who  hold  that  women  are  not  to  be  pastors  or  x^ublic  x^reacli- 
ers,  while  they  may  engage  x)Rhlicly  in  x^rayer  and  x)raise.  But 
aside  from  such  x^ublic  services,  they  find  world- wide  sx^heres  as 
Christian  teachers  in  schools  and  families.  By  leading  x)agan 


700 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


females  to  Jesus  tliey  make  the  latter  in  turn  (hiristian  teae.hers 
of  others  of  their  sex,  tlius  fulfilling?  tlie  jirojiheey:  ^^The  women 
publishing  the  good  news  are  a great  host.” 

To  the  private  evaiigelistic  exertions  of  Avomen,  Seviiiture 
history  fixes  iio  limits.  Priscilla  may  not  have  surpassed  her 
husband  in  the  skillful  manufacture  of  timt-clotli  j but  it  is 
supposed  that  she  was  the  more  energetic  character  of  the  two. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  she  was  the  theological  teacher  of  the  elo- 
quent Apollos. 


Deva  Dasi,  or  Dancing  Girl. 


CHAPTER  LV. 


FINAL  INQUIRIES  AND  CAUTIONS. 

Secondary  Causes  of  our  Missionary  Success. — Sectarianism  and  Controver- 
sy.— One  of  the  Devices  of  Satan. — Our  Great  Advantage  in  Controversy. — 
Our  Habitual  Kecurrence  to  the  Bible. — The  Teaching  of  the  Command- 
ments of  Men — The  Promise  Annexed  to  the  Great  Commission. — 
Neglect  of  the  Old  Testament. — False  and  Dangerous  Views  Concerning 
Oral  Preaching. — The  Simplicity  of  our  Polity. and  Worship. — A Priest 
in  the  Thickets  of  a Karen  Jungle. — Gen.  Havelock  as  a Pastor. — We 
have  no  Entangling  Alliances  with  Civil  Governments. — Example  of  the 
Moravian  Brethren. — Sheep-Stealing. — The  Freedom  of  our  Mission- 
aries from  Official  Dictation. — Cautions. — Home  Missions  not  to  be 
Neglected. — Kevivals  to  be  Welcomed. — Fashionable  Churches. — The 
Contributions  of  Revivals  to  Foreign  Missions. — Great  Names  Enumer- 
ated.— Revivalism  in  Heathen  Fields. — The  Neglect  of  our  own  Poor 
and  Cases  of  Individual  Distress. — AParable. — The  Undeserving  Poor. 
— The  Aristocrats  of  the  Greek  Church. — Their  Want  of  Brotherly 
Kindness. — How  Greek  Missions  Degenerated  into  Monasteries. — Reflex 
Influence. — How  Stones  are  Craned  up  to  their  Places. — The  Visions  of 
the  Prophets  Concerning  Missions. — Their  Progressive  Order. — Their 
Study  Beneflcial  to  Young  Converts  and  Encouraging  to  Missionaries. 

fN  TAKING-  leave  of  these  chronicles  it  will  perhaps  he  use- 
ful to  inquire  into  the  secondary  causes  of  the  success  of  our 
foreign  missions.  In  doing  so^  Ave  pre-suppose  that  our  denomi- 
national position  as  to  doctrine  and  duty  is  already  established. 
This  is  to  be  taken  for  granted^  otherwise  we  would  have  to  turn 
aside  here  and  there  into  the  fields  of  controversy.  Not  that  we 
fear  controversy;  not  that  Ave  condemn  it  whenever  it  is  timely, 
is  dictated  by  a love  of  the  truth  and  of  the  souls  of  men,  and  is 
conducted  with  candor  and  charity.  Many  make  frequent  moan 
OA^er  the  bitter  fruits  of  controversy,  but  are  totally  silent  con- 
cerning the  roots  of  that  bitterness : the  ignorance  and  f^rejudice, 
the  pride  and  bigotry,  the  errors  and  wrongs  whence  these  evils 
arise.  It  is  one  of  the  devices  of  Satan  to  steal  abroad  by  niglit? 
industriously  sowing  the  seeds  of  contention,  and  then  to  amuse 


TITE  STOUV  OF  BAFTIST  MISSIONS. 


7().S 

Iiiinself  ill  the  day-time  by  ^oiiig  from  house  to  liou.se.j  si^^hiiij»' 
and  g’roanin![>f  over  the  desolations  which  (U)utrov(*rsy  lias  madc^ 

These  seeds  of  contention,  now  bein^  disseminatcMl  all  the 
world  over,  the  primitive  (lospel  is  d(‘stined  to  destroy.  And 
we  hold  that  our  jirinciples  of  faith  and  jiractici',  wlnuever  they 
are  inculcated  in  reliance  on  the  Sjiirit  of  all  ^^race,  are  best 
ada])ted  to  produce  true  and  abiding’  concord.  Tbit  in  heathen 
lands  as  well  as  at  hom(‘,  tlie  true  Ivinj>’dom  of  (Tod  advances  in 
the  face  of  much  (•ontradiction  • and  one  of  the  foremost  amoiift 
the  secondary  cause^^  of  our  progress  abroad  is  the  faid  that,  in 
all  our  controversies,  our  jiroofs  are  draAvn  from  tlie  hijthest  and 
the  most  ])owerful  source. 

It  is  our  conviidion,  therefore,  that  one  cause  Avhy  liajitist  mis- 
sionary labors  have  been  so  jiroductive,  is  that  our  ])i-eaching  as 
to  doctrines,  experience  and  duty  has  been  so  IJiblical.  It  Avould 
indeed  be  presumptuous,  if  not  arrogant,  to  assert  that  our  mis- 
sionaries have  never  and  nowhere  communicated  to  the  hea- 
thens anything  but  the  mind  of  the  Spirit.  They  do  not  pretend 
to  be  infallilile.  All  that  they  claim  is  that  the  Bible,  and  the 
Bible  alone,  is  the  foundation  of  their  addresses  to  the  mind, 
heart  and  conscience.  It  is  this  faith  in  the  AYord  of  God,  joined 
to  a deep  conviction  of  conscience,  and  a habitual  obedience  to 
this  faith  and  this  conviction,  that  must  always  and  every- 
where result  in  the  nearest  approach  to  a Bibical  theology,  as 
well  theoretical  as  practical.  The  bird  that  fixes  its  eye  on  the 
noonday  sun  will  generally  mount  to  a higher  region  than  the 
bird  that  steers  only  for  the  top  of  a ^^orway  pine.  This  is  pro- 
verbially true.  And  as  the  Bible  was  intended  to  be  a revelation 
to  all  the  families,  tribes  and  nations  of  the  earth,  we  may  fairly 
(tomtlude  that  it  is,  in  respect  of  matter  at  least,  most  wisely 
ada])t(;d  to  tlu^  cajiacity  of  the  average  man  all  the  world  over. 
Under  liivorable  conditions,  therefore,  those  missionaries  who 
arc*  lh(‘.  most  Bililicnl  ought  to  be  the  most  successful.  The  Sun 
of  Ibgliteousness  sliines  with  the  most  wholesome  and  life-giving 


PREACHINa  AND  TEACHING. 


769 


light,  not  when  it  is  reflected  from  the  snow-clad  summits  of 
metaphysics,  not  when  it  struggles  through  the  smoke  of  fanatic- 
ism or  the  fog  of  rationalism,  not  when  it  has  been  discolored 
and  darkened  hy  the  stained  glass  of  tradition  or  development, 
hut  when  it  shines  upon  the  soul  directly  through  the  breezy  and 
cloudless  atmosphere  of  the  Divine  authority. 

A debased  church  may  for  a time  plant  and  nourish  missions 
almost  without  number,  and  at  great  expense  of  money  and  mar- 
tyrs, but  its  missionaries  will  ^^abor  in  the  very  fire  and  weary 
themselves  for  very  vanity.”  The  Great  Teacher  said  of  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees  (Matt.  15:9);  ^Mn  vain  do  they  worship 
me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men.”  Ac- 
cording to  Meyer,  the  import  is  that  such  instruction  is  fruitless, 
or  without  good  moral  results.  There  is  historic  truth  in  this 
language,  which  is  quoted  from  the  Septuagint  of  Isaiah  29  : 13. 
The  passage  was  probably  omitted  by  the  later  scribes  in  tran- 
scribing the  Hebrew  of  this  i^rophet,  for  the  very  reason  that 
Jesus  has  quoted  it  in  condemnation  of  their  choice  of  tradition 
in  place  of  the  law  of  God.  Mildly  and  negatively  as  Isaiah 
and  the  Messiah  have  x:)ronounced  this  judgment,  it  implies  a 
fearful  doom.  The  makers  of  the  Anglo-American  revision  have 
attempted  to  mitigate  its  severity  by  rendering  it,  Teaching  as 
their  doctrines  the  precepts  of  men.”  The  Greek  word  which 
they  have  translated  precepts,”  means  in  the  Septuagint  of 
Job  23:11  ^^commandments,”  and  no  shade  of  meaning  less. 
Nor  have  the  re  visors  (begging  their  pardon)  any  tenable  ground 
for  supplying  the  italics  their.  It  would,  we  fancy,  be  a great 
comfort  to  many  a modern  stickler  for  church  tradition  if  this 
whole  passage  could  be  proved  to  be  spurious. 

But  while  such  must  ever  remain  the  futility  of  all  the  labors 
of  traditionists,  however  seemingly  fruitful  in  proselytes,  gor- 
geous shows  and  spectacular  effects,  how  encouraging,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  the  promise  of  our  Divine  Master  to  all  who  obey 
the  great  Commission  by  discipling  and  baptizing  converts,  but 


770 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


taking  utmost  care  to  teach  them  to  ol)serve  all  tilings  wlmtso- 
ever  He  lias  eomman(h*(l  us.  (Matt.  28:20.)  To  sneli,  ami 
such  only,  does  that  assurance  helong:  And  lo,  T am  with 
you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  Avorld.” 

Xor  should  it  escape  our  notice  that  tliis  jiromise  is  made  to 
the  teacher  as  well  as  to  the  preacher,  ])rovid(‘d  always  tliat  the 
teacher  confine  himself  to  Christian  instruction.  Here  it  is,  we 
think,  clearly  implied  that  he  may  occujiy  a jiortion  of  his  time 
in  showing  illiterate  disciples  how  to  read  the  sacred  Sci'ijitures. 
AVere  he  to  refuse  to  do  this,  he  Avould  he  worse  than  the  old 
Hehrew  father,  who  for  the  instrnction  of  his  children  wrote  the 
words  of  the  Law  on  his  gates  and  on  the  posts  of  his  house. 
(Deut.  G:  G-9.)  AVere  not  Job  and  Solomon  inspired  when  they 
inculcated  the  diligent  pursuit  of  wisdom  1 ( Jol)  28:  1-28 ; Prov. 

2:  1-5.)  Did  not  St.  Luke  reduce  the  oral  Gospel  to  writing  in 
order  that  Theophilus  might  know  the  certainty  of  those  things 
wherein  he  had  been  instructed?  To  dwell  on  such  a truism  is 
to  abuse  the  iiatience  of  the  most  of  our  readers.  And  yet  there 
are  learned  enthusiasts  in  onr  time  who  contend  that  the  New 
Testament  is  the  only  doctrinal  source  of  the  religion  of  Christ, 
and  that  oral  preaching  is  the  only  Christian  i)reaching.  i Ac- 
cording to  the  craze  of  these  men,  we  fully  carry  out  the  terms 
of  the  Great  Commission  only  when  we  go  from  jJace  to  place 
l)roclaiming,  with  the  living  voice,  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation. 
AA"e  wish  such  men  large  success  j but  we  also  wish  that  Christian 
teachers  may  follow  close  on  their  heel,  otherwise  the  Great  Com- 
mission does  not  encourage  the  hoiie  of  permanent  success. 

Another  cause  of  our  efficiency  in  missionary  operations  has 

1.  Kev.  Dr.  S.  F.  Smitli,  while  recently  visiting  Prome,  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  an  old  disciple  wlio  received  a tract  from  the  hand  of  Dr. 
.Jiidson,  on  the  occasion  of  his  seemingly  fruitless  visit  to  that  city.  The 
reading  of  the  tr.ict  led  to  the  man's  conversion,  and  he  was  years  after- 
wards haptlz:‘(l  by  Mr.  Kincaiid.  Mr.  Spurgeon  has  been  a hundredfold 
inoia^  useful  in  converting  souls  by  his  printed  than  b}"  his  oral  sermons. 


OUR  SIMPLE  POLITY. 


771 


been  the  simplicity  of  onr  polity  and  worship.  With  no  cum- 
bersome ritual,  and  none  of  the  complicated  machinery  of  a 
hierarchy,  we  easily  adapt  ourselves  to  the  condition  of  the 
poorest  and  most  ignorant  of  the  heathens.  The  Itomish  and 
the  Episcopal  systems  are  ill-suited  to  barbarous,  or  even  illit- 
erate communities.  Their  public  worship  is  a dramatic  perform- 
ance, in  which  the  congregation  as  well  as  the  ecclesiastics  are 
actors.  If  the  former  be  silent,  the  ecclesiastical  play  loses  much 
of  its  effect.  Sometimes  territorial  bishops  have  to  do  without 
responses,  and  this  would  oftener  be  the  case  if  their  wives  did 
not  serve  as  clerks,  making  all  the  liturgical  answers.  And  then 
how  tardy  and  awkward  in  the  planting  of  the  first  churches  in 
distant  parts  of  the  earth  and  remote  islands  of  the  sea,  to  be 
compelled  to  wait  for  the  visitation  of  a bishop  or  other  church 
dignitary,  making  a voyage  half-way  round  the  globe,  before 
there  can  be,  as  is  supposed,  any  authorized  church,  or  pastor, 
or  confirmation  j or,  in'?§ome  cases,  any  baptism  that  is  incontest- 
ably valid.  Baptists,  with  their  polity  and  worship,  are  like  the 
Virginia  rangers  of  General  Braddock’s  command,  used  to  send- 
ing scouts  in  advance ; to  marching  in  Indian  file  j to  wild  busli- 
fightingj  and  on  the  instant  scattering  themselves  each  behind  his 
tree,  whence  to  send  daylight  through  the  lurking  sa  vages  and 
Jesuits.  The  Catholics,  wliether  Boman  or  Reformed,  resemble 
the  same  unfortunate  generars  British  regulars,  ignorant  of 
Indian  warfare,  scorning  the  service  of  leathern-clad  scouts,  and 
Avith  perfect  equipment  and  order  forming  themselA^es  into  pla- 
toons, to  be  shot  down  all  the  more  easily  and  surely  by  the 
French  and  Indians  hid  behind  trees,  logs,  rocks  and  woodland 
hills.  A priest  in  full  dress,  carrying  sacraments,  following 
Vinton  on  a pony  through  tlie  thickets  of  a Karen  jungle,  would 
not  ride  prosperously  5 and  if  he  were  to  sail  down  the  rapids  of 
the  Tenasserim  on  a raft,  as  Mason  did,  he  would  find  abundant 
reason  to  pray:  From  sudden  death,  good  Lord,  deliA^er  us.” 

A distinguished  man  of  letters,  educated  in  the  Presbyterian 


772 


TII7^,  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


clinrcli^  once  asked  the  writ(‘r  to  exi)laiii  to  liiin  liow  it  wns  that 
General  Havelock  could  ^atlicr  (iljin-clies  ainon^^  his  soldiers  and 
serve  them  as  their  pastor.  We  infornKMl  him  that  a number  of 
Bai)tist  soldiers,  adopting-  our  i)olity,  could  foini  themselves  into 
a church,  license  the  General  to  i)reach,  and  them  call  him  to  be 
their  ])astor.  All  these  things  they  (!ould  do  l)y  virtiui  of  the 
authority  vested  in  them  by  the  glorifu'd  ll(‘ad  of  the  CniurcJi 
Universal,  and  agreeably  to  th(‘  ])attern  given  in  tin*  New  Testa- 
ment for  the  organization  of  a visibl(‘  (*hur(di.  That,  according  to 
our  views,  councils  are  not  mandatory  but  advisoiy,  and  the 
])ower  to  call  them  is  lodged  in  the  l)and  of  baptiz(‘d  believers, 
who  may,  if  courtesy,  ex])ediency  or  necessity  dictate,  vote  to 
dispense  Avitli  the  wisdom  of  otlun-  (*hui-eh(‘s.  Havelock,  there- 
fore, with  his  church  of  soldiers,  and  his  Betlud  tmit  i)itched 
near  a tank  or  river,  could  administer  all  tin*,  ordinances  of  the 
Gospel.  The  history  of  our  missions  abounds  with  such  illustra- 
tions, and  proofs  of  the  imint  in  question. 

Cases  there  are  where  a church  or  sect  has  suffered  sad  re- 
verses in  its  missionary  operations  by  identifying  itself  with  the 
fortunes  of  a monarch,  a dynasty,  or  a political  party.  Our 
principles  in  regard  of  Church  and  State,  by  keeping  us  free 
from  such  entangling  alliances,  enable  us  te  go  steadily  forward 
in  evangelizing  the  people,  amidst  the  fights  of  factions,  the 
defeats  of  armies,  or  the  dethronement  of  kings.  Nor  do  we 
hearken  to  any  offers  of  compromise,  when  they  come  from  the 
estalilished  churches  or  their  hierarchs. 

The  ^Moravian  Bretliren  have,  in  some  instances,  weakened 
their  moral  energies  and  tarnished  their  bright  example,  by  estab- 
lishing Avhat  they  term  ^Csocieties”  instead  of  churches  within 
the  ])arishes  of  a State  Church.  As  these  societies  are  formed 
for  j>i‘{iyer,  (‘X])ositiou  and  general  edification,  and  have  nothing 
to  do  with  discipliiui  or  the  sacraments,  the  members  of  them 
limy  still  hold  th(‘ir  standing  in  the  State  Church,  while  the 
ecclesiastics  thereof  continue  to  receive  their  fees,  and  are  not 


THE  SECRETS  OF  SUCCESS. 


773 


alarmed  by  the  suspicion  that  any  of  their  communicants  are 
going  to  commit  the  atrocious  sin  of  schism.  This  kind  of  pros- 
elytism  is  carried  forward  by  a distinct  organization  of  IMoravian 
missionary  service,  under  the  name  of  Diaspora^  Dispersion,” 
from  the  Greek  of  1 Peter  1 : 1 j and  the  missionaries  under  its 
patronage  itinerate  through  Germany,  Sweden,  Kussia,  and  other 
parts  of  Euro^je.  It  is  hoped  that,  in  the  probable  event  of  dis- 
establishment, the  members  of  these  societies  will  pass  into  full 
fellowship  with  the  Moravian  Church.  This  has,  however,  too 
much  the  appearance  of  what  Dr.  Doddridge  used  to  stigmatize 
as  “ sheep-stealing.”  Contrast  with  these  methods  the  bold  and 
frank  proceedings  of  Onckeii  and  Wiberg  in  the  same  fields.  In 
the  long  run  the  conduct  of  the  latter  will,  we  are  confident, 
turn  out  to  be  the  better  policy,  as  it  certainly  is  the  better  prin- 
ciple. 

The  freedom  with  which  our  missionaries  have  been  permitted 
to  choose  and  change  their  stations  and  adopt  different  kinds  and 
modes  of  work,  must  be  reckoned  among  the  things  tliat  have 
conduced  to  their  activity  and  usefulness.  Incontestably  true 
it  is  that  the  service  of  God  is  perfect  liberty;  but  it  is  equally 
certain  that  the  service  of  bishops  and  religious  orders  is  not 
unfrequently  little  less  than  ])erfect  slavery.  The  way  we  exer- 
cise soul  liberty  and  the  right  of  private  judgment  may  be,  and 
sometimes  is,  perverse;  but  in  general  it  afibrds  a healthful 
scope  and  play  for  the  heart  and  mind,  wliile  it  is  the  continual 
attendant  of  those  labors  of  love  which  neither  ecclesiastical 
authority  can  command,  nor  corporate  wisdom  in  any  way  in- 
spire. What  machines  some  Eomish  and  Anglican  missionaries 
are ! Too  often  fixed  to  one  spot,  like  the  wind-mills  and  sema- 
phores of  old,  they  cannot  revolve  or  twiddle  excel) t at  the 
bidding  of  external  intelligence  and  force.  And  even  their 
missionary  explorers  sometimes  resemble  puppets  or  marionettes : 
they  do  not  take  any  important  step  unless  a wire  is  pulled  in 
Italy  or  England,  Live  men,  having  the  adequate  vim  and  go. 


774 


THE  8TORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


Ilow  could  tlicy  long  coiitiiiiie  as  parts  of  such  a iiiccthaiiical  sys- 
tem'? Ill  iio  long  time  they  would  find  that  they  had  lost  half 
their  energy  and  much  of  their  fitness  for  evangel istiij  siTviia*. 
Christian  liberty  means  always  and  everyAvher(‘.  the  labor  that  is 
most  faithful,  and  the  fruit  that  is  most  abundant  and  of  most 
value. 

It  will  not  do  to  overlook  the  fact  that  the  cultivation  of  our 
foreign  fields  must  needs  be  commensurate  with  tlie  cultivation 
of  our  liome  fields.  Our  growth  at  home  must,  in  a surfaceward 
Avay,  account  for  our  growth  abroad.  And  wlienever  we  come  to 
a stand  or  retreat  in  England  or  America,  our  foreign  missions 
will  show  a corresponding  lialt  or  withdrawal.  It  will  be  with 
us  much  as  it  is  with  nations  in  their  decays  they  cease  to  send 
out  colonies  and  to  work  their  mines  of  silver  and  gold.  And 
our  declension  at  home  will  be  felt  abroad  very  s])eedily.  Our 
simple  aiiostolical  ojierations  virtually  come  to  a stand  Avhen 
they  are  forsaken  by  the  Divine  power  that  carries  them  forward. 
]\Iost  other  ecclesiastical  systems  are  vast  machines,  which  can 
be  kept  in  regular  motion  in  any  part  of  the  world  as  long  as 
money,  Avhicli  is  their  chief  proxielling  power,  continues  to  flow 
forward  in  undiminished  streams.  With  us,  we  think,  it  is  other- 
wise. Our  churches  might  lose  half  their  material  wealth,  and 
yet  if  they  Avent  on  growing  in  devotedness  and  in  genuine  con- 
verts, though  plain  and  poor,  they  would  still  advance  the  out- 
posts of  our  foreign  missions,  and  cause  wastes  of  sand  to 
blossom  and  warble  like  the  garden  of  the  Lord. 

Be  it  also  remembered  that  true  revivals  of  religion  at  home  liaA^e 
contributed  largely  to  the  progress  of  foreign  missions.  All  such 
jiastors,  therefore,  as  have  made  up  their  minds  always  to  lead 
their  flocks  slowly  [the  time  to  lead  them  slowly  is  after  a revival, 
when  there  are  young  converts  to  be  nourished:  Gen.  33:13-14, 
Isa.  40:11  ],  Avill  very  seldom  have  the  honor  of  sending  members 
of  tlieir  flocks  to  do  nnd  (hire  for  the  salvaticni  of  idolaters.  The 
Divine  Spirit  does  not  build  churches  after  the  pattern  of  our 


REVIVAL  CONTRIBUTIONS. 


775 


beautiful  ideals.  A fasliionable  eliurcli  too  closely  resembles 
the  fashionable  lady  whom  Pope  describes : 

Virtue  she  finds  too  painful  an  endeavor, 

Content  to  dwell  in  decencies  forever.” 

She  may,  in  spite  of  fashion,  hold  in  her  membership  many 
excellent  Christians.  She  may  give  large  sums  of  money  to  mis- 
sionary objects,  but  she  will  neither  be  the  mother  of  missionary 
churches,  nor  offer  united  prayer  for  the  conversion  of  pagan 
nations. 

How  nearly  are  revivals  and  missions  related ! To  be  con- 
vinced of  this  we  need  not  recur  to  the  records  of  the  Apostolic 
age.  The  first  American  woman  to  resolve  to  go  to  India  as  a 
missionary,  Ann  H Judson,  and  the  first  American  woman  to 
die  as  a missionary  in  Asia,  Harriet  Kewell,  were  both  con- 
verted in  a revival  at  Bradford.  It  was  in  one  of  the  most 
powerful  revivals  with  which  Eochester  had  ever  been  visited, 
that  G.  S.  Comstock,  then  a young  lawyer,  was  converted,  and  was 
thus  prepared  to  go  and  fireach  the  Gospel  to  the  dark  natives 
of  Arracan.  It  was  in  an  extensive  revival  that  Daniel  Temple 
Avas  converted,  a missionary  of  singular  piety  and  wonderful 
versatility,  Avho  as  a i)rinter  of  Christian  literature  did  good  ser- 
vice at  Smyrna,  Aintab,  Constantinople  and  throughout  Turkey. 
It  was  during  a revival  in  Yale  College  that  Azariah  Smith  Avas 
converted.  Eichly  endowed  with  intellectual  gifts,  he  was  sent 
to  the  Orient  as  a missionary  explorer,  and,  being  at  once 
preacher  and  physician,  he  went  about  doing  good  in  many 
ways  and  in  many  cities.  It  was  in  a memorable  revival  at 
Amherst  College  that  young  Lyman  Avas  converted.  While 
pioneering  among  the  savages  of  Sumatra,  he  and  his  fellow 
exifforer,  Munson,  Avere  martyred  by  the  AAild  Bafctaks.  The  first 
missionary  sent  out  to  a foreign  land  by  the  Evangelical  Lu- 
theran Church,  Walter  Gunn,  was  the  fruit  of  one  of  the  first 
revivals  in  the  Hartwick  Synod,  Yew  York. 


776 


THE  STORY  OF  RAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


"Were  we  to  cross  the  Atlantic,  we  would  lind  tli(‘.  same  testi- 
mony. Scotland  has  heen  honored  hy  several  missionari(;s  wlio 
in  revivals  received  that  sacred  lire  which  moved  tliem  to  go  and 
carry  redemi)tion  to  Satan’s  captives  in  India,  China  and  the 
very  heart  of  Africa.  Diligent  stinhmts  of  (^liristian  biography 
trace  the  conversion  of  Claudius  Dnchanan  to  inlluences  wliich 
commenced  in  the  great  revival  at  Cambiislang  in  the  time  of 
Whitefleld,  and  the  conversion  of  Alexander  Dntf  to  a revival 
at  Moulin,  Avhicli  resulted  from  Charles  Simeon’s  unexpected 
detention  in  that  parish.  Space  would  fail  us  to  enumerate  the 
most  conspicuous  cases.  It  is  enough  to  add  the  name  of 
William  C.  Burns,  who,  after  doing  mighty  evangelistic  Avork  for 
se\"en  years  in  Scotland  and  Canada,  Avent  out  to  China  as  a 
missionary,  AAdiere,  after  tAventy-one  years  of  toil  and  suffering, 
his  bones  found  rest  in  far-off  Manchuria.  A felloAv  re\dvalist, 
H.  Grattan  Guinness,  breathes  the  same  spirit  in  some  memorial 
verses  occasioned  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Burns : 

“ As  gazed  the  prophet  on  the  ascending  car, 

Swept  by  its  fiery  steeds  away  and  far, 

So,  Avith  the  burning  tear  and  Hashing  eye, 

I trace  thy  glorious  pathway  to  the  sky. 

Lone  like  the  Tishbite,  as  the  Baptist  bold. 

Cast  in  a rare  and  Apostolic  mould. 

*****  **  **  * 

China,  I breathe  for  thee  a brother's  prayer; 

Unnumbered  are  thy  millions.  Father,  hear 
The  groans  Ave  cannot ! Oh,  thine  arm  make  bare. 

And  reap  thy  harvest  of  salvation  there. 

The  fullness  of  the  Gentiles,  like  a sea 
Immense,  O God,  be  gathered  unto  Thee! 

Then  Israel  save ; and  Avith  his  saintly  train. 

Send  us  Immanuel  over  all  to  reign.” 

We  Avould  gbidly  have  aa^ouikI  up  here;  but  we  must  add  a few 
Avords  Avhi(di  the  perils  of  the  age  loudly  demand.  The  prosper- 
ity of  our  foreign  missions  is  interlinked  Avith  a due  attention  to 
th(‘.  claims  of  oui‘  oavu  ])oor.  We  cannot  Join  in  the  malicious 


HOME  AND  FOREIGN  WORK. 


777 


cry  of  those  who  say  that  while  we  are  giving  our  hundreds  of 
thousands  annually  for  the  conversion  of  those  who  dwell  on  the 
other  side  of  the  globe,  we  are  shamefully  neglecting  the  imor 
at  our  own  doors.  The  fact  is  that  the  nmjority  of  tlie  sui)port- 
ers  of  these  missions  are  the  best  friends  of  the  hungry,  the 
naked,  the  sick  and  the  homeless.  But  lament  and  blush  we 
must,  that  there  are  amongst  us  not  a few  wealthy  friends  of 
antipodal  humanity  who  are  doing  little  personally  fo  bridge  the 
chasm  which  is  daily  widening  between  the  rich  and  the  poor  of 
our  own  land.  These  are  really  the  enemies  of  the  cause  of  mis- 
sions; and  if  they  do  not  amend  their  ways,  they  will  be  fixedly 
associated  with  that  plutocracy  which  threatens  to  make  us  such 
a mobocracy  as  will  dry  up  all  our  sources  and  channels  of 
beneficence. 

Look  at  the  absurdity  of  such  conduct.  It  is  much  as  if  the 
father  of  Lazarus  were  to  go  to  his  neighbor’s  house  at  midnight 
to  beg  that  he  would  lend  him  three  loaves,  and  the  neighbor 
were  to  say : Trouble  me  not,  the  door  is  now  shut ; to 

open  it  this  windy  night  will  blow  out  my  lamp;  I am  reading 
the  sixtieth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  wherein  he  gloriously  predicts 
the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles.  We,  Jews,  neither  keep  these 
words  in  mind  nor  lay  them  to  heart.  For  my  part,  I have 
resolved  to  practice  the  most  rigid  economy,  that  I may  save 
money  to  build  a synagogue  in  l^ebaioth.  So,  good  night.” 

We  are  well  aware  that  some  one  will  say.  Do  we  not  read 
Blessed  is  he  that  considereth  the  poor”  1 Does  not  this  beati- 
tude imi)ly  that  we  are  to  give  with  intelligent  and  judicious  cau- 
tion? Are  there  not  many  undeserving  beggars  ? This  objection 
would  be  well  taken  if  it  were  not  so  often  rei^eated — so  often 
indeed,  in  Scotland,  as  to  lead  to  the  formation  of  a society  there, 
whose  express  imriiose  is  to  relieve  ‘Hhe  undeserving  poor.”  We 
may  be  too  canny  in  our  alms-deeds.  It  was  this  canniness  in 
giving  to  the  poor  that  was  one  of  the  weaknesses  of  the  Greek 
Church.  While  her  aristocracy  were  aiding  in  the  conversion 


778 


THE  F^TOEY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


of  tlic  pagan  trilies  of  tlie  East,  the  North  and  tlie  AV(*st,  tlnhr 
liearts  could  not  he  suhiciently  melted  in  hehalf  of  their  own  sick 
hy  the  eloquence  of  their  (dirysostonis  j it  was  nec(*ssary  tliat 
these  sick  ones  should  be  taken  from  tlieir  wards  and  (exposed 
by  the  side  of  the  fashionable  walks.  And,  in  an  age  when  the 
common  people  were  gradually  siidving  into  serfdom  and  even 
slavery,  these  rich  Greeks,  instead  of  giving  prompt  relied’  to  the 
miserable,  observed  the  forged  maxim,  falsely  attributed  to  the 
Apostles:  Let  thine  alms  sweat  in  thine  hands  until  thou 

knowest  to  whom  thou  shouhlst  give.”  Thus  did  their  gold  and 
silver  sweat  in  their  hands,  until  the  Saracens  and  their  fellow 
iconoclasts  invaded  their  churches.  These  image-breakers  smote 
down  their  ecclesiastical  idols;  but  the  aristocracy  still  wor- 
shipped the  coined  images  of  their  emiierors,  while  the  Greek 
missions  degenerated  into  monastic  houses,  some  of  them  situ- 
ated on  high  mountaiu  cliffs,  to  which  there  was  no  access 
except  by  windlasses.  The  monks  neither  sought  nor  made 
converts  from  the  Mahometans  that  visited  them.  For  centuries 
caravans  of  Arabs  went  past  the  Greek  convents  of  Nitria,  in 
Egypt,  unenlightend  by  the  Gospel.  In  vain,  for  more  than  a 
thousand  years,  have  the  graceless  Bedouins  of  the  desert  j)itched 
their  tents  beneath  the  shadow  of  the  convent  of  St.  Catherine, 
on  Mt.  Sinai.  In  vain,  for  a period  equally  long,  have  Moslem 
warriors,  marching  eastward  or  westward  near  the  sources  of 
the  Euphrates,  encamped  before  the  Greek  monastery  of  Kuzzul 
Yank.  In  vain,  for  the  last  four  hundred  years,  have  Turkish 
sailors,  soldiers  and  merchants  rested  at  the  gates  of  the  con- 
vents of  Mt.  Athos.  Had  the  aristocracy  of  the  Greek  church 
befriended  their  own  poor,  how  diff’erent  would  have  been  the 
fate  of  their  missions. 

But  the  Lord  Jesus  will  tend,  as  a shepherd  with  a rod  of 
iron,  the  Greidv,  Latin  and  other  degenerate  churches..  Their 
monastic  ord(*i\s,  “dwelling  solitarily  in  the  Avoods”  in  the  midst 
of  Carmel,  He  will  lead  doAvn  into  the  pastures  of  Bashan  and 


THE  ROD  OF  IRON. 


779 


Gilead,  as  in  the  days  of  old  (Micali  7:  14).  He  will  likewise 
employ  this  rod  of  iron  in  reconstructing  national  churches,  as 
the  potter  makes  over  again  a vessel  that  is  marred  on  the 
wheel  (Jer.  18:  4).  He  beats  down  the  clay  into  a compact 
mass,  and  commences  his  work  anew. 

The  Messiah  is  more  tliaii  once  foreseen  as  shepherdizing  the 
nations  with  a rod  of  iron  (Ps.  2:9;  Eev.  12:  5,  19 : 15).  Prima- 
rily the  meaning  is  perhaps  that  the  Lord  Jesus  will  conquer 
and  govern  all  pagan  peoples;  now  visiting  them  with  judgments, 
again  with  revolutions — not,  however,  with  a view  to  their  total 
overthrow;  for  they  are  to  be  the  Messiah’s  inheritance  (Ps.  2: 
8):  but  to  the  intent  that  they  may  be  prepared  for  the  victories 
and  triumiJis  of  His  grace.  He  sends  among  wicked  nations 
and  tribes  the  plowshares  of  war,  so  that  in  the  furrows  they 
make  the  seeds  of  Gospel  truth  may  be  sown. 

Possibly,  moreover,  these  words  have  a secondary  import : 
they  may  foretell  the  power  of  the  Christian  Press.  In  Eevela- 
tions  19:15,  we  are  told  of  the  King  of  Kings  that  “out  of  his 
mouth  goeth  a sharp  sword,  that  with  it  he  should  smite  the 
nations,  and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a rod  of  iron.’’  Of  the 
two  images  here  brought  together,  the  first  appears  to  represent 
the  victories  of  the  oral  word;  and  the  second,  the  conquests 
of  the  printed  word.  If  we  admit  the  correctness  of  this  in- 
terpretation, then  we  can  understand  how  the  saints  themselves 
can  share  the  Messiah’s  throne  and  be  said  in  some  plain  sense 
to  have  power  over  the  nations,  and  to  rule  them  with  a rod 
of  iron,  (Eevelation  2:  26-27.)  When  we  consider  how  iron 
(including  steel,  which  is  nothing  but  iron,  combined  with  a small 
portion  of  carbon ) forms  so  many  of  the  instruments  of  our 
Christian  civilization — how  it  affords  materials  for  the  printing- 
press  and  the  engine  that  drives  it;  for  the  railroad  and  the 
locomotive;  the  telegraph,  and  the  numberless  other  machines 
which  convey  ideas,  or  assist  the  labor  of  man ; how  steamers 
put  together  in  moveable  sections  are  to-day  carrying  Mission- 


780 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


arics  to  tlie  head -waters  of  the  Nile  and  the  Congo,  in  s])ite  of  tlie 
thunders  of  many  cataracts  Avliicli  formerly  disheartened  the 
explorer, — we  cannot  heli)  (in  this  case  at  lenst)  Ixicoming  a liter- 
alist,  and  seeing  the  Lord  of  Lords  enthroned  above  all  tlies(*. 
marvellous  forces,  yet  looking  down  l)eidgnantly  u[)on  them,  and 
holding  in  the  right  hand  no  other  scej)tre  tlian  a plain  rough 
blue  bar  of  iron. 

On  the  other  hand,  let  us  never  forget  tin*,  law  of  the  rellex  intlu- 
ence  of  foreign  missions;  how  it  conies  round  to  bless  our  home 
missions,  our  revival  exertions,  our  domestic  charities,  and  our 
individual  acts  of  kindness.  If  young  (converts  are  to  be  of  great 
service  in  their  spheres  of  Christian  usefulness  at  home,  they  will 
have  to  be  taught  to  look  abroad  on  the  extent  and  variety  of 
our  foreign  fields,  and  to  identify  themselves  heartily  Avith  their 
fellow  laborers  in  far-oft*  lands  of  darkness.  Near  the  library  in 
Avhich  I noAV  Avrite,  a church  s^iire  is  in  course  of  construction ; 
and  I obserA^e  that,  Avtiile  each  block  of  marble  is  being  craned 
up,  it  first  ascends  many  feet  above  the  si)ot  where  it  belongs 
and  is  finally  to  rest.  So  let  young  converts  occasionally  be 
lifted  far  aboA^e  the  narrow  circle  of  immediate  duties,  and  look 
out  through  the  serene  atmosphere  of  prophecy.  Let  them  be 
carried  aAvay  into  the  Avilderness  of  Paran,  to  listen  Avith  Moses 
to  the  solemn  oath  of  the  God  of  Israel:  ^^As  truly  as  I live, 
all  the  earth  shall  be  filled  Avith  the  glory  of  the  Lord.”  Let  them 
climb  and  stand  by  the  side  of  Isaiah  on  that  high  toAver  whence 
he  descries  the  most  distant  islands,  saying,  All  the  ends  of  the 
earth  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God.”  And  let  them  trace  the 
successiA^e  steps  in  the  revelation  of  the  progress  of  missions. 
The  self-same  prophet  hears  the  seraphs  cry  in  responsive  song, 
^‘Tlie  Avliole  eartli  is  full  of  his  glory,”  and  at  a later  day  predicts 
that  ^Glie  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the 
Avaters  coauu*  the  sea.”  Ilabakkuk,  some  sixty  years  nearer  the 
time  of  onr  redemption,  adds  that  the  earth  is  to  be  filled 
Avilli  kMowl(‘dg(*.  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  He  beholds  the  She. 


THE  STUDY  OF  REVELATION. 


781 


kinali,  the  sacred  pillar  of  fire  enveloped  in  a cloud,  pass  from 
the  Holy  of  Holies  and  cover  the  earth  like  a universal  deluge 
of  glowing  light,  partly  veiled  with  clouds  or  flecked  with  mist. 
By  this  vision  he  was  taught  that  the  grace  of  the  Divine  Spirit 
is  to  be  everywhere  present.  But  lest  we  should  not  be  duly 
mindful  of  the  truth  of  the  Spirit’s  personality,  St.  tTohn  was 
permitted  to  see  a vision  of  Him  as  a mighty  messenger  in 
human  form,  with  a face  bright  as  the  sun,  his  head  crowned 
with  that  rainbow  which  is  the  seal  of  the  covenant,  clothed 
with  a cloud  of  mystery,  and  his  legs  as  two  pillars  of  fire  or  two 
Shekinahs,  planted  one  on  the  sea  and  the  other  on  the  land. 
He  speaks  with  a lion-like  voice,  the  sound  of  which  is  echoed  by 
seven  thunders.  Another  of  these  missionary  visions  is  that 
of  the  angel  flying  through  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the 
everlasting  Gopel  to  preach  to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and 
tongue,  and  people.  Yolumes  might  be  devoted  to  the  meanings 
and  uses  of  these  visions.  The  very  order  in  which  they  appear, 
from  century  to  century,  is  instructive  and  full  of  encourage- 
ment. How  elevating  and  cheering  to  the  soul  are  these  exalted 
and  glorious  scenes ! The  contemplation  of  them  will  serve  to 
prepare  young  converts  to  take  their  appointed  ifiaces  as  lively 
stones  in  the  spiritual  house,  and  to  be  intelligent  heljoers  in  the 
work  of  the  world’s  redemption. 

And  such  of  these  young  converts  as  may  themselves  become 
missionaries,  will  comfort  themselves  in  their  discouragements 
and  sorrows  by  yet  other  visions  and  voices.  They  well  hear 
the  trumpet  of  the  Seventh  Angel  and  great  voices  in  heaven 
saying,  ^‘The  kingdoms  of  the  world  are  become  the  kingdoms 
of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and 
ever.”  They  will  behold  the  Kew  Jerusalem  crowning  its  great 
and  lofty  mountain,  with  its  twelve  gates  of  pearl,  perpetually 
ajar  towards  the  four  quarters  of  the  world.  They  will  behold 
the  trees  of  life  flourishing  on  the  banks  of  the  River  of  Life, 
bearing  twelve  kinds  of  fruits,  and  dropping  ripe  into  the  hand 


782 


THE  STORY  OF  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 


every  moiitli  and  the  leaves  of  the  trees  for  tlie  liealiiip^  of  tlie 
nations.  Tliey  will  hehohl  the  sole  li^ht  of  tlie  lioly  city  stream- 
ing’ from  the  Lamb  and  flowing  (hrongh  and  reil(‘cted  from  all 
manner  of  precious  stones,  and  tlie  nations  of  tliem  tliat  are 
saved,  Avalldng  in  the  liglit  of  it. 

Even  the  future  clironicler  of  tlieir  deeds  in  distant  lands,  as 
he  lays  down  his  i)en  of  iron  and  rests  his  weary  liand  Ixdimes, 
may  also  renew  his  strength  with  the  reflection  that  perha])s  that 
poor  worn-out  pen  is  a sliver  from  the  great  sceptre  of  iron 
which  the  King  of  Kings  holds  in  his  right  hand  as  lie  sits 
sui)reme  upon  his  everlasting  throne. 


Benediction. 


APPENDIX. 


1.  JUDSON’S  BUKMAN  BIBLE. 

Eecently  the  officers  of  the  Missionary  Union  were  desired  by  friends  of 
the  American  Bible  Society  to  ask  of  the  latter  contributions  to  aid  in  cir- 
culating the  Scriptures  in  Burinah.  It  was  thought  that  the  managers 
would  be  happy  to  make  grants  of  money  for  that  object.  The  “ catho- 
licity ” of  Judson's  Bible  was  demonstrated;  it  was  shown  that  it  was  used 
by  all  Protestant  missionaries  in  Burmah,  including  those  of  the  Anglican 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel.  Even  the  Eoman  Catholic 
Bishop  Bigandet,  of  Eangoon,  asserts  that  Judson’s  Bible  has  become  so 
imbedded  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  Burmah,  that  it  would  be  useless 
to  try  to  supersede  it.  Moreover  the  Government  of  British  Burmah  uses 
our  Scriptures  in  the  public  schools  and  in  the  courts  of  justice.  But  the 
Committee  of  the  Bible  Society  gave  ear  to  one  discordant  voice.  Bishop 
Titcomb,  of  Eangoon  (since  gone  home  to  England  ),  a ritualistic  church- 
man, who,  in  violation  of  every  rule  of  missionary  comity,  was  addicted 
to  proselyting  our  Burmese  and  Karen  converts,  declared  that  he  was  not 
satisfied  with  the  Burman  version,  although  he  admitted  that  he  used  it. 
Whereupon  the  Society  refused  all  aid  to  the  circulation  of  Judson’s  Bible. 
It  would  seem,  therefore,  that  in  order  to  “ catholicity,”  a version  must  not 
only  be  used  by  all,  but  acceptable  to  all.  Should  this  rule  be  universally 
applied  by  the  Bible  Society,  it  would  have  to  cease  to  circulate  King 
James’  version,  and  every  other,  whether  European,  African  or  Asiatic. 
•‘If,”  the  Baptists  now  say,  “ no  version  is  to  be  circulated  that  anybody 
criticizes,  the  Society’s  occuption  is  gone.” 

2.  BUEMAN  MISSION.— MES.  HASWELL. 

The  number  of  Burmans  reported  in  1883  as  baptized,  was  136;  member- 
ship, 1,528;  churches,  seventeen.  In  1884  it  was  reported  that  151  had 
been  baptized;  members,  1,292;  churches,  twenty.  The  statistics  of  the 
Karens  and  other  tribes  connected  with  the  Burman  mission,  are  given  else-  ‘ 
where. 

At  Zeegong  a young  Hollander  has  been  converted  and  baptized.  He  is 
now  preparing  for  the  ministry  in  the  Baptist  College  at  Eangoon. 
Hitherto  the  Buddhists,  the  proud  rulers  of  Burmah,  have  for  the  most  part 
stoutly  withstood  the  truth  and  grace  of  the  Gospel.  But  recent  reports 
of  missionaries  inform  us  that  this  opposition  is  giving  way.  They  are 
now  willing,  in  some  instances,  to  seek  the  way  of  salvation  from  the 
despised  Karens  and  Kyens. 


784 


APPENDIX. 


Mrs.  Jane  Mason  ITaswell,  of  the  Manlmain  mission,  died  March  24, 
1884,  aged  sixty-nine  years.  She  was  born  in  Chesiiire,  Mass.,  February 
28,  1815.  She  was  a sister  of  the  Key.  Alanson  P.  Mason,  Secretary  for 
New  England  of  the  Home  Mission  Society;  was  converted  at  the  age  of 
fifteen,  educated  in  tlie  Academy  at  Palmyra,  N.  Y.,  and  married  to  Rev. 
James  M.  Haswell,  August  28,  1835.  Mr.  llaswell  was  appointed  a mis- 
sionary to  the  Taligns,  orTalaings,  an  ancient  Burman  tribe  living  in  the 
vicinity  of  Maulmain,  and  numbering  about  eighty  thousand.  lie  translated 
portions  of  the  Bible,  and  prepared  a digest  of  Scripture  and  other  works  in 
the  Talign  or  Peguan  dialect.  In  his  later  literary  labors  Mrs.  llaswell 
was  his  amanuensis.  She  was  happy  in  her  work,  and  often  said  she  would 
not  change  places  with  any  one  in  America.  Before  sickness  and  death 
put  an  end  to  her  exertions,  she  was  revising  the  Talign  dictionary  and 
grammar  published  by  her  husband.  The  only  missionaries  who  have  ever 
become  acquainted  with  the  language  of  this  people  were  Mrs.  S.  B.  Jud- 
son,  Mrs.  llaswell  and  her  husband.  Dr.  llaswell  died  September  13, 1876, 
after  thirty-six  years  of  active  missionary  service.  He  was  required  to  sail 
for  Burmah  three  weeks  after  he  was  selected  for  that  field.  As  he  was 
obliged  at  once  to  proceed  to  Boston  to  meet  the  Board  of  the  Convention, 
he  sent  her  brother  Alanson  to  Palmyra  to  break  the  news  to  his  affianced 
bride.  On  his  arrival  he  said  to  his  sister,  “ Can  you  be  ready  to  be  married 
and  sail  for  Burmah  in  three  weeks  ? ” She  hesitated  for  a moment,  and 
then  said,  with  tears  gushing  from  her  eyes,  “Yes,  in  three  days,  if  it  is 
the  will  of  God.”  The  reader  should  remember  that  this  act  of  Jevoted- 
ness  occurred  in  1835,  when  the  Memoir  of  Mrs.  A.  H.  Judson  was  a com- 
paratively new  book. 


3.  MISSION  IN  SIAM. 

From  1882  to  1884  the  work  of  missions  was  much  hindered  in  Bangkok 
by  the  robbery  and  rioting  of  the  “Red  Letter  Society,”  a secret  organiz- 
ation among  Chinese  laborers.  The  Roman  Catholics  also  were  arrogant 
towards  Protestants,  and  took  advantage  of  the  disturbed  state  of  affairs 
to  persecute  and  oppress.  The  Rev.  L A.  Eaton,  the  new  coadjutor  of 
Dr.  Dean,  reached  Bangkok  in  December,  1883,  and  is  devoting  his  time  to 
the  study  of  the  language.  Dr.  Dean  wrote  March  3d,  1884,  to  a friend  in 
Boston,  a letter  in  which  he  says : “ I am  still  enabled  to  attend  to  my  mis- 
sionary work  in  my  usual  imperfect  manner,  and  hope  that  my  colleague, 
Mr.  Eaton,  will  soon  be  able  to  help  in  the  services.  My  grandchildren 
and  their  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goddard,  made  me  a visit  of  a month's 
duration.  Their  stay  here  did  us  much  good,  and  they  parted  in  good 
health  and  fair  spirits  for  their  work.  The  four  children,  from  two  to  ten 
years,  i)romise  much  good  missionary  service  in  their  way.  They  preach 
effectually  as  a Christian  family,  in  an  excellent  language  which  the  hea- 
then can  understand,  and  which  they  need  to  learn.  It  is  necessary  to 
thow  them  what  results  come  from  Christianity,  as  well  as  to  explain  to 


APPENDIX. 


785 


them  the  principles  which  it  teaches.  It  is  vain  to  suppose  that  either  can 
be  done  by  a celibate  ministry.” 

Of  late  this  mission  has  not  reported  any  baptisms.  In  1883  its  statistics 
were  reportrd  as  follows:  Churches,  four;  outrStations,  six;  ordained 
preachers,  two;  unordained,  two;  colporteur,  one;  members,  about  500. 
The  report  of  1884,  is,  it  is  claimed,  based  on  a revision  and  correction  of 
the  church  records.  It  is  as  follows:  Ordained  native  preacher,  one; 
unordained,  three;  churches,  five;  members,  100.  This  decline  in  numbers 
may  be  partly  owing  to  the  power  of  the  mobocracy  in  Bangkok. 

It  is  a fact  worthy  of  grateful  mention  that  Dr.  Dean,  our  senior  mis- 
sionary to  the  Chinese,  was  in  1884  permitted  to  see  the  fiftieth  year  since 
the  beginning  of  his  laborious  and  successful  service.  In  November  of 
that  year  he  again  returned  to  the  United  States. 


4.  KRISHNA  PAL. 

Most  of  our  readers  are  doubtless  familiar  with  Krishna  Pal’s  hymn.  It 
is  the  hymn  beginning : 

“ O thou,  my  soul,  forget  no  more 
The  Friend  who  all  thy  sorrows  bore.” 

A writer  in  a Baptist  missionary  paper  thus  relates  the  story  of  its  origin : 
Dr.  Carey  had  spent  six  years  of  toil  in  India,  and  had  seen  no  results 
from  his  labors.  He  prayed,  and  studied,  and  waited,  with  a heavy  but 
not  despondent  heart.  At  length  the  Master  granted  a first  token  of  his 
favor  and  blessing.  Krishna,  while  engaged  in  his  work  as  a carpenter, 
fell  and  broke  his  arm.  Dr.  Thomas,  Carey’s  companion  and  fellow  laborer, 
was  called  to  set  the  broken  limb,  and,  after  his  work  as  a surgeon  was 
done,  he  most  fervently  i^reached  the  Gospel  to  the  assembled  neighbors. 
The  unfortunate  carpenter  was  affected  even  to  tears,  and  readily  accepted 
the  invitation  to  call  on  the  missionaries  for  further  instruction.  The 
truth  took  deep  hold  on  his  heart.  He  told  the  story  he  had  heard  to  his 
wife  and  daughter;  and  they,  too,  were  so  much  moved  that  all  three 
offered  themselves  as  candidates  for  baptism. 

While  the  question  of  their  reception  was  under  discussion,  on  the  22d 
of  December,  1800,  Krishna  and  Goluk,  his  brother,  openly  renounced 
their  caste,  and  sat  down  at  a table  with  the  missionaries  to  eat  with  them. 
This  excited  great  surprise  among  the  natives.  The  evening  of  the  same 
day,  Krishna,  his  wife  and  daughter,  went  before  the  church,  told  the  pro- 
cess by  which  they  had  been  led  to  embrace  Christianity,  and  were  received 
for  baptism.  The  occasion  was  one  of  joyful  interest.  It  was,  indeed,  too 
full  of  delicious  excitement  for  Dr.  Thomas  to  bear;  for  he  had  been  labor- 
ing as  a missionary  during  sixteen  long  years,  and  now  looked  upon  his 
first  convert. 


786 


APPENDIX. 


When  it  was  reported  that  Krishna  had  renounced  his  caste,  and  had 
become  a Christian,  tlie  wildest  excitement  prevailed.  A mob  of  two 
thousand  persons  gathered  around  his  house.  They  dragged  him  and  his 
brother  before  the  magistrate,  but  could  bring  no  delinite  charge  against 
them.  They  were  therefore  released,  and  a native  soldier  placed  as  a 
guard  at  Krishna’s  house.  When  they  saw  what  a wild  storm  their  i)ro- 
fession  of  Christianity  had  occasioned,  the  two  women  faltered,  and  wished 
to  postpone  their  baptism.  Goluk  did  the  same;  and  Krishna  was  left  to 
encounter  the  odium  and  withstand  the  storm  alone.  He  ventured  forth 
to  be  baptized  in  the  Gauges.  The  Governor  of  India,  a number  of  Por- 
tuguese, and  great  crowds  of  Hindoos  and  Mahometans,  were  present  to 
witness  the  rite.  Dr.  Carey  walked  down  into  the  water  with  his  eldest 
son  on  one  side  of  him  and  Krishna  on  the  other.  Amidst  the  profoundest 
silence,  he  explained  that  it  was  not  the  water  of  the  sacred  river  that  could 
wash  away  sin,  but  the  blood  of  the  atonement;  and  then  he  administered 
the  sacred  rite  of  baptism;  thus  breaking  down  the  wall  of  separation 
between  the  Englishman  and  the  Hindoo,  and  making  them  brothers  in 
Christ  Jesus.  All  hearts  were  impressed;  the  Governor  wept;  and  that 
evening,  December  28th,  the  Lord’s  Supper  was  celebrated  in  Bengalee  for 
the  first  time. 

Krishna  was  the  first  of  a long  line.  When  he  was  baptized  he  was 
about  thirty-six  years  old;  and  he  lived  for  more  than  twenty  years  a 
faithful  and  honored  disciple  of  the  Lord.  He  became  an  ardent  student, 
and  wrote  and  compiled  tracts,  which  were  eagerly  read  by  his  country- 
men. He  also  wrote  a number  of  hymns.  That  one  of  these  which  we 
often  sing  on  communion  occasions,  was  translated  by  Dr.  Marshman. — 
The  Story  of  the  Hymns ^ by  II.  Butterworth.  Pp.  52-54. 


5.'  DK.  JUDSON  AND  PAYMENT  OF  NATIVE  PREACHEES. 

Dr.  Judson  was  justified  in  paying  wages  to  his  native  preachers,  by  the 
Board  in  Boston,  at  a period  in  our  missionary  history  when  the  friends  of 
missions  were  comparatively  few,  and  when,  consequently,  the  practice  of 
the  strictest  economy  was  demanded.  After  a careful  examination  of  all 
the  facts  involved  in  the  question,  they  decided  that  it  was  necessary  to 
make  a difference.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Nevius,  in  his  recent  volume,  “China 
and  the  Chinese,”  has  this  weighty  remark : “ It  is  a serious  error  among 
Christians  at  home,  though  I believe  a very  common  one,  to  apply  rules 
and  principles  drawn  from  a limited  experience  in  one  missionary  field  to 
missionary  operations  in  general.”  The  venerable  and  judicious  Dr. 
Yates,  of  the  Shanghai  mission,  would  concur  in  opinion  with  Dr.  Car- 
penter; for  he  has  lately  declared  that  “the  free  use  of  foreign  money  for 
high  pay  of  natives  is  the  dry-rot  of  Chinese  missions.”  Very  possibly 
the  bitter  fruits  of  too  lavish  a patronage  may  in  some  fields,  as  never 


APPENDIX. 


787 


before,  have  visibly  grown  to  a deadly  ripeness.  But  we  must  still  make  a 
difference.  For  example,  the  Kev.  Mr.  Thomssen,  of  the  Telugu  mission, 
says:  “ Our  large  churches  are  self-supporting  in  one  sense  of  the  word; 
they  pay  the  preachers  fully  for  the  time  they  give  them;  but  as  these 
preachers  spend  from  one-half  to  three-fourths  of  their  time  in  preaching 
to  the  heathen,  it  is  no  more  than  just  that  they  should  receive  clothing 
and  part  pay  from  mission  funds.”  Of  the  Karen  churches  of  Burmah 
206  are  self-supporting  against  113  which  are  dependent  on  extraneous  aid. 
“It  would  be  manifestly  unjust,”  says  the  Kev.  R.  M.  Luther,  himself 
formerly  a missionary,  “ to  exact  from  the  sterile  and  unproductive  moun- 
tain countries  of  Tavoy  and  Toungoo  the  same  measure  of  self-support  as 
is  easily  possible  in  the  wealthy  farming  districts  of  Rangoon  and  Bas- 
sein.”  This  question  has  of  late  years  become  complicated  with  another, 
arising  from  the  self-denial  to  be  exercised  by  native  preachers  in  serving 
the  churches  for  inadequate  wages,  while  the  British  Government  is  offer- 
ing them  liberal  salaries  as  teachers  of  the  public  schools.  Already  some 
of  the  native  preachers  have  proved  the  sincerity  of  their  piety  and  set  a 
good  example  to  others  by  choosing  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of 
God,  rather  than  to  enjoy  the  material  comforts  which  attend  a secular 
service. 


6.  MRS.  JULIETTE  PATTISON  BINKEY, 

Died  at  Rangoon,  Burmah,  May  18,  1884.  She  was  born  in  West  Haven, 
Vt.,  October  1,  1808.  She  was  a sister  of  the  Rev.  R.  E.  Pattison,  D.D. 
At  the  time  of  her  first  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Binney,  he  was  pastor  of 
the  Baptist  church  in  West  Boylston,  Mass.,  and  she  was  a teacher  in  the 
Charlestown  Female  Seminary.  She  was  married  to  Mr.  Binney  in  1833. 
I'he  career  of  Dr.  Binney  we  have  already  traced.  In  all  his  exceedingly 
various  occupations,  as  well  in  Asia  as  America,  Mrs.  Binney  was  his 
cheerful  companion  and  versatile  helper.  By  reason  of  ill-health  she 
resided  seven  years  in  the  United  States.  After  the  death  of  her  husband 
she  passed  her  time  in  completing  his  literary  undertakings.  Her  biography 
of  Dr.  Binney,  entitled,  “Twenty-six  Years  in  Burmah,”  contains  inci- 
dentally the  record  of  her  own  life.  Her  last  years  were  spent  in  Ran- 
goon. She  went  to  her  rest  at  the  age  of  seventy-six,  and  was  very  active 
until  some  few  weeks  before  her  departure.  She  taught  her  Bible-class  in 
the  Sunday-school  on  the  day  before  the  night  in  which  she  went  to  her 
heavenly  home.  Mrs.  Binney  was,  we  are  told,  a person  of  strong  character 
and  eminent  ability.  Her  various  endowments,  thorough  training  and 
many  acquisitions  of  mind  and  heart,  qualified  her  for  the  great  changes 
and  heterogeneous  tasks  to  which  she  was  called.  Her  life  was  devoted  to 
the  welfare  of  the  Karens,  and  the  property  which  God  had  placed  in  her 
hands,  with  the  exception  of  proper  provision  for  her  relatives,  was  given 
to  the  cause  of  missions.  Her  cheerful  and  hopeful  spirit  was  a source  of 


788 


APPENDIX. 


encouragement  to  Dr.  Binncy  and  his  fellow  laborers.  She  trusted  tliat 
there  was  a particular  Providence,  and  although  it  was  sometimes  too  dark 
for  her  to  trace  its  sceptred  fingers,  yet  she  could  with  confidence  sing: 

In  each  event  of  life,  ’tis  clear 
d'hy  ruling  hand  must  he! 

Each  blessing  to  my  soul  more  dear. 

Because  conferred  by  thee. 


7.  THE  REV.  MII.ES  BRONSON",  D.D. 

He  was  born  at  Norway,  N.  Y.,  July  20th,  1812,  and  died  in  Eaton 
Rapids,  Mich.,  Dec.  9th,  1883.  He  studied  at  Hamilton,  and  was  ordained 
at  Wliitesborough,  N.  Y.  He  was  appointed  amissionary  April  28th,  1836, 
and  arrived  at  his  field  of  labor  at  Sadiya,  Assam,  July  17th,  1837.  On 
reaching  Sadiya,  Mr.  Bronson  found  Mr.  Nathan  Brown,  now  of  Japan, 
and  Mr.  Oliver  T.  Cutter,  a printer,  who  had  been  engaged  about  a year  in 
missionary  labor  for  the  different  tribes  of  Assam.  While  Mr.  Brown  con- 
tinued his  labors  for  the  Assamese,  Mr.  Bronson  commenced  work  among 
the  Singphos,  who  are  supposed  to  be  the  same  as  the  Ka-Khyens,  among 
whom  our  missionaries  are  now  laboring  in  Upper  Burmah.  In  1839  Mr. 
Bronson  established  his  mission  at  Jaipur.  From  this  point  he  made  occa- 
sional excursions  among  the  Nagas,  a tribe  inhalfiting  the  southern  hills  of 
Assam.  In  1841,  on  account  of  the  unfriendly  climate,  he  was  compelled 
to  remove  to  Nowgong.  His  subsequent  labors  were  chiefiy  bestowed 
upon  the  Assamese  of  the  Bramaputra  Valley.  Mr.  Bronson  had  the  honor 
of  acting  as  a pioneer  in  more  than  one  field,  and  consequently  did  several 
first  deeds.  On  June  13th,  1841,  he  baptized  the  first  Assamese.  In  1842 
he  opened  the  first  mission  school  for  the  Assamese.  In  February,  1863, 
he  baptized  the  first  Garo  converts,  and  seven  months  later  saw  the  first 
Mikir  converts  brought  into  the  Kingdom  of  Christ.  In  1867  he  organized 
the  first  Garo  church. 

Mr.  Bronson  returned  to  America  for  a short  rest  in  1848,  and  again  in 
1857;  once  more  in  1868.  In  1866  his  Assamese-English  Dictionary  was 
put  to  press;  in  July,  1874,  he  removed  to  Gowahati  to  take  charge  of  that 
station.  He  returned  to  the  United  States  for  the  last  time  in  1879.  He 
labored  among  three  different  tribes,  and  did  much  good  service  by  his 
translations. 

His  first  wife  was  Miss  Ruth  Montague  Lucas,  of  Madison,  N.  Y., 
who  shared  the  greater  part  of  his  missionary  labors  and  trials.  She  died 
at  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  September  30th,  1809,  during  their  third  visit  to  America. 
His  second  marriage  was  with  Mrs.  F.  A.  Danforth,  widow  of  Rev.  A.  H. 
Danforth,  also  a missionary  at  Assam;  she  died  at  Rangoon  February 
3d,  1874.  He  afterwards  married  IMiss  Mary  1).  Rankin,  a missionary  in 
Gowahati.  By  his  death  she  is  left  with  three  children.  Dr.  Bronson  was 


APPENDIX. 


789 


the  father  of  several  daughters  now  living,  Maria  having  died  in  the  mis- 
sion work  in  Assam.  Of  these  Mary  is  the  wife  of  Kev.  C.  F.  Tolman,  of 
Chicago;  Harriette  is  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gunn,  of  Iowa;  S.  B.,  the 
wife  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Titterington,  of  Michigan,  and  Lizzie  is  the  wife  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Robinson,  of  Towanda,  N.  Y. 

After  his  return  to  America  he  ardently  desired  to  be  allowed  to  return 
to  Assam.  “ My  body  is  here,”  he  said,  “ my  heart  is  in  Assam.”  Describ- 
ing his  last  moments,  the  Rev.  S.  Haskell,  D.D.,  says:  “ In  the  submissive 
delirium  of  a death-scene,  too  joyous  for  sorrow,  too  beautiful  for  tears, 
he  was  by  the  Bramaputra.  He  was  arranging  for  tours  to  the  jungle,  his 
trusty  elephant  at  hand,  and  his  dear  disciples  around;  and  when  friends 
called  to  see  him,  he  greeted  them  as  visitors  in  Assam.  Wolfe,  on  the 
Plains  of  Abraham,  said,  in  death,  of  his  enemies,  “They  fly,  they  fly!” 
Napoleon,  in  death,  at  St.  Helena,  bade  his  marshals  charge,  and  watched 
their  terrible  onset  till  the  last  Are  went  out  in  his  eye ; but  these  were 
poor  illusions  beside  the  visions  of  our  dying  veteran  of  forty-eight  years 
of  leadership  in  missionary  victories.” 


8 . THE  KOHLS  OF  ASSAM. 

Much  interest  is  taken  in  the  good  work  now  going  forward  among  the 
Kohls,  who  are  natives  of  the  upper  provinces,  and  imported  laborers 
employed  in  the  tea-gardens.  They  are  more  numerous  in  Bengal,  of 
which  they  are  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  aboriginal  tribes.  In  1882  Rev. 
Mr.  Gurney,  of  Sibsagor,  baptized  seventeen  of  them.  In  October,  1883, 
Rev.  Kandura,  the  native  preacher  at  Gowahati,  baptized  ten  of  these 
strangers;  in  the  previous  year  he  had  baptized  several  of  the  same  tribe. 
They  are  ready  to  receive  the  Gospel,  and  were  we  able  to  send  preachers 
to  them,  it  is  thought  that  baptisms  among  them  might  be  annually  re- 
ported by  hundreds. 

The  tea  districts  of  Assam  comprise  Sibsagor,  Nazira  and  Tiak.  Sibsa- 
gor produces  more'  tea  than  all  the  other  parts  of  Siam  put  together.  The 
Kohls  live  at  some  distance  from  the  missionary  stations,  and  yet  many  of 
them  walk  four  miles,  regardless  of  blazing  sun  or  pouring  rain,  to  attend 
service  at  Sibsagor  chapel.  Nizira,  ten  miles  south-east  of  Sibsagor,  is  the 
headquarters  of  the  Assam  Tea  Company,  the  largest  tea  company  on  the 
globe,  embracing  about  thirty  gardens,  employing  some  ten  thousand 
laborers,  and  producing  every  year  not  far  from  one  million  five  hundred 
thousand  pounds  of  tea.  The  Tiak  garden,  twenty  miles  west  of  Sibsagor, 
is  by  far  the  most  hopeful  mission  station  in  the  district.  Within  the  past 
nine  years  a church  has  been  gathered  at  this  station,  numbering  more 
than  a hundred  members.  The  Tiak  Kohls  refuse  to  work  on  Sunday,  and 
they  have  become  so  numerous  that  the  manager  of  the  garden  does  not 
attempt  to  make  them  work  on  that  day.  They  are  distinguished  for  their 
industry,  temperance  and  neatness. 


790 


APPENDIX. 


One  of  the  most  encouraging  aspects  of  this  field  is  that  some  of  tiiese 
Kohls  have  become  permanent  settlers  in  Assam.  They  live  by  themselves 
in  villages,  and  cultivate  the  soil.  'J'hey  were  originally  tea  laborers;  but, 
on  the  expiration  of  their  agreements,  they  bought  land  and  settled  down 
to  farming  for  themselves.  The  largest  community  of  these  farmers  is  at 
Modhupur,  about  fifty  miles  from  Sibsagor,  near  the  Naga  hills.  They 
have  a neat  little  bamboo  chapel,  which  they  built  themselves,  in  which 
services  are  held  every  Sunday.  Thirty  have  been  baptized  here,  and  sev- 
eral others  are  reported  as  inquirers  and  candidates  for  baptism. 

The  entire  Kohl  field  is  over  fifty  miles  in  one  direction,  and  twenty  in 
another.  Numbers  of  Kohl  Christians  are  without  a shepherd,  and 
thousands  more,  who  are  still  i^agans,  are  all  ready  to  bear,  and  many  of 
them  to  believe. 

According  to  the  report  of  the  Assamese  mission  for  1884,  there  were 
three  male  and  five  female  missionaries;  two  ordained  native  preachers, 
twenty-two  unordained ; sixteen  churches,  987  members,  sixty-seven  bap- 
tized. During  the  same  year  the  missionary  company  in  Assam  received  a 
reinforcement  of  five  new  missionaries.  Assam  has  a population  of  five 
millions,  and  this  is  annually  increased  by  migration.  A good  govern- 
ment and  English  capital  conspire  to  develop  the  resources  of  the  land.  None 
of  our  other  missions  are  planted  so  far  into  the  interior  of  Asia.  Assam 
has  been  called  the  key  to  Central  Asia;  and  may  our  mission  there  prove 
to  be  the  moral  key  to  open  that  vast  region  to  the  light  of  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness ! 


9.  THE  GARO  AND  NAGA  MISSIONS. 

The  Garo  and  Naga  missions  adjoin  the  Assamese  field.  The  Garos  are 
aborigines,  and  as  yet  have  made  but  slow  progress  in  civilization.  The 
Chief  Commissioner  of  the  province,  in  a resolution  on  education,  says: 
“ It  is  difficult  to  convince  a Garo  or  a Khasia,  more  especially  those  living 
in  the  interior  of  the  district,  and  away  from  contact  with  a higher  form 
of  civilization,  of  the  advantage  of  learning.  The  only  lever  which  has 
been  found  effective  is  that  of  religion.”  In  this  case,  at  least,  religion 
must  needs  be  the  pioneer  of  education.  The  mission  publishes  a monthly 
newspaper.  The  Garo'^s  Friend.  The  statistics  of  this  mission,  in  1884,  are 
as  follows;  Churches,  9;  out-stations,  forty-one;  baptized,  eighty-two; 
members,  828.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mason,  of  this  mission,  returned  to  America 
in  1882,  for  the  recovery  of  health.  Tliey  again  embarked  for  their  field 
August  23,  1884,  in  company  with  Dr.  Clough,  of  Ongole.  Near  the  end 
of  1883,  a faithful  Christian  teacher,  the  first  Abeng  convert,  was  murdered 
in  a village  which  has  a bad  name  for  murder  and  theft.  On  visiting  the 
j)lace,  Mr.  Phillips  found  that  a few  days  before  the  teacher  had  mysteri- 
ously di“ai)i)eared.  After  diligent  search  and  inquiry  it  was  evident  that 
he  had  been  murdered  by  the  head  man  of  the  village.  The  only  reason 


THE  STEAMER  “HENRY  REED,"  UPPER  CONGO. 


792 


APPENDIX. 


for  the  crime  seemed  to  be  jealousy  of  the  teacher’s  influence.  This  man 
and  his  six  accomplices  are  now  under  arrest,  and  will  probably  sufler  the 
full  penalty  of  their  crime.  In  1884  the  Na^a  mission  reported  the  follow- 
ing figures:  Three  male  and  three  female  missionaries;  one  ordained  native 
preacher,  three  unordained ; three  churches,  thirty-two  members. 


10.  THE  CONGO  MISSION. 

The  Livingstone  Inland  Mission,  Avhich  is  now  better  known  as  the 
“Congo  Mission,”  originated  in  1876  at  Cardifi,  Scotland,  but  its  head- 
quarters were  transferred  to  London  in  1880.  From  the  beginning  it  was 
chiefly  supported  by  the  contributions  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grattan  Guinness 
and  their  friends.  Two  missionaries  were  sent  out  to  the  Congo  in  1878, 
and  established  a station  at  Banana,  a small  settlement  at  the  mouth  of 
the  river.  The  same  year  two  more  missionaries  followed,  and  settled  a 
few  miles  below  Yellala  Falls,  and  called  the  place  Cardiff  station,  in 
honor  of  the  town  where  the  mission  had  its  origin.  Other  stations  were 
planted  until  1884,  when  they  numbered  eight  in  all.  Among  the  most 
interesting  of  these  was  the  station  at  Leopoldville.  The  station  is  situated 
on  the  banks  of  Stanley  Pool,  a widening  of  the  river,  about  twenty- five 
miles  long  by  sixteen  broad,  and  is  the  starting-point  for  commerce  with  the 
Upper  Congo  and  its  tributaries.  The  station  is  situated  on  the  lower  side 
of  the  pool,  where  the  river  narrows  before  entering  its  passage  through 
the  mountains,  among  which  it  descends  more  than  eleven  hundred  feet  in 
one  hundred  and  eighty-five  miles,  its  waters  tumbling  down  thirty-two 
falls  in  its  rapid  course. 

Early  in  1884  Dr.  Sims  obtained  ground  for  a station  at  Bolobo,  220  miles 
above  Stanley  Pool,  in  the  midst  of  a thickly  peopled  region.  In  1881  the 
steam-launch  “ Livingstone  ” was  sent  out  for  the  navigation  of  the  Lower 
Congo.  In  May,  1883,  the  steamer  “ Henry  Keed,”  intended  for  the  navi- 
gation of  the  Upper  Congo,  was  finished  in  London.  It  was  of  light 
draught,  with  a stern  paddle-wheel.  She  was  seventy-one  feet  long,  ten 
feet  beam,  and  three  feet  deep ; she  was  constructed  in  sections,  packed  in 
500  small  man-loads  for  transportation  from  the  coast  to^the  head  of  Liv- 
ingstone Falls.  The  hull  of  this  steamer  reached  Stanley  Pool  in  April, 
1884,  and  in  the  same  year  was  launched  and  commenced  her  voyages. 

Some  of  the  natives  have  been  converted  through  this  mission.  In 
July,  1882,  the  first  two  native  disciples  were  baptized  by  Mr.  Guinness 'in 
London.  Eight  have  visited  England.  Mr.  Guinness  has  prepared  a gram- 
mar and  dictionary  of  one  of  the  principal  dialects  spoken  on  the  banks 
of  the  Congo.  The  languages  of  this  part  of  Central  Africa  are  supposed 
to  belong  to  one  family.  Many  words  employed  on  the  east  coast  are  also 
in  use  on  the  west  coast,  and  all  the  dialects  inflect  by  the  first  syllable 
instead  of  the  last,  as  in  so  many  other  languages.  The  tribes  thus  far 


LEOPOLDVILLE  STATION  (NTAMO),  STANLEY  POOL. 


704 


APPENDIX. 


discovered,  on  the  Congo  and  its  tributaries,  are  not  of  tlie  pure  negro 
family,  but  of  brown  color,  with  an  Asiatic  cast  of  countenance. 

The  cliniato  of  the  Valley  of  the  Congo  is  certainly  very  unfriendly  to 
the  health  of  Europeans.  In  i)oint  of  mortality  the  history  of  this  mission 
is  of  a piece  with  that  of  the  British  Baptist  Missionary  Society.  DJiring 
the  six  years  of  its  existence  fifty  missionaries  have  been  sent  out  to 
Africa;  of  these,  in  1884,  not  less  than  twelve  had  died.  In  that  year  there 
were  twenty-six  missionaries,  of  whom  three  were  in  England.  The  active 
out-door  life  of  Mr.  Stanley’s  hardy  men  ought  not  to  be  confounded  with 
the  in-door  life  of  a young  missionary  and  his  wife,  learning  a barbarous 
dialect,  and  teaching  the  natives  through  an  interpreter;  nor  with  the  seden- 
tary life  of  a translator. 

After  spending  about  $150,000  on  this  mission,  its  founders  and  patrons 
in  1884  transferred  it  to  the  Missionary  Union.  It  was  offered  to  the  Soci- 
ety in  Maj",  1883;  was  accepted  by  the  Society  and  Board  of  Managers  at 
the  annual  meeting  in  Detroit,  in  May,  1884,  and  by  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee, after  a full  conference  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Guinness,  September  9th, 
1884.  One  reason  why  this  mission  was  transferred  to  American  Baptists 
was,  that  comity  dictated  that  missionaries  of  another  denomination  ought 
not  to  come  into  seeming  competition  with  the  British  Baptists  who  have 
alread}''  so  many  stations  on  the  Congo. 

In  the  Autumn  of  1884  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Guinness  visited  New  York  and 
some  other  cities,  and  addressed  large  and  attentive  audiences  in  behalf 
of  the  mission  they  were  going  soon  formally  to  transfer.  They  returned 
to  England  November  5th,  1884. 

Aside  from  the  Baptist  missions,  the  only  Protestant  missions  in  Central 
Africa,  in  1884,  were  as  follows:  The  station  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Taganyika;  two  stations  of  the  Presbyterians 
of  Scotland  on  Lake  N^yassa,  and  a station  commenced  in  Bihe  by  the 
American  Board  of  Commissioners. 


BRITISH  BAPTISTS  ON  THE  CONGO. 

The  International  African  Association,  of  which  Leopold  the  King  of 
Belgium  is  President  and  Mr.  Henry  M.  Stanley  is  Secretary,  has  for  its  ob- 
ject the  founding  of  a Free  State  in  Africa.  While  under  the  protection  of 
Belgium,  it  is  to  have  its  own  government,  its  own  flag,  and  sustain  free 
commercial  relations  with  all  countries  alike.  This  new  State  has  already 
been  recognized  by  our  government  and  by  France,  and  promises  in  no  long 
time  to  be  admitted  into  the  family  of  nations  by  all  the  European-powers, 
except  Portugal,  which  three  hundred  years  since  claimed  territorial  juris- 
diction over  this  part  oi  Afriea.  But  Portugal  ceased,  more  than  two  hun- 
dred years  ago,  to  occupy  the  region  in  question,  and  has  from  the  beginning 
been  conspicuous  for  the  activity  of  her  subjects  in  the  slave-trade;  and  her 
ollieials  have  been  hated  for  their  extortionate  tariff  customs  in  all  her  Afri- 


APPENDIX. 


795 


can  possessions.  No  nation,  therefore,  is  inclined  to  ratify  all  the  claims 
of  Portugal  or  to  recognize  her  assumed  right  to  the  entire  sovereignty  of  the 
valley  of  tlie  Congo.  Already  a large  tiact  of  country  along  the  Congo  has 
been  secured  by  the  Association  in  grants  from  African  chiefs. 

The  principal  obstacles  hitherto  encountered  have  been  laid  in  the  way  by 
the  Portuguese  Jesuits  and  M.  de  Brazza,  who,  while  a professed  represen- 
tative of  the  French  government,  is  apparently  working  in  the  interest  of 
French  Jesuits.  But  in  spite  of  these  obstructions  the  English  Baptists  are 
multiplying  their  missionary  posts  along  the  river  with  admirable  rapidity. 
The  steel  whale-boat  in  sections,  the  Plymouth,  the  gift  of  a friend  in  Ply- 
mouth, was  sent  out  to  Africa  in  1881,  and  in  the  following  year,  Mr.  Robert 
Arthington,  of  Leeds,presented  to  the  mission  the  steel  steamer  Peace.  These 
steamers  can  be  taken  to  pieces  and  carried  by  or  round  the  impassable  falls 
of  the  river,  put  together  again,  and  launched  on  the  reaches  of  navigable 
water-wa3^  It  was  estimated  that  the  transport  of  the  steamer  and  her 
stores  from  the  mouth  of  the  Congo  to  Stanley  Pool  would  occupy  one  year, 
but  it  was  accomplished  in  four  months.  In  the  beginning  of  the  year 
1883  it  was  lying,  a chaos  of  plates,  ribs  and  pieces,  at  Underhill,  the  first 
station.  From  Underhill  to  Baynestonthe  transport  service  was  performed 
by  Kroo  boys  and  by  Loango  people.  From  Bajmeston  to  Manyanga  the 
overland  route  was  dangerous  by  the  north  bank  and  impassable  by  the 
south  bank.  Everything  therefore  had  to  be  carried  by  the  steel  boat 
Plymouth.,  forty-two  loads  at  a trip,  which  is  a slow,  trying  battle  with  the 
rapids,  usually  occupying  from  four  to  seven  days.  From  Manyanga  gangs 
of  Kroo  boys  and  other  hired  laborers,  assisted  by  a few  caravans  of  natives, 
carried  this  freight  to  Stanley  Pool.  On  the  20th  of  J une,  the  first  plates  of 
the  Peace  reached  Arthington,  and  in  the  incredible  space  of  four  months  the 
pieces  of  the  steamer,  duplicate  parts,  fittings,  her  stores,  paint  and  oil,  the 
household  effects  of  the  missionaries,  the  stores  and  provisions  for  the 
station,  were  safely  landed  at  Stanley  Pool.  From  this  station  to  Stanley 
Falls  is  1,020  miles.  Thus  the  opening  of  the  navigation  of  the  Congo  and 
tributaries  offers  a water-way  of  more  than  3,000  miles  into  the  very  centre 
of  Africa.  Probably  the  day  is  not  distant  when  Lake  Nyassa  Uganda  ^ 

1.  The  progTess  of  the  Gospel  in  Uganda  is  of  late  attracting  no  small  attention. 
The  barbarism  of  its  King,  Mtesa,  and  of  the  inhabitants  of  his  capital,  Rubaga,  is 
described  by  Stanley  and  Gordon.  The  latter,  in  his  journals,  gives  an  amusing 
account  of  the  attempt  of  the  King  to  stand  well  both  with  Christians  and  Mahome- 
tans. To  a German  physician,  whose  official  name  as  governor  of  the  southern- 
most province  of  the  Soudan  was  Emir  Effendi,  he  professed  great  aversion  to  the 
Mahometans.  Whereupon  the  Etfendi  reminded  him  that  he  appeared  at  his  court, 
not  as  a Christian,  but  as  an  envoy  of  a Mahometan  prince,  the  Khedive  of  Egypt, 
and  pi-etended  to  the  much  offended  by  his  sable  Majesty.  Howevei-,  the  negotiations 
were  not  bioken  off,  and  this  Christian  envoy  of  a great  Moslem  power  showed  his 
munificence  by  giving  away  all  his  shirts  to  cover  the  backs  of  the  members  of  King 
Mtesa’s  cabinet.  The  Episcopal  mission  established  at  the  capital  languished  for 
several  years,  but  has  recently  shown  some  signs  of  animation.  In  1884  the  first  printed 
book  in  Ugogo  was  received  by  the  Church  Missionary  Society.  It  was  a collection  of 
prayers  aiid  hymns.  In  that  year  the  number  of  converts  in  the  mission  was  63,  among 
whom  was  a daughter  of  the  King.  In  1885,  Mtesa  died. 


796 


APPEIsDIX. 


and  the  Soudan  will  be  easily  reached  by  W’ay  of  the  Congo.  'I'he  land 
around  the  sources  of  the  river  is  found  to  be  more  populous  than  the 
region  near  the  coast.  In  1884  Mr.  Grenfell  made  a journey  up  to  the  Equa- 
tor and  returned.  Agreeably  to  his  explorations,  the  Ilritish  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society  has  established  ten  stations  on  the  Upper  Congo  betwceu 
Stanley  Pool  and  Stanley  Falls.  They  are  about  100  miles  apart,  and  each 
maintained  by  two  missionaries. 

The  salubrity  of  the  climate  upon  the  mountains  and  around  the  great 
lakes  of  interior  Africa  has  been  demonstrated.  But  the  banks  of  the 
Lower  Congo  are  no  doubt  very  unfriendly  to  the  health  of  most  Europeans. 
Mr.  Stanley  speaks  in  high  terms  of  the  healthfulness  of  the  region  of  the 
Upper  Congo,  but  his  statements  are  not  sustained  by  the  recent  losses  of  the 
English  Baptists  in  that  quarter  of  the  world.  In  1884  their  Congo  JNIission 
lost  by  death  W.  II.  Doke,  J.  Ilarland,  II.  W.  Butcher,  .John  Hartley  and 
“the  two  mechanics”  who  were  on  their  way  to  Stanley  Pool  to  assist 
in  the  reconstruction  of  the  steel  steamer  Peace.  The  three  Englishmen 
last  named  died  from  remittent  fever.  All  of  them  were  in  the  prime  of  life. 
The  banks  of  the  upper  tributaries  are  no  doubt  much  more  healthy  than 
the  mouth  of  the  river ; and  yet  it  is  very  evident  that  these  mission  stations 
will  have  to  be  occupied  either  by  colored  men  or  by  Asiatics  like  the  Telu- 
gus,  who  could  here  find  a climate  equal  if  not  superior  to  their  own,  while 
they  would  here  meet  with  many  of  those  Mahometans  ( the  co-relig- 
ionists  of  many  Telugus)  who  compose  nearly  one-half  of  the  population  of 
Hindustan.  These  “ Scotchmen  of  Asia”  would  co-operate  excellently  well 
with  our  Freed  men  in  Central  Africa. 


MISSION  TO  THE  KABYLES  AND  OTHER  BERBER  TRIBES  OF 
NORTH  AFRICA. 

As  one  of  the  indications  of  the  interest  the  Baptists  are  taking  in  the 
conversion  of  Africa,  we  may  mention  the  departure , October  8,  1884,  of 
Rev.  E.  F.  Baldwin,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  his  family  of  ten  persons,  to  found 
a new  mission  among  the  Berbers.  The  central  station  is  to  be  at  Tangier  in 
Morocco.  A few  British  Christians  have  banded  themselves  together  to 
seek  the  evangelization  of  this  part  of  the  “ Dark  Continent.”  They  have 
purchased  the  premises  known  as  “Hope  House,”  for  Mr.  Baldwin,  but  do 
not  guarantee  to  him  any  other  support.  Some  friends  in  Baltimore,  and 
certain  of  the  members  of  the  Philadelphia  Baptist  Association,  contributed 
about  .$1,200  towards  the  outfit  and  passage  of  himself  and  family.  He 
does  not  go  out  under  the  auspices  of  any  missionary  society,  but  relies  for 
RU])port,  under  God,  on  independent  oflerings.  E.  Levering,  Esq.,  No.  2 
Commerce  street,  Baltimore,  was  ai)i)ointed  to  receive  funds  for  the  mission. 

'I'his  mission  is  an  offshoot  of  another,  which  was  first  set  on  foot  by  Rev. 
II.  Grattan  Guinness  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Pearse.  It  was  known  as 


APPENDIX. 


707 


the  mission  to  tlie  Kabyles  of  Algeria.  It  now  embraces  not  only  Morocco, 
but  Oran  and  Constantine.  Rev.  Mr.  Baldwin,  who  had  been  laboring  in 
North  Carolina,  was  sent  out  on  a voyage  of  exploration  by  the  Board  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention  in  January,  1884.  While  in  Kabylia,  he  bap- 
tized in  the  river  Saboan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lamb,  of  tlie  Scotch  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  a Kabyle,  Said  by  name.  After  Mr.  Baldwin’s  return  to  Amer- 
ica he  reported  to  the  Southern  Board  the  results  of  his  investigations,  but 
that  body  did  not  think  it  expedient  to  pledge  the  Convention  to  the  sup- 
port of  this  mission.  Consequently  Mr.  Baldwin  went  out  to  Tangier 
unconnected  with  any  Society. 


BRITISH  MISSION  ON  THE  WEST  COAST  OF  AFRICA. 

West  Coast — Cameroons  and  Victoria.  This  mission  has  six  sub-stations,  two 
missionaries,  with  a total  membership  of  220.  In  1883  this  mission  lost  by 
death  Rev.  John  Shred  and  Rev.  Qnintin  W.  Thomson.  Two  other  mission- 
aries, however,  left  England  to  take  their  place.  In  1883  Miss  Emily  Saker, 
the  daughter  of  the  late  Rev.  Alfred  Saker'  wrote  from  Bethel  Station. 
“ Yesterday  (Sabbath)  at  sunrise  a little  company  assembled  at  the  river-side 
to  witness  the  baptism  of  nine  candidates.  All  is  bright  and  stimulating.  ” 
This  lady  is  a teacher  in  the  girls’  school  at  Bethel  Town,  and  is  following  in 
the  steps  of  her  devoted  and  noble  father. 


VAUDOUX. 

This  word,  which  is  sometimes  employed  to  designate  sorcery,  and  some- 
times the  sorcers  of  Africa,  is  perhaps  derived  from  the  Portuguese  Fodo, 
a word  signifying  a religious  feast.  The  word  transliterated  into  French  be- 
came Vaudoiix.  The  term  by  corruption  is  pronounced  Voodoo  and  Koodoo., 
among  the  colored  people  of  the  United  States,  and  Vodun  on  the  coast  of 
Guinea.  The  Aranda  negroes  in  Hayti,  according  to  Sir  Spencer  St  John, 
give  the  name  Vaudoux  to  a non -venomous  snake  that  is  believed  to  be 
an  all-knowing  and  all-powerful  being.  But  he  can  only  communicate  with 
mortals  through  a high-piiest  or  a high  priestess.  The  serpents  which  are 
the  chief  gods  of  Dahomey  are,  as  we  are  told,  white,  5^ellow  or  brown  in 
color,  and  the  largest  is  about  six  feet  long  and  as  thick  as  a man’s  arm. 

The  priests  and  priestesses  of  this  superstition  have  long  been  notorious 
as  poisoners.  Some  of  the  poisons  now  used  by  votaries  of  Vaudoux  in  the 
United  States  are  imported  from  Africa. 2 

1.  A small  memoir  of  this  heroic  missionary  to  Africa  has  lately  been  published 
by  Messrs.  Alexander  and  Shephard,  31  Castle  St.,  Holborn,  London.  It  is  justly 
characterized  as  “a  brig-ht  little  record  of  a sublime  career.” 

3.  For  a very  readable  description  ( somewhat  exaggerated ) of  Vaudoux  as  it  now 
exists  in  the  United  States,  see  The  Saturday  Review  ( London ) for  March  38, 1885. 


798 


APrENDlX. 


This  kind  of  sorcery  is  related  to  African  missions  in  more  ways  than 
one.  Formerly  theEonian  Catholics  of  Europe  had  many  mission  stations 
in  the  Valley  of  the  Congo.  The  number  of  converts  reported  by  priests 
and  monks  was  beyond  belief.  But  all  of  a sudden  these  ecclesiastics  were 
seized  by  the  well  founded  suspicion  that  they  were  being  poisoned  to  death 
by  their  own  converts,  who  were,  it  seems,  still  the  secret  followers  of  the 
Vaudoux.  Frantic  with  terror,  the  emissaries  of  Koine  lied  from  all  their 
stations,  and  the  Pope  had  not  authority  enough  to  com])el  them  to  return. 
What  followed?  For  two  hundred  years  the  valley  of  the  Congo  was  left 
almost  totall}^  destitute  of  even  a counterfeit  Christianity.  See  p.  503. 

BKITISII  MISSIONS  IN  INDIA. 

When  the  Rev.  James  Smith  visited  Delhi,  the  ancient  Capital  of  the 
Great  Mogul,  in  1858  year  after  the  mutiny),  no  Christian  was  known 
to  be  within  fifty  miles  of  the  city.  In  1881  there  were  about  500  church 
members  in  the  town,  and  a very  large  community  belonging  to  the  various 
Christian  congregations.  The  native  preachers  of  this  part  of  India  are 
very  self-forgetful  and  laborious.  Any  one  of  these  men  will  leave  his  vil- 
lage on  foot,  without  purse  or  scrip ; he  will  be  lost  sight  of  for  months,  and 
then  he  will  suddenly  reappear  among  his  Christian  friends.  Where  has 
he  been?  On  a mission  tour,  at  his  own  charges,  preaching  the  Gospel  from 
village  to  village;  sleeping  now  in  a hut,  now  in  the  open  air;  now  hungry, 
now  enjoying  the  hospitality  of  those  who  welcome  his  message.  The 
natives  show  a praiseworthy  spirit  in  their  exertions  to  support  the  native 
teachers.  In  one  case  a native  teacher  was  desired  by  the  people,  and 
they  offered  to  support  him  themselves.  In  the  houses  a jar  was  set  apart 
as  the  Lord’s  jar,  and  into  this  vessel  the  housewife  would  daily  put  a 
handful  of  meal.  In  clue  time  the  meal  was  poured  out  before  the  Lord 
and  sold  for  the  support  of  Christian  instruction  in  the  village.  In  1884  this 
mission  reported  a membership  of  314  natives  and  24  Europeans.  In  1883 
the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  James  Smith  bade  good-bye  to  the  city  in  which  they 
had  so  long  and  laboriously  served  their  divine  Master. 

While  among  the  Garo  tribes,  whom  Mr.  Bion  visited  in  the  year  1881,  and 
where  numerous  convei-ts  have  been  made,  he  was  told  of  the  chief  of  a 
village  who  had  a dream,  which  had  such  an  effect  that  the  next  day  he  took 
with  him  two  or  three  other  Garos  and  went  through  the  village  collect- 
ing all  their  gods.  These,  being  made  of  bamboo,  he  piled  up  before  the 
native  preacher’s  house,  and  said  to  him,  “Here,  cook  your  dinner  with  these 
things;  they  are  good  for  nothing  else.”  Among  the  Garos,  gongs  instead 
of  bells  ai-e  sounded,  partly  to  frighten  away  wild  beasts  and  partly  to  give 
notice  of  the  time  and  place  of  the  Christian  assembly.  In  1883  the  native 
preacher  under  the  direction  of  the  Biitish  missionary  baptized  nine  Garos. 

In  1883  the  Serampore  College  relincpiished  its  course  which  prepared 
students  for  lJniv(;r.sity  examinations,  and  made  the  college  mainly  an 
irihl it  iition  for  the  education  and  training  of  native  Christians  for  the  work 


APPENDIX. 


799 


of  evangelists,  pastors  and  teachers.  This  was  believed  to  be  in  accord  with 
the  opinions  and  desires  of  Dr„  Carey,  and  was  demanded  by  the  present 
state  of  missions  in  India.  Hitherto,  few  of  the  poor  of  India  have  received 
even  an  elementary  education  in  the  vernacular,  except  such  as  the  mis- 
sionaries have  given  them.  The  Government  schools  have  almost  entirely 
neglected  them.  The  new  departure  at  Serampore  is,  among  other  things, 
part  of  a great  movement  in  favor  of  the  education  of  the  poor. 

In  preaching  at  the  fairs,  squares,  railway  stations,  markets  and  bazaars, 
much  has  been  made  of  sacred  music  and  song.  A band  of  singers  with 
instruments  attends  the  street  preacher.  At  the  regular  evening  services 
young  men  will  stand  at  the  chapel  gate,  singing  hymns  to  popular  tunes. 
When  a sufficient  number  of  persons  have  been  attracted  to  the  place,  they 
begin  to  speak  to  the  people  concerning  Christ. 

It  was  an  event  of  some  interest  that,  in  1882,  Alfred  H Baynes,  Esq.,  the 
General  Secretary  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  visited  the  missions  in 
India.  “ It  is  matter  of  special  thankfulness,”  says  he  “ that  the  number  of 
actual  conversions  that  have  come  under  the  personal  observation  of 
brethren  on  the  field  has  been  larger  during  the  last  year  than  in 
any  previous  year  in  a long  time  past.  Not  that  tabulated  returns 
ever  represent  in  any  reliable  manner  the  actual  result  of  work  done, 
either  at  home  or  abroad.  * * * ‘ India  for  Christ!  ’ was  the  motto  of 

William  Carey  more  than  eighty  years  ago,  when  not  a single  convert  had 
gladdened  his  heart  or  stimulated  his  faith.  To-day,  in  India,  the  light  of 
Buddha  has  faded  away,  the  power  of  the  Brahmin  is  surely  collapsing, 
and  the  traditional  Moslem  resigns  himself  to  his  iron  fate,  while  tens  of 
thousands  of  blind  souls  have  had  their  eyes  opened  and  are  rejoicing  in 
the  dawn  of  Christ’s  coming  Kingdom.” 

The  British  Baptists  have  a prosperous  mission  in  “ Ceylon’s  Isle,”  with 
three  principal  stations  and  seventy-six  sub-stations,  three  missionaries 
and  twenty  native  evangelists.  Some  of  the  villages  visited  by  the  mission- 
aries are  at  the  foot  of  Adam’s  Peak  (a  mountain  7,362  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea),  on  the  summit  of  which  is  the  so-called  footprint  of 
Buddha,  for  the  worship  of  which  thousands  of  pilgrims  visit  the  shrine 
every  March.  This  shrine  is  also  held  sacred  by  the  Mahometans,  who 
believe  the  footprint  to  be  Adam’s,  he  being,  in  their  estimation,  the  first 
illustrious  Moslem  who  was  banished  to  Ceylon. 

It  is  a curious  movement  in  the  grand  current  of  Christian  progress  that 
the  Mymensing  mission,  of  Decca  in  Hindustan,  is  mainly  supported  by 
the  Baptist  churches  of  Victoria,  in  Australia. 

The  mission  at  Simla,  the  Summer  capital  of  India,  has  one  native  preacher 
in  charge  of  the  station,  and  seven  native  evangelists  and  teachers.  In  1883 
the  number  of  members  was  147.  Of  these  only  20  are  residents  of  the 
town.  The  aim  of  the  mission  is  to  see  that  no  family  in  Simla  and  its  sub- 
urbs be  without  the  Gospel,  and  yet  it  is  regarded  as  a great  marvel  that 


800 


ArrENDTX. 


most  of  the  converts  come  from  several  distant  villages,  where  preachers 
and  colporteurs  itinerate  three  or  four  times  in  the  year. 

It  is  a remarkable  fact  in  the  history  of  the  Baptist  missions  in  India,  that 
the  missions  which,  twenty-live  or  thirty  years  ago,  were  the  most  hanen 
of  visible  results  are  now  numerically  the  most  successful  missions  in  the 
country.  It  should  also  be  noticed  that  in  some  phujcs  the  opi)osition  of 
the  Brahmins  is  giving  way  to  a desire  to  be  taught  the  religion  of  Christ  and 
the  request  that  the  missionaries  would  come  into  their  houses  and  instruct 
them  concerning  the  Christian  faith.  A missionary  at  IMonghyr  met  with 
a native  preacher  wearing  the  garb  of  a Hindu  devotee,  and  attended  by  a 
young  disciple.  This  preacher  had  taken  his  station  on  the  bank  of  a river, 
where  he  was  surrounded  by  crowds  who  listened  to  him  with  great  atten- 
tion and  respect. 

Very  noticeable  also  is  the  change  that  has  come  over  India  in  regard  of 
the  name  and  life  of  our  Saviour.  Eighty  years  ago  William  Carey,  writing 
from  Bengal,  said  : “The  people  here  hate  the  very  name  of  Christ,  and  will 
not  listen  when  it  is  mentioned.”  In  1883  a missionary  of  Serampoi-e  said 
to  our  Calcutta  printers : “ By  all  means  see  to  it  that  the  name  of  Christ 

is  plainly  printed  on  the  title-i)age  of  every  book  or  tract  that  we  print. 
We  have  now  arrived  at  that  point  were  the  name  of  Christ  is  more  of  a 
recommendation  than  otherwise.  Veiy  often  have  I heard  natives  ask  for 
a life  of  Jesus  Christ  in  preference  to  any  other  book.” 


MAHOMETANS. 

Mahometans  are  occasionally  converted.  Out  of  the  five  men  baptized  at 
Intilly  in  1881,  two  were  Moslems.  The  followers  of  the  False  Prophet 
comprise  one-fourth  of  the  population  of  British  India.  In  some  of  the  cities 
and  districts  they  out  number  the  Hindus;  in  others  they  are  but  little  in 
the  minority.  In  the  district  of  Chittagong,  70  per  cent,  are  Mahometans. 
In  some  instances  the  better  class  hear  the  Gospel  with  attention  and  give 
hospitality  to  the  missionaries.  In  other  cases,  as  recently  at  Allahabad,  the 
Moslem  ])reachers  have  set  themeselves  against  the  missionaries.  They  first 
attempted  to  silence  our  street  preachers  by  following  them  about  the  town 
and  gathering  crowds  of  hearers  near  the  places  where  the  missionaries  were 
preaching  in  the  open  air.  Failing  by  this  means  to  silence  our  preachers, 
they  appealed  to  the  magistrates.  One  of  these,  ascertaining  that  they  were 
the  aggressors,  fined  them  all  and  sent  some  of  them  to  jail  for  a month. 
Another  magistrate  to  whom  they  appealed  gave  them  and  the  Hindoo 
preachers  liberty  to  preach  in  the  streets,  but  they  were  forbidden  to  hold 
forth  in  the  same  places  in  which  the  missionaries  were  preaching  the  Gospel. 
The  result  was  that  in  1883  the  Mahometan  and  Hindoo  priests  had  entirely 
given  up  speaking  in  the  streets.  It  is  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Schweinfurth,  the 
African  traveller  and  long  a resident  in  the  Soudan,  that  European  mis- 
sionaj  i(js  can  most  successfully  meet  the  Mahometans,  not  on  doctrinal 
grounds,  but  on  the  ground  of  Christian  morality,  which  is  vastly  superior 


APPENDIX. 


801 


to  the  moral  code  of  the  Moslems.  The  Apostle  Paid  is  a good  exampie  to 
follow  in  all  controversies  with  misbelievers  and  unbelievers  of  every  descrip- 
tion. In  meekness  he  instructed  allopposers;  he  preached  indue  proportion 
repentance  towards  God  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  he  inculcated 
that  faith  which  works  by  love,  a love  which  is  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by 
the  Holy  Ghost.  But  still  we  have  the  authority  of  our  perfect  Pattern  for 
attacking  openly  every  form  of  Pharisaism  and  Sadduceeism,  as  well  as  all 
kinds  of  prevailing  error  and  unrighteousness. 


BKITISH  MISSION  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES. 

In  1884  Rev.  Daniel  Wilshere  reported  from  the  Bahama  and  Turk’s 
Islands  that  a good  and  steady  progress  was  made,  and  that  232  had  been 
baptized  during  the  past  year.  In  addition  to  the  chronic  condition  of 
great  poverty  and  depression  of  trade,  these  islands  had  been  visited  by 
draught  and  a cyclone.  By  the  latter  many  of  the  ships,  the  people’s 
only  means  of  obtaining  food,  were  lost  or  shattered.  Ninety  persons  lost 
their  lives  and  150  were  injured. 

The  normal  condition  of  the  Republic  of  Ilayti  is  one  of  continual  civil  war. 
Mr.  Papengouth  was  in  Jacmel  during  a blockade  and  bombardment  by  the 
forces  of  President  Soloman.  Five  shots  of  24  lbs.  weight,  and  many  smaller 
ones,  were  landed  on  his  table  in  the  mission  house.  The  new  building 
which  he  had  recently  put  up  was  riddled.  His  only  place  of  safety  was 
the  strongly- walled  baptistery  which  he  had  built  a little  while  before. 

In  Jamaica  the  total  number  of  members  in  1883  was  28,027  and  of  inquirers 
4,822.  In  the  churches  in  the  West  Indies  the  class  termed  inquirers  is 
composed  chielly  of  hopeful  converts  who  are  put  on  a probation. 

BRITISH  MISSION  IN  BRITTANY. 

In  1883  there  were  three  stations  in  Brittany,  Morlaix,  St.  Brieuc,  Tremel; 
one  English  missionary,  Alfred  Le  Jenkins;  two  native  missionaries,  two 
evangelists;  five  teachers  and  four  colporteurs;  the  number  of  members,  in 
the  district  191.  In  September,  1883,  half  a century  had  passed  since  the 
father  of  Mr.  Jenkins  was  sent  to  this  province  by  the  Welsh  churches  to 
preach  to  the  Breton  people.  It  then  looked  like  a forlorn  hope,  as  almost 
every  thing  opposed  success.  But  during  this  period  the  New  Testment  has 
been  translated  and  thousands  of  copies  have  been  sold ; five  small  buildings 
have  been  erected  for  public  worship ; many  native  agents,  preachers  and 
colporteurs,  besides  missionaries,  are  employed.  The  name  of  Protestant, 
which  formerly  suggested  everything  hateful,  is  now  no  unwelcome  sound. 
The  laws  which  restricted  religious  liberty  have  heen  removed  to  such  a 
degree  that  the  missionaries  are  enjoying  as  much  liberty  as  in  England. 
The  authorities  are  now  on  the  side  of  the  missionaries.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  the  sympathies  of  the  most  enlightened  sections  of  the  population, 
while  the  power  of  the  clei  gy  is  fast  melting  away. 

In  the  present  state  of  public  opinion  and  feeling,  the  masses  cannot  be 


802 


ArrENDix. 


reached  without  setting  aside  every  appearance  of  ecclesiasticisrn.  lint 
lectures  and  “conferences’-  in  public  halls  and  theatres  were  heard  with 
general  applause,  and  some  of  the  local  newspapers  were  favorable  to  these 
means  of  reaching  the  peoi)le.  In  these  addresses  the  teachings  of  the 
Church  of  Rome  were  contrasted  with  those  of  Christ,  and  Romanism  slH)wn 
to  he  opposed  to  the  democratic  aspirations  and  intellectual  progress  of  the 
age.  The  movement  is  i)artly  political,  hut  is  nevertheless  friendly  to  the 
advancement  of  the  Protestant  faitli. 

BRITISH  MISSION  IN  NORWAY. 

In  1884  the  reports  from  the  churches  in  Norway  were  all  written  in 
cheerful  and  hopeful  strains.  In  many  districts  there  had  been  a 
remarkable  revival  of  religious  interest.  At  Trondjhem  200  mem- 
bers were  added  by  baptism.  In  Skien  there  \vas  such  a revival 
as  had  never  been  seen  before.  On  all  sides  souls  were  being  gathered  into 
our  churches.  There  are  thirteen  mission  stations  in  Norway,  but  in  some 
cases  the  membership  of  the  churches  is  very  scattered.  There  are  places 
where  there  is  divine  service  only  three  or  four  times  a year.  Some  have  to 
go  more  than  thirty  miles  to  the  nearest  church,  and  are  not  likely  to  have 
an  opportunity  of  visiting  the  house  of  God  more  than  two  or  three  times 
all  their  life.  If  the  members  have  horses,  they  will  do  the  distance  in  three 
days,  going  from  home  on  Saturday  and  returning  on  Monday.  But  if  they 
have  to  walk  to  church  to  hear  a sermon  on  Sunday,  they  are  for  the  most 
part  compelled  to  leave  home  on  Friday  and  return  on  Thursday.  In  1883 
the  number  of  members  was  G03 ; in  1884  the  number  reported  was  1030. 

BRITISH  STATISTICS,  1883. 

The  report  of  the  British  Baptist  Missionary  Society  for  1884  gives  the 
following  summary  of  statistics.  Missionaries  and  assistant  missionaries, 
111 ; evangelists  213;  stations  and  sub-stations 487 ; Baptized  3,930.  Number 
of  members,  40,982;  day-school  teachers  147 ; day  scholars  7,181 ; Sabbath- 
school  teachers  6G4;  Sabbath  scholars  7,405. 

MISSIONS  OF  THE  FREE-WILL  BAPTISTS. 

The  Missionary  Society  of  this  people  commenced  its  operations  in  1833. 
At  first  it  sent  forth  missionaries  after  the  plan  devised  by  Father  Gossner  of 
Berlin,  This  evangelical  Lutheran  (the  favorite  preacher  of  the  great 
historian  Neander)  during  his  life-time  sent  out  to  heathen  lands  138  mis- 
sionaries. He  trained  young  artisans  for  the  service ; holding  the  belief  that 
missionai  ics  ought  to  follow  the  example  of  Paul  by  working  with  their 
own  hands.  “ He  pulled  harder  on  the  prayer-bell  than  on  the  alms-bell.” 
He  therefore  sent  foi  th  the  missionaries  without  any  pledged  support  from 
home.  And  accordingly  the  Free-Will  Baptists  dispatched  missionaries  to 
without  any  promises  of  aid,  and  expressed  great  aversion  to  what 


APPENDIX. 


8v/3 

they  called  “ the  hireling  system.”  In  1882  they  had  in  India  six  Ameri- 
can missionaries,  and  sixteen  native  ordained  and  lay  preachers.  A 
Woman’s  Society  co-operates  with  the  parent  organization  and  issues  a bi- 
monthly, The  Missionary  Helper. 

MISSIONS  OF  THE  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTISTS. 

Their  Missionary  Society  was  founded  in  1842.  The  principal  mission 
they  sustain  is  at  Shanghai,  China;  they  also  have  a mission  in  Holland. 
In  1884  they  supported  at  Shanghai  Bev.  D.  H.  Davis  and  wife  and  Miss 
EllaF.  Swinney,  a physician,  lately  sent  out  by  the  sisterhood  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptists.  The  mission  house  has  recently  been  enlarged  and  funds 
are  being  collected  to  erect  a building  for  the  Medical  Mission.  The 
Sabbath-schools  of  America  were  also  furnishing  funds  enough  to  sustain 
two  mission  schools  at  Shanghai.  A bell  weighing  126  pounds,  and  an 
organ,  were  in  1883  given  to  this  school. 

At  the  head  of  the  Holland  mission  is  Kev.  G.  Velthuysen,  of  Haarlem, 
He  preaches  by  pen  as  well  as  by  voice,  and  is  printing  tracts  in  favor  of 
the  Seventh-Day  Baptists.  He  is  also  preaching  “ the  Law  and  the  Gos- 
pel ” in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom.  These  good  people  call  conversion 
to  their  views  “a  turning  to  the  Sabbath.”  They  have  proselytes  not  only 
in  Haarlem  but  in  Amsterdam,  Groningen  and  six  smaller  towns. 

During  the  year  1883  they  contributed  about  $6,000  to  their  foreign 
work. 

KEV.  K.  M.  LUTHEK, 

Mr.  Luther,  who  has  been  more  than  once  mentioned  in  the  course 
of  the  Story,”  is  now,  and  has  been  since  1880,  District  Secretary  of 
the  Missionary  Union  for  the  Southern  District,  whose  head-quarters 
are  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  where  he  was  born  in  1842.  In  1859  he 
was  so  deeply  impressed  by  the  sight  of  a baptism  administered  by  the 
late  Rev.  W.  T.  Brantly,  D.  D.,  that  he  resolved  to  be  baptized  in  a Scrip- 
tural manner.  In  1863  he  formed  the  design  of  entering  the  field  of  foreign 
missions.  Educated  at  Princeton , and  having  studied  medicine  in  Philadel- 
phia, he  sailed  for  Burmah  with  his  wife,  Calista,  the  only  daughter  of  Rev. 
Dr.  J.  H.  Vinton,  a lady  whose  writings  have  contributed  not  a little  to  the 
value  of  the  present  volume.  Mr.  Luther  was  chosen  President  of  the 
Pegu  High  and  Normal  School,  the  mathematical  department  of  which 
being  conducted  by  Mrs.  Luther.  The  annual  number  in  the  theological 
class  was  about  twenty-five.  The  vacation  of  four  months  was  spent  in 
evangelistic  labors  among  the  natives  in  the  jungles.  Much  of  his  infiuence 
over  the  heathen  was  due  to  his  knowledge  and  practice  of  medicine.  He 
was  not  appointed  by  any  society,  preferring  to  act  on  the  rule  of  self- 
support.  He  and  his  wife  continued  thus  to  toil  independently  until  they 
had  expended  their  entire  property.  Other  events  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Luther 
are  related  elsewhere. 


804 


APPENDIX. 


REV.  GEORGE  B.  TAYLOR,  D.  D. 

The  Rev.  George  B.  Taylor,  J).  I).,  wlio  is  at  the  liead  of  the  mission  of 
the  Southern  Baptists  in  Italy,  and  who  has  been  repeatedly  noti(;ed  in  our 
accounts  of  that  mission,  was  born  Dec.  27th,  18:}2,  in  Richmond,  Va.  He 
is  the  oldest  son  of  the  veiy  distinguished  Jtev.  .James  B.  'i'aylor,  for  twenty- 
six  years  Corresponding  Secretaiy  of  theSonth(!rn  Bai)tist  Convention.  4'he 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  graduated  at  Richmond  College  in  ISol , and  three 
years  afterwards  at  the  University  of  Virginia.  He  then  became  the  tirst 
pastor  of  the  Franklin  S(iiiare  Baptist  Church,  in  Baltimore.  Two  years 
later  he  become  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Staunton,  Va.  Laboring 
here  twelve  years,  he  became  chaplain  in  the  army  under  the  command  of 
Gen.  Stonewall  Jackson,  and  served  both  as  pastor  and  chaplain  of  the  post 
until  the  close  of  the  hostilities.  He  also  took  an  active  i)art  in  the  great 
revival  in  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  a full  narrative  of  which  is  con- 
tained in  a volume  written  ])y  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bennett,  entitled,  “ J’he  Great 
Revival  in  the  Southern  Army.”  In  1809  he  became  chaplain  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia.  After  serving  the  usual  period  of  two  years,  he  was 
recalled  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church  in  Staunton.  Accepting  the  recall, 
he  served  this  church  until  1879,  when  he  was  appointed  by  the  Missionary 
Board  of  the  Convention  missionary  to  Rome.  The  circumstances  of  that 
mission  at  the  time  of  his  appointment  we  relate  elsewhere.  Nor  need  we 
repeat  our  notices  of  his  various  and  invaluable  services  to  the  Bai)tist  cause, 
not  only  in  Rome,  but  in  all  parts  of  Italy.  The  recent  death  of  Mi  s.  Taylor, 
mentioned  elsewhere,  is  a deplorable  loss,  as  well  to  Rev.  Dr.  Taylor  as  to 
the  Italian  mission.  Her  maiden  name  was  Susan  Spotswood  Braxton. 
The  marriage  took  place  in  1858. 

Rev.  Dr.  Taylor  is  also  distinguished  as  an  author  and  editor.  He  was 
for  two  years  associated  with  Rev.  Dr.  F.  Wilson  in  editing  The  Christian 
licvieio,  at  the  time  this  quarterly  was  published  at  Baltimore.  He  has 
composed  a number  of  volumes  suitable  for  Sunday-school  libraries ; also 
the  “Life  and  Times  of  James  B.  Taylor,”  a very  successful  and  attrac- 
tive contribution  to  Baptist  biography. 

THE  BRAZILIAN  AND  MEXICAN  MISSIONS  OF  THE  SOUTHERN 

CONVENTION. 

The  Convention  had  in  1885  flourishing  missions  at  Bahia,  Rio  de  Janeiro 
and  Santa  Barbara,  in  Brazil.  Missionaries:  W.  B.  Bagby,  Mrs.  Bagby,  Z. 
C.  J'aylor,  Mrs.  Taylor  and  one  native  assistant.  The  total  membership  of 
the  three  stations  was  70.  The  Convention  also  had,  in  1885,  Mexican  mis- 
sions at  Saltillo,  Progreso,  Juai-ez,  Sabinas  and  Musquez.  Missionaries: 
\V.  D.  Powell,  Mrs.  Powell,  W.  M.  Flournoy,  Mrs.  Flournoy  and  IMiss 
Auni(;  J.  Mayberry.  Native  pastor,  Proforio  Rodriguez,  with  six  native 
assistants.  Baptized  and  received  by  letter,  52;  church  members,  117. 
'I'licn;  ar(;  in  Mexico  about  0,000,000  Romanists,  3,000,000  Indifl'erentisls 
who  liav(!  I’cjected  Jtomanism,  and  1,000,000  Evangelicals 


APPENDIX. 


805 


ANECDOTE  OF  MRS.  INGALLS. 

Mrs.  Ingalls,  while  in  charge  of  a lonely  station,  was  one  evening  sitting 
in  her  bungalow  with  some  of  her  helpers  and  pupils,  (a  class  of  young 
men  whom  she  was  training  for  the  ministry)  when  one  of  the  Karens 
rushed  in,  trembling  with  fright,  to  apprise  her  that  the  chief  of  a hostile 
tribe,  with  a company  of  men,  was  coming  down  upon  them.  She  had  no 
time  to  make  any  defense.  She  lifted  her  heart  in  prayer  for  some  w\ay  of 
rescue ; and  the  next  moment  heard  the  tramp  of  approaching  feet.  The 
door  was  opened,  and  a swarm  of  wild  men,  with  flashing  eyes,  poured  into 
the  room.  She  alone  was  calm  and  self-possessed,  receiving  them  as  kindly 
as  if  they  were  frends.  They  seemed  for  a moment  subdued  by  her  man- 
ner; and,  as  if  by  inspiration,  she  seized  the  opportunity  to  divert  their 
attention  by  stories  about  America,  telling  them  among  other  things  of 
Colt’s  revolver,  laying  her  hand  as  she  spoke,  upon  the  pistol  her  lamented 
husband  had  presented  to  her.  The  chief  listened  with  scorn  and  incredu- 
lity pictured  upon  his  face.  Then,  suddenl}^  picking  up  a piece  of  paper,  he 
stuck  it  upon  the  wall,  and  cried,  ‘‘Shoot.”  For  a second  her  heart  trembled ; 
she  did  not  know  that  the  pistol  was  loaded,  nor  how  to  use  it,  for  she  had 
never  fired  one  in  her  life.  But  again  sending  to  heaven  a swift  petition  for 
help,  she  took  aim  and  fired.  The  ball  pierced  the  centre  of  the  target. 
Instantly,  as  if  shot,  or  perhaps  expecting  that  ball  would  follow  ball,  the 
wild  natives  rushed  from  the  place,  and  the  missionary  widow  and  her 
frightened  flock  fell  on  their  knees  to  render  thanks  to  their  Divine  Pro- 
tector.— “ Bomance  of  Missions^'^  hy  3Iiss  M.  A.  West. 

REV.  WILLIAM  ASHMORE,  D.  D. 

This  gentleman,  for  thirty  j^ears  missionary  in  southern  China,  was  born 
at  Putnam,  Ohio,  December  25th,  1821.  He  was  graduated  at  Granyille, 
Ohio,  and  completed  his  theological  studies  at  Covington  Theological  In- 
stitute, Ky.  In  1848,  he  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  of 
Hamilton,  Ohio.  He  went  out  to  Bangkok  in  1851,  where  he  labored  suc- 
cessfully for  several  years.  In  January,  1858,  he  was  transferred  to  Hong- 
Kong.  While  voyaging  homeward  for  her  health,  in  May,  1858,  his  wife 
died,  and  was  buried  at  sea  off  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Two  years  later 
he  was  compelled  by  ill-health  to  return  to  the  United  States.  In  July 
1864,  accompanied  by  his  second  wife,  a native  of  Ohio,  he  returned  to 
southern  China,  and  established  a mission  at  Kak-Chie.  In  1870,  he  tried 
with  good  effect  the  experiment  of  self-support.  Two  native  missionaries 
were  sent  out  into  the  field  to  be  supported  by  funds  raised  by  the  church. 
Nearly  all  the  expenses  of  these  men  were  paid  by  their  own  countrymen. 
At  that  time  the  church  numbered  one  hundred  and  forty-tw^o  members. 
In  1871,  forty  were  added;  in  1872,  forty-two  more.  In  1875,  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Ashmore  visited  their  native  land.  In  1878,  thirty-five  candidates  for  bap- 
tism were  reported.  For  a very  interesting  passage  from  Dr.  Ashmore 
see  page  529.  In  1884,  Dr.  Ashmore  had  translated  four  parts  of  the  New 


800 


APPENDIX.  • 


Testament  into  the  language  of  tlie  common  i)eo|>lc.  In  the  same  year 
lie  nearly  recovered  from  a partial  blindness  with  which  lie  liad  lieen 
alliicted  for  three  years.  In  1885  he  returned  to  America.  During  jiart  of 
1885,  his  son  Kev.  W.  Ashmore,  Jr.,  was  engaged  in  translating  the  Epistle 
to  the  Philippians  into  the  colloquial  tongue,  and  Inhuilding  amissionary 
boat.  Boat-building  was  not  one  of  his  trades,  hut  he  had  contrived  to 
make  a strong,  safe  and  comfortable  craft.  We  arc  too  liable  to  forget  that 
at  many  mission  stations  there  no  mechanics,  so  that  the  missionaries  are 
forced  to  exercise  the  versatility  and  toilsome  ingenuity  of  liobinson 
Crusoe. 

FOREIGN  MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  CANADIAN  BAPTISTS. 

The  Baptists  of  the  Maritime  Provinces  (Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick 
and  Prince  Edward’s  Island)  manifested  an  interiist  in  Foreign  Mission 
work  at  an  early  period  of  their  liistory.  The  pioneers  who  established  the 
churches  were  men  of.  God,  and  men  who  discerned  the  signs  of  the  times. 
They  understood  to  some  extent  the  scope  of  the  Great  Commission,  “ Go 
ye  into  all  the  world.  The  first  contribution  for  foreign  missions 
(amounting  to  £8.1.3 — over  $40.00),  of  which  there  is  any  record,  was  taken 
at  an  association  which  was  held  in  Chester,  Nova  Soctia,  in  the  year  1814. 

A Foreign  Mission  Society  was  formed  in  1832;  and  in  the  year  1838  it 
was  resolved  to  send  a missionary  from  our  own  churches  to  the  heathen; 
but  it  was  not  until  1845  that  Rev.  R.  E.  Burpe  and  wife  were  sent  as  the 
pioneer  missionaries  of  the  Baptists  of  the  Maritime  Provinces.  The  Pro- 
vincial Baptists  were  deeply  interested  in  Burmah  as  a mission  field.  The 
labors  and  trials  of  Judson  doubtless  had  much  to  do  in  creating  this  feeling. 

Mr.  Burpe  was  compelled  b}^  failing  health  to  return  with  his  family  to  his 
native  land,  after  an  absence  of  five  years.  lie  died  in  Florida,  U.  S.,  in  the 
year  1853. 

Rev.  A.  R.  R.  Crawley  having  accepted  an  appointment  from  the  Mari- 
time Board  as  a fellow-worker  with  Mr.  Burpe,  after  carefully  studying  the 
situation , asked  his  brethren  to  release  him  from  his  engagement  with  them ; 
believing  that  the  Baptists  of  the  Maritime  Provinces  were  not  in  a position 
to  sustain  an  independent  mission.  Mr.  Crawley’s  request  was  granted,  and 
soon  after  he  received  an  appointment  from  the  Missionary  Union  of  the 
United  States.  Having  failed  in  securing  a missionary  to  take  the  place  of 
Mr.  Burpe,  the  Board  continued  the  work  of  raising  funds  for  sending  the 
Gospel  to  the  heathen,  and  supported  a number  of  native  preachers,  teach- 
ers and  colporteurs,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Crawley  and  other  mission- 
ai  ies  in  whose  fields  of  labor  they  might  be  located,  to  whom  the  money 
was  forwarded  through  the  Treasurer  of  the  Missionary  Union. 

'I’his  condition  of  things  continued  fora  number  of  years;  but  the  desire 
foi-  an  ind(;j)endent  mission,  supported  and  controlled  by  the  denomination 
in  tin;  Provinces,  was  still  i-uling  in  many  hearts. 

In  the  year  1807,  Miss  Minnie  De  Wolfe  received  an  appointment  from 
the  Board  and  sailed  for  Burmah.  After  five  years’  toil,  the  health  of  Miss 


APPENDIX. 


807 


DeWolfe  gave  way,  and  she  returned  to  her  home  in  Nova  Scotia,  where  she 
remained. 

In  1869,  Rev.  William  George  offered  himself  to  the  Board  for  service  in 
the  foreign  field,  to  be  under  the  direction  of  the  Missionary  Union,  but 
to  be  supported  by  the  Provincial  Board.  This  was  understood  to  be  a 
temporary  arrangement. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  agitation  for  an  independent  mission 
became  more  active.  In  the  year  1870  there  were  18  native  preachers, 
besides  other  workers,  supported  by  churches  and  individuals  in  the  Prov- 
inces. 

During  that  same  year.  Miss  H.  M.  Norris,  being  desirous  of  devoting  her 
life  to  the  instruction  and  spiritual  welfare  of  heathen  women  and  children, 
received  an  appointment  from  the  Board,  with  the  understanding  that  the 
sisters  in  the  churches  were  to  assume  her  support.  Accordingly  Miss 
Norris  began  to  organize  Women’s  Missionary  Aid  Societies,  as  auxiliaries 
to  the  Foreign  Missionary  Board.  The  first  was  formed  in  her  native  place, 
Canso,  N.  S.,  June  23d,  1870.  To  Miss  Norris  belongs  the  honor  of  establish- 
ing these  useful  auxiliaries,  which  have  been  such  a blessing  to  the  great 
Foreign  Mission  movement. 

In  the  same  year,  two  young  brethren,  W.L.  Armstrong  and  Rufus  Sanford, 
were  accepted  by  the  Board,  for  service  in  the  foreign  field,  as  soon  as  they 
should  complete  their  theological  course.  In  1873  these  brethren  sailed  for 
Burmah,  accompanied  by  Rev.  George  Churchill  and  wife.  Miss  Mamie 
Armstrong  and  Miss  Flora  Eaton,  with  the  view  of  laboring  among  the 
Karens  of  Siam.  The  little  band  of  missionaries  was  increased  in  1874  by 
the  addition  of  Rev.  W.  B.  Boggs,  who  had  been  acting  as  Secretary  of  the 
Board  for  some  time  previously. 

In  the  year  1875  these  missionaries  found  themselves  in  an  unpleasant 
position.  They  went  to  Siam  to  work  among  the  Karens  of  that  kingdom ; 
but  not  finding  them  in  such  numbers  as  they  were  led  to  suppose,  they  were 
at  a loss  what  to  do,  and  therefore  wrote  home  for  instructions. 

The  Baptists  of  Ontario  and  Quebec  had  just  entered  upon  independent 
work  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Telugu  country,  and  were  anxious  that 
the  Baptists  of  the  Provinces  by  the  sea  should  co-operate  with  them  in 
the  work  of  winning  a portion  at  least  of  the  Telugus  to  Christ. 

This  sentiment  was  indorsed  by  an  influential  section  of  the  Baptists  of 
the  Maritime  Provinces;  and  at  a special  convention  held  in  Amherst, 
N.  S.,  for  the  purpose  of  permanently  locating  the  independent  mission,  after 
a protracted  discussion,  they  resolved  to  unite  with  the  brethren  of  Ontario 
and  Quebec  to  make  the  Telugu  country  the  field  of  labor.  The  result  was 
communicated  to  the  missionaries,  who  cheerfully  responded  to  and  ac- 
quiesced in  the  decision  of  the  convention. 

In  1876,  Bro.  Boggs  was  compelled  to  return  home  on  account  of  ill 
health.  After  a year’s  sojourn  in  his  native  land,  he  was  desirous  of  re- 
turning to  his  beloved  work,  but  the  fear  that  his  health  would  probably 
give  way  again  was  so  great  that  the  board  declined  to  re-appoint  him. 


APPENDIX. 


8I).S 

In  1878,  ]Miss  Ciirrie  Iliiniinond  was  sent  as  a missionary,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  AVomen’s  Missiojiary  Aid  Societies.  Owin^  to  the  severe 
illness  of  Mrs.  W.  L.  Armstrong  ( formerly  Miss  Norris  ),  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arm- 
strong returned  to  this  country  in  1880,  and  severed  tlieir  connection  with 
the  mission,  greatly  to  the  regret  of  a large  number  of  the  warmest  friends 
of  the  mission. 

In  the  following  year,  1881,  Kev.  J.  R Ilutcliinson  and  wife  received  an 
appointment  from  the  Board  to  take  charge  of  tlie  Chicacolc  station,  mad(; 
vacant  by  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Armstrong.  The  mission  was  reinforced 
in  1882  hy  the  appointment  of  Rev.  I.  C.  Archibald,  and  in  1884  Miss  Hattie 
Wright  and  Miss  Gray  were  recommended  to  the  Board  by  the  W.  M.  A. 
Societies  and  received  an  appointment,  and  sailed  for  India,  arriving  on 
their  held  of  labor  the  lirst  week  in  new  5'’ear,  1885. 

There  are  three  mission  stations,  Bimlipatam,  Chicacole  and  Bobbile — 
and  three  churches,  one  at  each  of  these  stations. 

It  has  been  a period  of  seed-soMing,  and  laying  foundations;  and  the 
results  so  far,  in  conversions  and  building  cliurches,  are  not  large:  but  the 
work  is  the  Lord’s,  and  success  is  sure  to  come.  Fidelity  always  ensures  it. 

The  Baptist  Foheign  AIissionary  Society  of  Ontario  and  Quebec 
has  been  in  existence  eighteen  years.  For  some  time  it  served  as  an  aux- 
iliary to  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  and  supported  in  whole 
or  in  part  Rev.  John  McLaurin  and  Rev.  A.  V.  Timpany,  with  their  wives. 

In  the  year  1873,  these  earnest  missionaries,  the  one  settled  at  Ongole 
and  the  other  at  Ramapatam,  wrote  a letter  to  the  Board  of  the  above  men- 
tioned society,  setting  forth  the  needs  and  advantages  as  a mission  field  of 
the  Telugu  country  surrounding  Cocanada  and  on  either  side  of  the  Goda- 
very  river.  The  Board  met  on  the  evening  of  October  16th,  1873,  at  the 
house  of  T.  S.  Shenston,  Esq.,  Brantford,  Ontario,  to  consider  this  important 
communication.  Before  adjourning  that  night,  it  was  resolved  to  begin 
work  upon  an  independent  basis,  as  suggested  by  the  missionaries,  McLaurin 
and  Timpany.  The  Missionary  Union  cordially  agreed  to  this  action,  and 
consented  to  release  Mr.  McLaurin  for  the  new  enterprise;  and  on  Octo- 
ber 28th,  1873,  the  late  Dr.  F3Te  telegraphed  from  Boston  to  Mr.  McLaurin 
at  Ongole : “ Go  to  Cocanada  on  the  basis  jmur  of  letter."  It  was  not  until 
March,  1874,  that  he  was  able  to  leave  his  work  in  Ongole  and  begin  his 
labors  as  the  pioneer  missionary  of  the  Baptists  of  the  Provinces  of  Onta- 
rio and  Quebec.  In  February,  1876,  he  was  joined  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Currie; 
in  January,  1878,  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Craig,  and  in  December  of  the  same  year 
Mr.  and  Airs.  Timpany  were  added  to  their  number.  Finally  Miss  Frith 
joiiHid  them,  in  November,  1883.  As  fellow-helpers,  thei-e  have  been  won 
from  heathenism  17  native  ])reachers,  of  whom  3 are  ordained,  3 colporteurs, 

6 Bi))le  women,  and  24  teachers  in  the  day  schools. 

4'liere  are  three  stations  or  centres  of  missionary  operations,  Cocanada, 
Tuni,  Akidu.  Seven  churches  have  been  regularly  organized,  and  into 


APPENDIX. 


809 


these  churches  have  been  gathered  1,350  converts,  baptized  on  a profession 
of  their  faith  in  Christ. 

The  society  owns  property  in  that  far-off  land  to  the  value  of  about 
$17,500.  During  ten  years  of  independent  work,  the  total  sum  raised  and 
expended  by  the  Baptists  of  these  two  Provinces  (Ontario  and  Quebec)  in 
this  enterprise  has  been  about  $83,000.i 

In  the  death  of  Mr. 

Ti  m pany , wh  ich  took 
place  February  19th,  1885, 
this  mission  suliered  a 
great  loss.  Elsewhere  (pp. 

602,  GG7)  we  have  given 
some  facts  respecting  this 
lamented  missionary.  We 
may  here  add  that  he  was 
in  1872  and  1873  provi- 
sionally in  charge  of  the 
seminary  of  which  Mr. 

Williams  is  now  the  head. 

He  had  commenced  work 
at  Eamapatam  in  1870. 

At  the  close  of  five  years 
of  service,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

Timpany  were  permitted 
to  see  two  active  churches, 
with  a total  membership 
of  769,  as  the  fruits  of 
their  labor.  In  1874:  they 
returned  to  America,  and 
during  the  two  years  Mr. 

Timpany  was  at  home  he 
studied  medicine  and  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  M.  D. 

For  sevei-al  years  he  had 
suffered  from  fever,  and 
only  two  days  before  he 
died,  of  cholera,  the  opinion  was  given  that  he  ought  to  go  home  soon 
because  of  his  frequent  attacks  of  fever.  When  Mr.  Downie,  of  Nellore, 
announced  his  death  tq^Irs.  Downie,  she  burst  into  tears  and  said,  “ Oh, 
dear!  I saw  Mr.  Timpany  in  my  dream  last  night.  His  face  was  shining, 
and  he  sat  by  my  side  telling  me  something  beautiful  5 but  my  child  waked 
me  up,  and  I cannot  remember  what  he  said.”  2 

1 For  the  above  account  of  the  Canada  missions  Ave  are  indebted  to  Kev.  J.  W. 
Manning-,  of  Halifax. 

2.  The  portrait  of  Mr.  Timpany  is  from  a photograph  take  1867,  just  as  he  Avas  first 
starting  for  India,  and  for  Avhich  Ave  are  indebted  to  Rca".  J,  W,  A.  StCAvart,  of  Hamil- 
ton, Out.,  Secretarj^  of  the  B.  F.  M.  Society  of  Ontario  and  Quebec. 


810 


APPENDIX. 


As  Mr.  Craig,  of  Akidu  was  absent  in  America,  Messrs.  Timpany  and 
McLaiirin  were  attempting  to  carry  forward  Mr.  Craigs’  work  along  with 
their  own.  But  only  a few  days  before  Mr.  Timpany ’s  death,  Mr.  McT.,anrin, 
who  was  suffering  from  fever,  set  out  for  Rangoon  in  quest  of  health.  Thus 
the  mission  was  temporarily  left  in  a very  crippled  condition. 

AYOMEN’S  MISSIONARY  SOCIETIES  IN  CANADA. 

The  Baptist  sisterhood  of  Canada  have  several  missionary  societies  of 
their  own.  Among  these  are  the  “ Women's  Baptist  INlissionary  Society  of 
Ontario”  and  the  Women’s  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Convention, 
East.”  Both  these  societies  were  organized  the  same  year,  and  each  held 
its  seventh  annual  meeting  in  1884.  It  was  by  their  joint  recommenda- 
tion that  the  missionary  society  of  Ontario  and  Quebec  appointed  Miss 
Frith,  of  Montreal,  to  toil  among  the  Telugu  women.  These  enterprising 
societies  also  publish  a paper  called  the  '•'‘Missionary  which  has 

proved  a great  success. 

The  society  of  Ontario  and  Quebec  have  now  two  missionary  boats  for  the 
Cocanada  and  Akidu  stations,  one  being  named  Canadian^  the  other  named 
after  the  worthy  president  of  the  society,  T.  S.  Shenston. 


INDEX 


PAGE. 

Abbassides,  the,  on  the  Euphrates 675 

Abbeokula,  Battle  at 599,  GOO 

Visited  by  Mr.  howen 599 

Abbott,  Rev.  E.  L.,  and  the  Karens. . 388 

Sketch  of 423 

Labors  in  Tavoy,  etc 424 

Difficulties  of  his  work 427 

Visit  to  America 428 

Last  days  and  death  of. 429 

His  Eloqueuce  in  the  Karen  tongue 429 

and  Karen  self-support 430 

Abbott,  Mrs.  E.  L , death  of 428 

Abbott,  Eliza  Ann,  (Mrs.  Goddard).  .523,  524 

Adams,  Rev.  Joseph  S 51G 

Adjutant  Stork,  the 211-213 

Admission  of  Converts  in  Jamaica 624 

Adventures  of  Rev.  John  Chamberlain. . . 218 

African  Missions 582 

Results  of 609 

African  Oracles 562 

African  Slave  Ti’ade,  the 566-570 

Africa,  Religions  of 557 

Akbar,  the  Emperor,  and  Liberalism 571 

A Lion  in  Prison 146,  1*7 

A Living  Church  inArracan 763 

American  Baptist  Historical  Society 460 

Ambrose,  Miss  E.  D 404 

American  Baptist  Free  Mission  Society  676 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  Or- 
ganization of 197,  198 

Alabama  State  Convention,  Resolutions 

of 196 

Amherst,  Selected  as  the  Capital  of  Brit- 
ish Burmah 158 

Amaterasu,  the  Japanese  Sun -goddess. . . 531 

Ancestors,  Chinese  Worship  of 495-497 

Worship  of 535 

Anderson,  Dr.  G.  W.,  and  Beecher’s  call 

to  Burmah 430,  431 

Analysis  of  Brahminism  77 

Anglesey,  Marquis  of,  and  his  Leg.. 622 

Anti-Mission  Baptists 181,  182 

Apostolos,  Mr.,  Labors  at  Patras 730-732 

Arnold,  Mr.  and  Mrs., in  Greece 733-735 

Arnold,  Rev.  Albert  N.,  Sketch  of 735 

Arracan,  Mission  in,  and  the  Karens. 387,  388 

Grover  S.  Comstock  in 340 

the  Mission  to 353 

Abandonment  of 3.53 

Arthur.  Rev.  J.  H.  and  wife,  in  Japan 537 

Ashman,  Governor,  of  Liberia 203-205 

Assam  and  Telugu  Missions 636 

Tea  Culture  in 637 

Assam  Mission,  Present  State 790 

Ava,  Judson’s  First  Visit  to 134,  135 

Babaiiee,  the  Christian  Brahmin 465 

Bagdad,  the  Capital  of  the  Abbassides 576 

Hainbridge,  Mr.,  and  the  Telugu  Mission  673 

Baked  Missionary. 35 

Baldwin,  Dr.,  Commences  the  Massa- 
chusetts Baptist  Missionary  Maga- 
zine   188 

Baldwin,  Dr.,  Organizes  the  First  Amer- 
ican Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  So- 
ciety  190 

Ball,  Rev.  Eli,  in  Liberia. 206 

Baudula’s  Defeat 145 

Bangkok,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goddard  at 523 

Baptism  in  Cold  Climates 713 

Baptists  and  Chinese  Evangelization 499 

Baptists  in  the  Siege  of  Paris 690 

Baptist  Triennial  Convention,  the 1>7 

Baptize  and  Baptism,  Japanese  Terms  for,  540 
Barchet,  Rev.  S.  P 515 


PAGE. 

Barker,  Mr  and  the  Sibsagor  Mission.639,  640 

Bassa  Cove,  .viission  Station  at .588 

Bassein  Mission 425-442 

Bassein  Churches,  Self-supporting 4.30 

Bassein  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute,  435 

Beddome,  Benjamin 45 

Beecher,  Mrs.  Helen  L 4.35 

Beecher,  Mrs.,  Dies  at  Sea 434 

Beecher,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  Adventures  at 

Sea 4.32 

Threatened  by  Robbers 4.33 

At  Ramree  and  Bassein 4.33 

Beecher,  John  Sidney,  Sketch  of 430 

Joins  Mr.  Abbott  430-4.32 

Marries  Miss  Foote 432 

In  Airacan 432 

On  Trial  for  Insubordination 434 

Joins  the  Free  Mission  Society 435 

Invited  hack  to  the  service  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Union 4.35 

Starts  for  home  and  dies  in  England  4.3.5-436 
Begum  Sumroo,  the,  entertains  John 

Chamberlain 222 

Bennett,  Mr.,  and  Karen  Converts 449 

Mr.  and  Mrs.,  and  Ko  Thah-byu 448 

Benoliel,  Rev.  G.  S.,  in  Spain  and  Por- 
tugal   745,  746 

Berlin  Baptist  Church 702 

Betel-nut  and  Opium,  use  of  in  Assam  645,  646 
Bethune,  Divie,  entertains  William 

Ward 56 

Bewes,  Fetichism  of  the  385 

Bhamo,  Attack  on 479,  480 

Bhamo  Mission 478,  479 

Binney,  Rev.  J.  G.,  Sketch  of 422 

His  Seminary  at  Maulmain  422 

Elected  President  of  Columbian  Col- 
lege  422 

His  death  and  burial  at  Sea 423 

Binney,  Mrs.  Juliette  P.,  Sketch  of. 787 

Bixby,  Moses  H.  and  Wife,  among  the 

Shans.. 476-477 

Boardman,  Rev.  Geo.  D.,  the  Pounder 

of  the  Karen  Mission 263 

Personal  and  Intellectual  Traits 265 

Marries  Miss  Hall 266 

The  first  Missionary  at  Maulmain 267 

At  Calcutta  and  Amherst 267 

Labors  among  the  Karens 268  , 269 

Among  the  Burmans  of  Tavoy 270 

Last  Labors  of 274 

Witnesses  the  Baptism  of  34 Karens 275 

His  affecting  death 275 

Boardman,  George  D.  Jr. , Escape  from 

Pirates 299-301 

And  Dr.  Dean 466,  467 

Boardman , Mrs . , her  determination  to 

remain  in  Burmah 297 

Her  Widowhood 298 

Marries  Dr.  Judson 164-301 

Death,  Mrs . Mason’s  Remarks  on 408 

Boaz,  Rev  Dr.,  converted 26 

Bolles,  Lucius,  elected  Secretary 194 

Books  of  Devotion 55 

Bootan,  Carey’s  Excursion  to 34 

Bowen,  Rev.  Thomas  J.,  Sketch  of,  598-603 

Goes  out  to  Africa 599 

Services  as  an  Explorer  602 

Visits  America  and  Marries  Miss  Davis,  602 

Last  days  and  death 603 

His  Literary  Labors 603 

Brahma  and  the  Religion  of  Hindustan,  61 
Brahma,  Vishnu  and  Shiva,  the  Hindu 

Triad 65 


♦ See  also  Susplementary  Index,  on  page  819. 


812 


INDEX, 


Brahma,  origin  and  description  of 64-00 

Brahma,  Hiudu  Idea  of (i4,  ()r),t)7 

Brahiniiiisin,  Antiquity  of 01,  02 

Deinorahzintr  ehects  of 08 

Brahmin  Prophets  87 

Brahmin  Priests,  influence  of 82,  8.3 

Brahmins,  Pretensions  of  the 81-85 

Brisbaine,  Win.  H. , and  the  Pree  Mission 

S iciety 077 

Britain’s  Debt  to  American  Mission- 
aries  30(),  307 

British  Baptists,  liberality  of ...  0.33 

British  Baptist  iMissioiis,  Retrospect  of..  032 

British  Baptist  Missions  in  Rome 742 

British  Commerce  in  1834  023 

British  Invasion  of  Burmah 138 

British  Missionaries,  sent  to  India  via 

New  York 189 

British  Missions  in  India,  Later  History  of  542 

British  Missions  in  Africa.. 005-010 

British  Missions  in  the  West  Indies Oil 

Brittany,  Recent  Paganism  in  093 

Broady,  Knut  O. , of  Swedish  Mission  . . . 720 

Bronson,  Rev.  Miles,  Sketch  of 788 

Among  the  Nagas 039 

In  Assam 0.38 

Among  the  Garos 643 

Brown,  Rev.  D.  Nathan  and  wife,  in 

Japan 537-,5.39 

Brown,  Mrs.,  Her  School  at  Sibsagor  . . . 041 
Brown,  Nathan,  and  the  Assamese  Mis- 
sion  038-040 

Brown,  Dr.,  Medical  Missionary  in  China  .528 

Brownson  Theological  Seminary 000-008 

Bryce,  Rev.  Mr.,  and  Lott  Carey 202 

Buchanan,  Claudius,  the  Ambitious,  17,  236 

Bud  I lha  defined 120 

Buddhism,  Present  Head  of 120 

Atheism  and  Selfishness  of 123,  124 

Efl'ects  of 130 

First  Introduction  to  China 490,  491 

Moral  Code  of 123 

Buddhists  and  Brahmins,  Number  of 127 

Buddhist  Celibacy  and  Asceticism 125 

Buddhist  Commandments 121,  122 

Buddhist  Sciiptiires,  The 120 

Buddhist  Worship 1,30,  131 

Buddliists,  Chinese 490 

Buel,  Mr  . in  Greece 733-735 

Mobbed  in  Corfu 731 

Bunker,  Rev.  A.  and  wife 404 

Burial  in  Sitting  Posture 531 

Burman  Mission,  Management  Trans- 
ferred to  Boston 194 

Burman  Bible,  Judson’s  783 

Burman  Mission,  Present  State 783 

Burmese  Bible,  Dr.  Judson’s 104 

Burmese  Bible,  Completion  of 163 

Jiurmese  Mother  Beaten  to  Death  by  Rob- 
bers  .328 

Burning  of  Serampore  Printing  House 31 

Burns,  Win.  C.,  Tribute  to 776 

Burton  Rev.  J.,  In  the  Bahamas 030 

Buzzell,  Elder  John,  in  Orissa 

Calabar  Theological  Institution 608,  616 

Carnadeva,  Festival  of 399 

Camidiell,  Sir  Arcliilmld,  Captures  Ran- 
goon  138,  139 

Carnpliell,  Sir  Arcliiliald,  Entertains  Mr. 

and  Mrs  .Judson 155,  156 

Campbfdl,  Rev.  W.  W.  and  Wife 671 

t;,'m;idiau  Baplisls  'I'cliigu  .Mission  of 067 

( amiibaliHiii  in  Africa .566 

(, a 11 II dial  ism,  Malay 35 

Oan  y , l•.uHlace 3.3,  36 

Can-y,  |•<•lix 16,  .5.)  116 

Carc;.  , .J.ibc/.,  IhMiiarkalile  Conversion  of  29 
Carey,  .Mrs.,  Dealli  of 27 


Carey,  Lott,  and  the  African  Mission...  199 


Carey,  VVilliam,  and  the  Mission  in  Hin- 
dustan  1 

Carey,  William,  a good  Slioemaker !!  2 

Early  Days  of 4 

I.,eavc8  for  India H 

Appointed  Profe.ssor  in  tlic  College  of 

Fort  William 18 

His  Second  M.uriage 28,  29 

Loses  his  Second  Wife  and  Marries 

again .39 

Death  of 40 

Ilis  Literary  Cliarader 41 

Car  of  .luggernaut,  cut 60 

Carpenter,  Rev.  C.  H.,  Sketch  of 4.37 

Goes  to  Itangoon. 437 

Transferred  to  Bassein 437 

Returns  to  America 438 

President  of  Rangoon  College 4.38 

His  School  in  JlasSein  438 

Carpenter,  Mrs.,  and  Women’s  Societies.  751 

Caste.s  and  Customs,  Hindu 87 

Castes,  Hindu,  enumerated 89 

Caste  and  Missionary  Work 90,  91 

Caste,  Curiosities  of 90,  91 

Giving  way 88 

Loss  of 89 

Mr.  Clough’s  Conliict  with 072 

Castelar,  Emilio 744 

Central  Africa,  Missions  in 669,  57u 

Ceylon,  Baptist  Mission  in 5.50,  6-51 

Chadbourne,  Miss  Mary  13.,  Marries  Mr. 

Croeker 693 

Chamberlain,  Rev.  John 18 

Adventures  of 218 

Preaches  at  Dellii  and  Hurdwar 222 

Death  of 225 

Charms,  Use  of.  .534 

Chater,  Rev.  Mr.,  in  Ceylon .550 

Chefoo  Mission .528 

Chek  Ete  Family,  the 468 

Chet-za,  the  Mountain  Chief .334  , 387 

China,  British  Missions  in 527 

Missions  m 468,  469,  509 

Progress  of  Christianity  in 503,  504 

Protestant  Churches  in 525 

tlie  Religions  of 481 

Chinese  Bible,  Different  Versions  of . .500-.503 

Mirsbman’s 230,  240 

Chinese  Hon  r to  Parents 498 

Chinese  in  California  and  Oregon .526 

In  Siam 471-473 

Chinese  Missions,  Difficulties  of. 497 

Chinese  Mob  at  Tsing  Ene 525 

Chinese  New  Testament,  Mr.  Godtlard’s  525 

Chinese  Kebelliou,  the 514,  515 

Chinese  Rebellion,  the,  and  Mr.  Yates..  520 

Chinese  Respect  for  Learning 498 

Crane,  Deacon,  of  Baltimore ...  20f 

Christian  Rule  of  Marriage ..  458 

Chr  stian  Karens,  Persecution  of  366,  426,  45) 

Chubbuck,  Emily,  her  early  Poverty 306 

Cifre,  Ricardo  P.,  in  Spain 747,  74S 

Clark  and  Price  Vdsit  West  Africa 606 

Clarke,  Mr  and  Mrs.,  in  Africa 591 

Clarke,  Rev.  Ivory 594 

Clark,  Rev.  J.,  in  Jamaica. 629 

Clough,  Rev.  John  E.,  Sketch  of. 669 

His  First  Visit  to  Ongole 626 

Methods  of 671 

Preaching  Tours  of 674 

Visit  to  America 665,  670 

Cameroona,  Mission  at 605-608 

Canton,  ('hina,  Ist  Baptist  Church  in 510 

Mr.  Shuck  at 473 

Cold  Missionary 35 

College  at  Serampore 56,  237,  238 

Colman,  Mr.  and  Mrs 136 


INDEX. 


813 


Colonization  Society  and  Lott  Carey 202 

Columbian  College  and  Luther  Kice.  170-179 
Comau,  Matilda,  Dr.  Dean’s  lirst  wife. . . . 407 

Coiumbus,  Luther  Mice’s  Horse 177 

Comstock,  Kev.  Grover  S.,  Sketch  of 340 

Conversion  341 

Death  of 340 

Services  of 340 

Comstock,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  Parting  from 

Children 343,  344,  349,  3.50 

Comstock,  Mrs  , death  of 345 

Co-.i.stock,  Sarah  Davis,  Sketch  of.  ..347  , 348 

Her  Dedication  to  Missions 348 

Death  of 352 

Confucius,  Sketch  of 488 

Teachings  of. 489 

Honors  to 490-49g 

Worship  of.. 493 

Congo  Mission,  the 005,  033,  792 

Congo  Valley,  Climate  of  the  794 

Corfu,  Messrs.  Love  and  Buel  in 730 

Cote,  Rev.  M.  D.,  in  Rome 738 

Coultart,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  in  the  West  In- 
die •;. 612 


Cowec,  Rev.  Ceorge,  in  Trinidad 630 

Cretin,  Mr  , experiences  of 086,  087 

Crocker,  Lewis  K 596 

Crocker,  Rev.  Wm.  G.,  Sketch  of...  580-593 

Goes  out  to  Africa  588 

Sicken-  and  Roiurns  to  America .592,  593 

Returns  to  Africa  and  dies  suddenly 5.93 

Cross,  E.  B.,  and  wife 404 

Cross,  Trampling  on  the .535 

Crumb,  Rev.  A.  V.  B.,  and  wife 404 

Cummings,  Miss  Sarah 184-180,  .390 

Cushing,  Dr.,  Translations  of 478 

Mr.  and  Mrs.,  and  the  Shan  Mission,  477 

Cutter,  O.  T.,  in  Assam 038-040 

Dancing  Girls 70-71 

Danish  Baptists,  persecution  of 708-710 

Danish  Government  protects  the  Bap- 
tist Missionaries 17-19 

Daiible,  Mr.,  at  Sibsagor 040 

Davis,  Miss  Laurenna  H.,  marries  Mr. 

Bowen 002 

Davis,  Sarah,  (Mrs.  Comstock) 347-348 

Day,  John 595 -.590 

Day,  Rev.  S.  S.,  in  Teluguland 0.53 

Dean,  Maria  Maine,  Sketch  of 409 

Marriages  of 469-470 

Her  Services  in  China 408-470 

Death  of 470 

Dean,  fheodosia 407 

Dean,  William,  Sketch  of 405 

Designated  to  China 405 

Baptizes  Emily  Chubb  tick 405 

Adventure  with  Pirates .300 

Arrival  in  Bangkok  471-473 

And  the  Red  Karens 379 

His  Opinion  of  Mr.  Goddard 524 

Death  of  Gautama  411 

Debates  and  Victories 21 

Debts— lessons  from  304-.30.5 

Demons,  Worship  of. 481,  482,  480 

Denmark,  MiHsion  in 707 

The  l.ittle  King  of 710 

Deo-Kora,  the,  of  Assam 041 

Deva  Dasi,  or  Dancing  Girls 71 

Devan,  Dr.,  liabors  in  Paris  688 

Devil  Worship  601 

Disestablishment  in  Jamaica 027 

Doremus,  Mrs.,  her  zeal  for  Missions, 7.50 

Douiilass,  Rev.  F.  A.,  at  Ongole 000 

Dowling,  Dr.  , Anecdote  by 404 

Downie,  David  and  Wife 603 

Doyen,  James  T .5.37,  .538 

Drake,  Adolph,  Baptized  at  Stockholm,  72!) 
Duer,  Rev.  John,  Sketch  of 079 


Dust  and  Ashes 9 

Dyer.  Rev.  John 232-2.34 

Pulls  Knibb’s  coat  tails 015-02.3 

East  India  Company  opposed  to  Mis- 
sions   9,  12,  48,  114,  219 

Eastern  Languages,  types  of 30 

Eastman,  Miss  H.  N 404 

Eden,  Emily,  let.ers  of 212 

Eden,  Francis  and  Emily , letters  of 211 

Edgren,  John  A.,  of  Swedish  Mission 720 

Edinburgh  Review 19-24 

Elephant,  Mr.  Vinton’s .302 

El  Mahdiand  the  Slave  Trade .500 

Emancipation  in  Jamaica. 015 

Emerson,  Poem  on  Brahma 79 

English  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  ori- 
gin of. 43  44,  40 

English  Baptists  send  Delegates  to  Tri- 
ennial Convention 195 

English  Missionaries  go  to  India  by  wfiy 

of  America 18,  19,  219 

Erskine,  Rev.  Dr.  John 2.3 

Eunuchs,  the  makers  of 507 

EvelethjRev.  F.  H , at  Totingoo  405 

Examination  of  Converts  at  Ongole 073 

Exposure  of  Infants 102 

Eyre,  Gov  E.  J.,  Tyranny  of. 025  , 620 

Famine  at  Maulmain,  Mr.  Vinton  in  the,  .302 

Famine  in  India 302,  040-050 

Famine  in  Teluguland 004 

Faith’s  Victory 005 

Fanny  Forester 300,  .307 

Farwell,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  of  Cambridge 408 

Fashionable  Chiu’ches 775 

Fasting,  and  Demon  Worship 482.  483 

Fate,  Hindu  belief  in 80,  81 

Fear  of  Death,  the 404,  405 

Female  Missionaries,  Efficiency  of 700 

Qualifications  of 7.55 

Female  “Muscular  Christianity” 702 

Festivals,  Hindu,  number  of 09 

Fetichisni,  description  of .5.57-561 

African  502 , 503 

In  the  West  Indies .503 

And  Witchcraft,  influence  of 505 

Fielde,  Adele  M 529 

FiehTing,  Mr.  and  Mrs .592-594 

Finland,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heikel  in 721 

Final  Inquiries  and  Cautions 767 

First  Bai)ti8t  Missionary  Society 5 

First  Tel ugu  Converts,  the 600 

Fishwick,  Mr.,  befriends  Wm.  Ward .52 

Five  Fr  nc  Piece,  the .361 

Flowers,  Carey’s  love  of .37-38 

Forsel,  INlr. , and  Stockholm  Theological 

Seminary 725 

Foster,  John,  and  the  Serampore  Breth- 
ren   235 

Foulon,  M.,  of  the  French  Mission 091 

Fowls,  religious  use  of 531 

Divination  by 384 

Karen  Superstition  about  385 

Francis  Mason  and  William  Carey 403 

France,  Mission  in 6S1 

“ Frank’s  Chapel” 301-.373 

Freedom  of  our  Missionaries 773 

Free  Mission  Society,  the. 070 

Free  Mission  .‘Society,  the,  in  Ja])an .5.30 

Free-Will  Baptist  Mission  in  Orissa  .551 , 5.52 
Free-Will  Women’s  Missionary  Society.  7.50 
Freiday , Rev.  J.  A.,  and  wife  at  Bharno.  479 

Fuller,  Andrew,  Sketch  of 2 

Future  World,  Brahminical  Idea  of 67 

Gage,  Miss,  of  the  Shan  Mission 477 

Ganesa,  the  God  of  Wisdcm 104 

Ganges,  Worship  of  the 75,  70 

Garo  and  Naga  Missions,  the 790 


814 


INDEX. 


Garos,  the,  Religion  of 041 

Gautama  and  the  Religion  of  Burmah. . . 117 

Gautama,  female  vVorship  of 410 

Begcnds  coucerning 118 

Death  of 411 

Chinese  Images  of 493,  494 

German  Baptist  Mission,  growth  of  the  . 70t 

German  Baptists,  persecution  of 098-701 

German  Baptist  Mission  in  Sweden 717 

German  Mission,  beginning  of  tlie 090 

St  itistics  of 711 

Ghaut  on  the  Ganges 75 

Gioja,  G.  B , of  Rome 738 

Give,  George,  Laboi’S  in  Jamaica 029 

Goddard,  David,  Conversion  ol 522 

Josiah,  Sketch  of 522-525 

Goble,  Rev.  Jonathan,  in  Japan 530,  537 

Golden  Chersonesus,  the 370 

Goodale,  Rev,  Henry 599 

Gordon,  George  W.,  Baptism  of 024,  025 

Murdered  by  Gov.  Eyre 020-7 

Gospel  Seed,  Vitality  of. 40.3 

Graves,  Rev.  Mr.  and  Mrs 5i5 

Greece,  jMission  in 726 

Greek  Church,  the 720-728 

Greek  Church,  the,  and  the  Poor 777,  778 

Greek  Missions,  Barrenness  of 778 

Gre  k Robbers 729 

Griggs  Family,  the 407,  408 

Griggs,  Helen  3Iaria  (Mrs.  Mason),  Birth 

and  Dedication  to  JMissions 407 

Grow,  Elder,  Baptizes  Calista  Holman. . 08 

Guizot,  his  Unwise  I’olicy  085 

Guinness,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  and  the  Congo 

Mission 792 

Guttridge,  Mr 231 

Hall,  Robert,  his  intemperate  letter 30 

His  Mistake 235 

Hamilton,  Rev.  Dr 23 

Hanumat,  the  Ape-god 71-74 

Harvey,  Dr. 21 

Hasweil,  Mrs.  JaneM.,  Sketch  of 784 

Havelock,  Sir  Henry,  Sketch  of 242 

Havelock’s  Methods 772 

Henthuda,  Mission  at 391 

Hebrew  Urigin  of  the  Karens 402 

Hervey,  Rev.  Mr 405 

Hill,  Rowland,  Anecdote  of 110 

Hindo  Burning  Place, 212 

Hindu  Drunkenness 69 

“Hindu  Smith” 464 

Hindustan,  Missionin 1 

Holman,  Calista  (Mrs.  Vinton) .369 

Holton,  Rev.  Calvin 594 

Holy  Man  of  the  West,  the 490,  491 

Home  and  Foreign  Work,  connection  of,  774 

Home  for  Children  of  Mi-siouaries 755 

Hough,  Rev.  G.  H.,  at  Rangoon 132 

Hubert,  G. , Labors  in  Norway 714 

Hu.man  Sacrilices 002 

Hymn  to  Brahma 78 

India— Climate,  Scenery  and  Productions 

of 208 

Indian  Mutiny,  the 060 

indigo  Culture 12,  13 

Manufacture 215-217 

Imlra,  God  of  the  Atmosphere 05 

infanticide 101-103 

Inl.iniicide  in  China 498 

Ingalls,  Mr.,  f ruits  of  a Tract  by 476 

Ingalls,  Mrs 701 

]ntcrruj)iing  Preachers,  native  custom  of  .342 

InimdulioiiH  In  J udia 210 

ir<Mi,  llie  Jtod  of 779-782 

Irrawaddy  River, .)  ndson’s  Trijj  Down  the  154 

K incaid’s  Voyag(;H  up  the 320  .3 •J3 

Ihl.iiii  anil  Revelation 571-581 

In  Alrica .597,  .598 


Italian  Mission,  Noted  Laborers  in  the,7.30-741 


Jackals  of  India,  the 21.3 

James,  Dr.  J.  sad  fate  of 511 

Japan,  American  Inlluence  in .530 

Re  igions  and  Missions  of .530-41 

Prospects  of  Christianity  in 510 

Jenkins,  Rev.  J.,  in  Brittany 093 

Jesuit  Forgeries 4.53 

J esui  1 1 n to  1 erance 000-007 

Jesuit  Trickery 0:3-494 

Jesuits  and  the  Karens 427 

Jesuits  in  China .528 

Jesuits  in  .Japan 535 

Jeter  J.  B.,  His  Welcome  to  Judson 108 

Visit  to  Rome 739 

Jewett,  Rov.  Lyman,  Sketch  of 000  , 7 

Johnson,  Mr.,  Among  the  Sonthals 519 

Johnson,  Rev.  G.  .1 .,  Baptizes  Mr.  Clough  070 

.Jones,  John 'J’ay  lor.  Sketch  of 401 

Jones,  Dr.,  Attacked  by  Pirates.  .300,  401 , 402 

Death  of. 403 

Personal  Traits  and  Acquirements,  403,  404 

S.  F.  Smith’s  Opinion  of. 402 

Translates  the  New  Testament  into 

Siamese.  402 

Judson,  Adonirain,  Sketch  of. 107 

Gives  Ilimscif  to  Missions  109 

Seeks  an  ajipointment  in  England 110 

Marries  Ann  Ilasseltine Ill 

Leaves  for  India Ill,  112 

Becomes  a Baptist J12 

Driven  lo  Burmah HO 

Arrives  at  Jtangoon HO 

His  Visit  to  Chittagong 1.32 

His  First  Visit  to  Ava 1.34 

Removes  to  Ava 1.37 

Arrested  and  Imprisoned 141 

Ordered  to  be  executed HO 

In  a Lion’s  Cage 147 

Carried  Prisoner  to  Oung-iien-la..  .118,  149 

Begging  Milk  for  His  Babe 151 

His  Release  from  Prison 1.52 

Hts  Services  as  Interijreter 152,  153 

As  a Negotiator 153 

Aids  MrCrawford  in  Treaty-making. . . 158 

Leaves  Amherst  for  Maulmain 1.59 

His  “Three- Fold  Cord  ’ 1.59,  100 

His  Fear  of  Deaih 100 

His  Excursion  to  Prome 160,  161 

Labors  as  a Translator 162,  163 

Completes  the  Burmese  Bible 163 

Marries  Mrs.  Boardman 164 

Accompanies  Mrs.  S.  B.  Judson  to  her 

grave  at  St.  Helena 166 

His  Visit  to  America 167 

Marries  Miss  Emily  Chubhuck 168 

Returns  to  Burmah 168 

Dies  and  is  Buried  at  Sea R>9 

His  Tribute  to  unknown  Martyrs 171 

Dies  at  Sea 169 

Destruction  of  His  Papers 170 

Fruits  of  His  Labors _. . . 171 

Supported  by  the  Triennial  Convention  192 

And  Slavery 197 

And  the  Karens 386 

And  tlie  Teliiga  Mission 656 

And  payment  of  ^ative  I’reachers 786 

Judson,  Ann  Hasseliine  and  Luther  Rice  176 

Visit  to  America  194 

Dr.  Waj  land’s  opinion  of 282 

Her  sickness  at  Ava ...  285 

Dressedin  Burmese  Costume 286 

Her  visit  to  lier  husband  in  Prison 286 

Her  inlliienee  as  a political  adviser 287 

And  111  tic  IMariii 290 

Robbed  of  her  Umbrella.. 156,  1.57 

Serious  illness  of i.53 

Dies  at  Amherst 158 


INDEX. 


815 


Judson,  Ann  Hasseltine,  Sketch  of  her 


character. 277 

Judsou,  Emily  O,  sketch  of 304 

Early  literary  toil 308 

Her  marriage  and  embarkation  for  Bur- 

mah  309 

Her  position  in  Literature 313 

Widowhood  and  death  of 310 

Personal  appearance 311,  312 

Prof  Kendrick’s  opinion  of 310-313 

Judson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  Entertained  by 

Sir  A.  Campbell  155,  15(5 

Return  to  Rangoon  after  imprison- 
ment  157 

Sailing  down  the  Irrawaddy 154 

Judson,  Sarah  B,  Sketch  of 291 

Goes  to  India  as  Mrs.  Boardman 293 

First  marriage  293 

In  Fashionable  Society  at  Calcutta  293,  291 

And  iMidniglit  Robbers 295 

And  Mr.  Boardman’s  last  labors 297 

Her  Work  among  the  Karens 298 

Her  second  marriage 301 

At  Mauritius 302 

Dies  at  St.  Helena 1(5(5,  302,  3u3 

Judson  and  Price,  Arrest  of 140-142 

Juds«n,  Little  Maria,  birth  of 144 

Judson’s  Burman  Bible 783 

Juggernaut,  Temple  of 99 

no  Kn»? 


Ka-Khyens,  the,  andtheBliamo  Mission  479 

Kali,  worship  of 90,  le4 

Representations  of 97 

English  offerings  to. 101 

Kaiidura,  baptism  and  ordination  of.  — 640 

AndtheGaros 642 

Karen  Baptism,  Mrs.  Boardman’s  des- 
cription of 296 

Karens,  Christian,  Persecution  of — 356,  389 

Karen  Mission  House  at  Bassein 435,  436 

Karen  Missions,  Grand  Results  of 393,  394 

Karen  Prophets  and  Priests 382,  383 

Kai  en  Prophet,  a 'orerunnerofthe  Gospel  409 

Karens  and  British  Invasion  366,  367 

Karens  of  the  Golden  Chersonese 376 

Karens,  Hebrew  origin  of  the  377,  380 

Karens,  Nomadic  Habits  of  the 427 

Karens,  their  worship  of  one  God 382 

Mr.  Carpenter’s  opinion  of  the 439 

Revival  meetings  among 440 

Timidity  of  the  444,  445 

Keith,  Mr.  the  first  British  Missionary 

to  Africa 605 

Kemmee  JMission 334 

Kemmendine  Mission,  the,  and  Mr.  Vin- 
ton  355 

Ketteiing,  House  at 42-46 

Minister’s  meeting  at 5 

Kincaid,  Eugenio,  the  Burmese  Evange- 
list  316 

Conversion  and  education 318 

Labors  at  Calcutta  319 

First  Voyage  up  the  Irrawaddy 320 

Labors  in  Ava  321 

And,  “the  Great  Blessing” 322 

Adventures  with  Robbers 323,  325,  330 

Second  Voyage  up  the  Irrawaddy 323 

Sentenced  to  Death 326 

Escape  from  Robbers 329,  332 

Goes  to  Tenasserim 332 

Labors  in  Arracan 333,  334 

Visits  America 335 

Labors  at  Rangoon 335 

Return  to  Burmah 335 

Labors  in  Prome 336-338 

As  Burmese  Ambassador  to  the 

United  States 336 


Kincaid,  Eugenio,  Final  return  to  Amer- 


ica and  death 338 

His  popularity  and  usefulness  in  Bur- 
mah  338,  339 

Eloquent  Remarks  about  the  Karens..  382 

King  of  Hell,  worship  of  tue 527 

Knapp,  Rev.  William  I,  in  Spain 744-746 

Knibb,  Rev.  William,  in  Jamaica  612 

Goes  to  England  on  behalf  of  Jamaica 

Baptists 614 

Memorable  Speech  by 614 

Knowlton,  Rev.  Miles  J.  and  Ningpo 

Mission 517,  518 

Kobra,  lung,  speech  by 591 

Kobner,  Mr,  baptism  of 697 

Ko  Chet-thing  and  his  money 420 

Kohls  of  Assam,  the 789 

The,  akSibsagor  and  Gowahati 644 

Ko  Thah-byu,  first  appearance  of. 268 

The  Karen  Apostle  443 

Dr.  Mason’s  Memorial  of 4^0 

Krishna,  66 

Krishna  Pal 16,  785 

His  Baptism,  &c., 785 

Kuanon,  the  Goddess, 14-534 

Kyootoo,  Mr.  Abbott’s  first  tour  to... 424 

Kyoung’s  described 126 

Lacey,  Rev  Mr.  in  Orissa, 551 

Lafayette,  Gen.  Anecdote  of 681 

Lao-tzu,  the  Chinese  Reformer 485 

Lapland,  Baptist  Progress  in 722 

Lehman,  Rev.  G.  W.  baptism  and  ordina- 
tion of 701 

Liele,  George,  in  the  West  Indies 611 

Linares,  Spain,  Remarkable  Success  at. . 746 

Literary  Piracy  by  pundits 47 

Little  Maria  Judson, 145-151 

Lord,  Rev.  E.  C.  and  wife  516,  517 

Lord,  Rev.  John,  Anecdote  of 281 

Louis,  Philippe,  and  Religious  Liberty  682  84 

Love,  Rev.  Horace  T,  in  Greece 729-733 

Lucknow,  Relief  of 547 

Lund,  Rev.  Eric,  in  Spain 749 

Lutheran  Intolerance... 698,  707  , 710,  719  , 724 

Macao,  Mr.  Shuck  at 472 

McCown,  Miss  Ruth 526 

Macgowan,  Dr.  S.  J.,  and  the  Ningpo 

Mission 515 

Mackay,  Rev.  J. , murder  of  at  Delhi 543 

McLaurin,  Mr.  and  Mrs- 662,  667 

Mahometanism  and  Slavery 578,  579 

In  the  Dutch  East  Indies 573 

Mahometans,  of  Africa,  the 570-5»i 

Of  China,  the 572,  573 

Of  India,  the 571 

Territoral  Conquests  of  the 573-581 

The,  in  Greece 728 

Maiden  Missionaries 184 

Maine,  Deacon 471 

Malcom,  Dr.  Howard,  visit  Dr.  Judson. . 164 

His  visit  to  Asia 195 

On  marriage 414 

Biographical  Sketch  of 456 

Manchooria,  Mr.  Richard  in 528 

Mantras,  use  of 84 


Maria  Jones,  Baptised  “one  time  right”  631 

Married  or  Single  Missionaries 413,  414 

March,  Charles,  sarcastic  speech  of 22 

Marshman,  Rev.  Joshua,  Sketch  of 226 

Opens  a young  ladies*  boarding  school.  229 

Translates  Confucius  229 

Translates  the  Bible  into  Chinese 230 

His  Defence  of  the  Serampore  Brethren.  235 

Marshman,  Mrs.  Death  of 239 

Marshman’s  Chinese  Bible 499,  502 


Mason,  Dr.  Francis,  and  the  Karens — 393 


310 


INDEX. 


Mason.  Dr.  Francis,  His  Marriage  to  Miss 

Griggs .300 

As  a Naturalist  and  Linguist 390,  402 

Second  marriage  of 401 

Translation  of  the  Bible 401 

Visits  America 40 1 

Death  of 402 

Courtship  and  Marriage 408 

Linguistic  Attainments  of 475 

Mason,  Mrs.  IL  M.  G.,  at  Tavoy 400 

Her  Labors  at  Tavoy 410 

Linguistic  Attainments  of 411 

Her  excessive  industry 41.5 

An  uncommon  Christian 410 

Maubee,  Ko  Thah-byu  preaching  in 440 

Man  Yay,  the  Karen  Pastor  at  Bassein. . . 425 

MedicaTMission  at  Ningpo 515 

Mennonite  Baptists 50 

Merqui,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wade  at 419 

Mikado,  the  Three  Commands  of .5.32 

Milne,  Dr.,  meanness  of .501 

Mince  Pie,  Mrs.  Judson’s 144 

Mirrors,  Japanese  use  of .5.30 

Missionaries  Attacked  by  Pirates 200 

Missionaries  Parting  from  their  Chil- 
dren   .31.3,  344,  .340,  .350,41.3 

Missionary  Magazine,  the 188,  180 

Missionary  Societies  organized  by  Luther 

Bice 175 

Missions  in  Africa 604 

In  Assam 0.3.3 

In  the  Bahamas 030 

In  Britt  any 003 

On  the  Congo 0.33,  0,34 

In  Central  Africa .500,  .570 

In  Ceylon 5.50,  .551 

In  Cliina. .500 

In  Denmark,  Norway  and  Sweden 707 

In  Finland 721 

In  France,  Brittany  and  Germany 081 

In  Germany 090 

In  Greece 720 

To  the  Garos 042 

In  Hayti 631 

In  Hindustan 1 

In  Italy 7.38 

AtNellore 0.54,  057,  662 

At  Ongole 6.50 

In  Orissa 551,  552 

In  Rome 633 

In  Siam  and  Shanland .471-473 

In  Spain  74,3 

In  Sweden 715 

At  Trinidad 6,30 

In  West  Africa,  origin  of 593 

In  the  West  Indies 611 

ISIissions  and  Slavery 617 

Mite  Societies  and  Cent  Societies 180 

Montgomery,  James,  remarks  of 43 

Moody,  Rev.  D,  L.,  and  Mr.  Clough 660 

Moravian  Brelhren,  Mistakes  of  the 772 

Morrison,  Dr.,  audliis  Chinese  Bible,  499-502 

Moslem  Pilgrimages  to  Mecca 579 

M<»nng  Nan,  the  first  Burmese  Convert. . 133 

Moling  Shwa  Gnong 135 

Moung  Shway  Moung 421 

Mritnnjaya,  Carey’s  iiundit 36 

Mrs  .Norris’ Legacy  to  Foreign  Missions,  180 

M urder  of  a Garo  'I'eacher 700 

M nrdoc.k,  I>r. , and  \Vomen’BSocieties,751,75.5 

On  flic  Bhamo  Mission 470 

Miilinyiri  imlia,  the .542-.548 

M limbo- Jnmlio (iOi,  602 

My  Inc,  Mr,  and  Mrs  .501,  501 

M vine,  Rev.  VV.  and  wife 588 

Nati  , ilraliniin 67-60,  122 


Naughapo,  “Daughter  of  Goodness”...  414 

Neale,  Dr.,  and  Luther  Kice lyo 

Negro  Missionaries joo,  oi 

Negro  Insurrection  in.Iarna  ca 022 

Nellore  Church,  the ’ ’ 

Nellore,  Messrs.  Day  and  .Jewett  at ! ! 6.57 

Mission  at  057 

Newell,  Mr.  and  Mrs 115 

Newton,  .John.  17 

Nidhi  Levi 

Nigban  and  Nirvana 127-1^-120 

Nigban,  Chinese  belief  concerning 404-405 

Nilsson,  O.,  in  .Sweden 7i.<> 

Persecution  of 7jg 

Ningpo  Mission  515,  516-510 

And  Mr.  Goddard 522-525 

Nirgun,  Sargun  and  Brahm 77 

Nirvana,  a foretaste  ol’ 37 

“Non-Sectarian  Professions”  of  Pedo- 

Baptists 17.7 

Norway,  Mission  in 711-715 

Norwegian  Bajitists  and  Close  Commun- 
ion  714 

Noyes,  Rev.  Mr.,  in  Orissa .5.52-.5.50 

Nystrom,  Dr.  Eiik 724 

Old  Testament,  moral  code  of,  incorpor- 
ated in  Mahomedanism.  577 

Omens,  Hindu  belief  in 82 

Oncken,  .1.  Q.,  appointed  Missionary  for 

Germany 607 

In  Denmark 707,  708 

Persecution  of. 0O8 

Sketch  of 705 

Ongole,  Mission  at 050 

Mr.  Clough  at 662 

Mr.  and  Mrs  Jewett  at 6.50 

Ongole  Church  organized 002 

Opening  of  an  “ Infernal  Hall”  at  Rome  7.39 

Opium,  iiernicions  effects  of. .50.5-.508 

Opium  Trallic,  the,  in  China .504-.508 

Oral  and  the  Printed  Word,  the 164,  770 

Orissa,  Mission  in 551 

Orphans’  Institution  in  Assam 6.30 

Oung-pen-la,  Judson  imprisoned  at.  .148,  140 
Our  Home  Poor,  and  Gifts  to  Missions..  777 

Our  Simple  Policy,  success  of 771 

Page,  Rev.  John .5.50 

Paku  Department  of  Toungoo  Mission  . 404 

Paku  Association 404,  405 

Pali  Language 6.3 

Pantheism,  Hindu  and  other 70,  80 

Palmer,  Luther,  his  gift  to  Missions 5.56 

Palmer,  Miss  F.  E 404 

Palmquist,  Rev.  G.,  in  Sweden 720 

Paper  Prayers,  burning  of 488  , 406,  .533 

Pasco,  Rev.  Cephas,  in  Greece 729 

Payment  of  Native  Preachers 786 

Pearce,  Samuel .53 

Pearce,  William 233 

Peck,  Rev.  Dr.  Solomon,  and  his  Policy.  4.37 

Elected  Corresponding  Secretary 195 

Pedo-Baptist  Sectarianism .523 

Pegu,  Kothah-byn  at 4.50  , 45- 

Persecution  of  Baptists  by  British  Gov- 
ernors  627 

Persecution  of  German  Baptists 698-7oO 

Of  Jamaica  Baptists 613,  614,  622,  620 

Of  French  Baptists 682 

Of  Swedish  Baptists 716-72.3 

Phillippo,  James  M.,  in  Jamaica 618-628 

And  Slavery  in  Jamaica  ^ 20,  621 

Visits  the  United  States  and  Eng- 
land  621.  622 

Pilgrimages,  Hindu 69  70 

Piratical  Attack  on  Drs.  Dean  and 

Jones 299-461 


INDEX. 


817 


Pinnock,  Rev.  J.,  atVictoria 609 

Planting  the  Acorn 6 

Portuguese  Pretensions  on  the  Congo  634,  t35 
Post,  Elder  Albert  L.,  and  the  Free  Mis- 
sion Society 676 

Prayer-Meeting  Hill 659,  600 

Prayer  to  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob 630 

Praying  for  War 366 

Praying  Parrots  86 

Preaching  and  Teaching  770 

“Preaching  the  Gospel”  by  pen  and  word  164 
Price,  Rev.  Jonathan,  arrives  at  Rangoon  136 

Printed  Page,  power  of  the  346,  347 

Printing  House  at  Serampore 54 

Prome,  Mr.  Judson  at 161 

Prophecy,  and  Women’s  Missions ..  764 

Its  Study  Profitable 780 

Prophesying  Women..' 765 

Prophets,  Brahmin 87 

Prophets  of  Fetichism 562 

Purchased  Righteousness 85,  86 

Qualifications  of  Female  Missionaries ....  755 

Quizzing  a ‘ ‘Capon” 621 

Ralston,  Robert,  his  gift  to  Missions 114 

Rama  Lila  Festival, 71 

Kamayana  Play,  the 71,  74,  240 

Ramree,  Comstuck  at 343 

“Rax  Me  that  Bible” 23 

Rebellion  in  Tavoy 271 

Reception  of  Converts  at  Ongole 673 

Red  Karens,  the, 377  93 

Reed,  Rev.  Alanson, 471-3 

Religions,  Classification  of. 484 

Religions  of  Africa 557 

Religions  of  China,  the 481 

Religion  of  the  Hindus 63-76 

Religious  Crinaes  of  Brahmins 70 

Respectability,  Andrew  Fuller  on 231 

Revivals  and  Foreign  Missions 471,  774-5 

Rice,  Luther,  at  Home  and  Abroad 172 

And  the  Origin  of  our  Foreign  Missions  173 

Sails  for  India  with  Judson 174 

Becomes  a Baptist 174 

Returns  to  America 175 

Organizing  Missionary  Societies 175 

Asa  Preacher 175 

And  Ann  H.  Judson 176 

And  Columbian  College 176,  179,  193 

Death  of 179 

And  single  Blessedness 182-4 

Ti-avels  in  behalf  of  Missions 190-91 

Richard,  Mr.  in  Manchooria 528 

Robbers  on  the  Irrawaddy 320,  330 

Robbers,  depredations  of 371 

Robbery  of  Boardman’s  House 295 

Roberts,  Issachar  J.,  Sketch  of 512-15 

Works  among  Chinese  Lepers 513 

And  the  Chinese  Rebellion 514 

Dies  at  Alton,  of  Leprosy 515 

Roberts,  Rev.  W.  H.  and  wife  at  Bhamo.  479 

Robertson  of  Brighton  105 

Rohrer  and  Bond,  Messrs,  lost  at  sea 537 

Roman  Catholic  Injustice 695 

Roman  Catholic  Jealousy  of  John  Cham- 
berlain  221 

Rose,  Mr.,  his  tour  to  Shanland. 477 

Rostan.  Rev.  J.  C.  ia  France 682 

Rowe,  A.  D.,  and  the  Indian  Famine 648 

Rowe,  Rev.  John,  goes  to  Kingston 612 

Roy,  Rammohun 236-37 

Russia,  Mission  Work  in 703-4 

Ryland,  John  4,  10,  44 

Sacred  Book  of  the  Karens,  the,  380,  409,  446 

Sacred  Cord  of  the  Brahmins 84 

Sacred  Cow,  the  82-84 

St.  Spiridion  of  Corfu 730 


oniiuay  , xvev.  o . sr 400 

Sakellarios,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  in  Greece. . .736  738 

Saker,  Rev.  A1  red 607-608 

Sandoway  Mission 390 

Sands  and  Kidder,  Misses,  in  Japsn 538 

Sanskrit  Language 63 

Sante  Will’s  Town,*  Mi’.  Crocker’s  School 

at 5«9 

Sargun,  origin  and  description  of 64 

Sau  Quala,  the  Karen  preacher 451 

Scott,  Thomas,  his  opinion  of  Carey 34 

Sears,  Prof.  Barnas,  and  the  German 

Mission 696 

Second  Reformation,  the,  in  Europe 710 

‘ ‘Self  Support  in  Bassein,”  by  C.  H.  Car- 
penter  440 

“Self  Support”  at  Rangoon- 433,  434 

Selungs,  or  Karens  of  the  Sea. 400 

Seminary  at  Rangoon 421,  423 

Serpent- Warship ,563,  .591 

Serampore  Brethren,  contributions  of,232,  233 

Serampore,  First  Year  at 15 

Serampore  Mission  Begun 13 

Serampore  Mission,  Controversy  over,  48,  232 
Serampore  Printing  House  Established. . 13-14 

Burning  of 31-46 

Shadow-Worship,  African .557 

Shanland  and  the  Shans 47.5-477 

“Shan  Department”  of  Missions 477 

Shan  Mission,  the 478 

Shans,  Language  and  Literature  of  the..  476 

Shamanism,  Description  of 481-483 

Shanghai  Mission 519-522 

Shascers  and  Purans 62 

Sheardown,  Elder 319 

Sheldon,  Mr,,  atDouay 687,  688 

Shintoism,  Japanese 530 

Shiva,  the  Destroyer 65-67 

Shuck,  Rev.  J.  L , enters  service  of  the 

Southern  Board 198 

Labors  of 471-473 

Gives  himself  to  Missions 510 

His  labors  in  China 510-512 

Last  days  and  death 512 

Shuck,  Mrs 472 

Shwaygyeen  Mission 391 

Shway  Weing,  the  Kyootoo  Chief 426 

Siam  and  Shanland,  Missions  in 471-473 

Siamese  Mission 461-468 

Siam  Mission,  present  state 784 

Sibsagor,  Mission  at 639 

Sierra  Leone  and  Liberia,  expectations 

from 596-597 

Sikhs,  the  Hindu  sect  of 571 

Single  Blessedness 182-185 

Single  Women  as  Missionaries 184,  761 

“Six  Men  for  Arracan” 340,  345 

Skinner,  Rev.  Benjamin  Rush 584 

Skinner,  Ezekiel,  Sketch  of 582-586 

Goes  to  Liberia 584 

His  Skill  as  a Surgeon 585 

Death  of 586 

Soma,  a Hindu  tipple 68 

Sonthals,  British  Missions  to  the 549 

Soulouque,  the  Haytien  tyrant 564 

His  Superstitions 664,  665 

Southey,  Robert,  defends  Carey,  etc 19 

Southern  Baptist  Convention,  organiza- 
tion of 197 

And  Chinese  in  California 512 

Its  work  in  Japan 537 

Southern  Baptists  and  African  Missions.  595 
Southern  Baptist  Women’s  Societies. .757-759 
Southern  Board,  African  Missions  of.. 604  605 

New  Missionaries  of 526 

Slafter,  C.  H 468-59-70 


818 


INDEX. 


Slave  Hunters,  African r)69 

Slave  Trade,  the WiG,  570 

Slavery  Agitation 100,  ]{)7 

Slavery  in  JMimaca 014,  0J5 

Slaves’  Rebellion  in  Jamaica 013 


Smith,  Sidney,  and  the  Edinburgh  Re- 


Smith,  Dr.  S.  F.  and  tlie French  Mission  0S7-0 

And  Swedish  Rai)ti8t8 72.3 

Spain  , Mission  in 74.3 

Spanish  Churches,  trials  of  the 747-740 

Spanish  Town,  Mr.  Phiilippo  at 010,  020 

Stilson,  Mr .334 

Stockholm,  Baptist  Churches  in 721-722 

Stoddaid,  3Ir.  and  Mrs. , among  the  Garos  04.3 

Staughton,  Rev.  William 188 

Elected  President  of  Columbian  College  103 

Entertains  John  Chamberlam 220 

An  old  lady’s  atlmiration  for 4.59 

Study  of  Languages,  exclusive,  injurious 

effects  of 33 

Summer  Retreats,  Dr.  Lord  on 510 

Sunday  Work  in  Tea  Culture 045 

Sutcli^  Rev.  John 4.3 

Suttee,  described 91-03 

Prevalence  of  the  rite 94,  95,  .5.50 

Sutton,  Rev.  Amos,  in  Orissa 551 

In  Teluguland 0.53 

Swallowing  a Baby 210 

Swan,  Elder 471 

bwatow,  Translations  at .529 

Sweden,  Mission  to 715 

Talaings,  the 448,  401 

And  Mr.  Jones 401 

Tamil  and  Telinga  Tongues,  the 051 

Taoists,the 48.5,  480 

Taylor,  Rev.  G.  B.,  in  Rome 740-742 

Tavoy,City  of,  described 203 

Tavoy  in  Rebellion 271 

Tavoy  Mission  and  the  Karens 380 

Tavoy,  Mr.  Boardman  and 203 

Dr.  Mason  at 397 

Scenery  of 398,  399 

Tea  Culture  in  Assam 789 

Teague,  Colin,  Accompanies  Lott  Carey.  201 

Teluguland,  Famine  in  640-650 

Telugus,  the,  and  Teluguland. 6.)0-6.52 

Ttlugu  Mission,  Maintenance  of  the.  ..656-659 

Rapid  Growth 663-664 

Present  State 665 

Telugus,  Future  of  the 674 

Telugu  Scriptures,  the 652 

Tenasseriin,  Exploration  of 333 

Terry.  Rev.  John  W.,  in  Spain 745 

The  Dible  the  Foundation  of  our  Work. . . 768 

“The  Great  Blessing” 322 

The  Hobbled  Donkey 617-619 

“ The  Light  of  Asia,”  criticism  on 119 

The  Lone  Star 658 

'I’heological  Index,  Dr.  Malcom’s 459 


The  Rod  of  Iron 779-782 

The  Teaching  of  the  Twelve  Apostles. . . 738 

‘ ‘ The  'I'liree  Fold  Cord” 1.59 

’I'homas,  Bev.  B.  C 391 

Thomas,  Jacob,  tragic  death  of 638 

'Ihornas,  Mrs.  C.  B. , lier  work  among  the 

Kyens 76.3 

Thomas,  W.  K.,  in  Arracan 76.3 

'J'bomaB,  Dr 6,  12,  16 

'I  liom|)Hon,  Mrs.,  Murder  of 540 

'1  hugs,  the 98 

I Inimlcr- Htorms  of  India 209 

TlentHln  Massac.re 527,  528 

'I'lger  Hunting  In  India 214 


Tigers,  depredations  of .370,  .371 

Timpany,  Mr.  and  Mrs Wi2,  667 

Tokio,  Baptist  Church  in .5.38 

Toleration,  Act  of 48 

Toungoo  Mission .3O6,  40340.5 

And  Sail  Quala 4.54 

Toungoo,  Dr.  Mason  at .397-402 

Mr.  Bixby  at 476 

Toy,  Prof.  C.  JI 537 

Transmigration  '128 

Trapp,  .John,  quaint  remark  of. 692 

Tree  “Rooteil  in  the  Skies,”  the 375 

Triennial  Convention,  the 187 

First  Meeting  of 191 

Adopts  Columbian  College 19.3 

Third  Annual  Meeting 194 

Tromsoe,  Baptist  Church  at 71.3 

Tub  Preaching 22 

'Turkey,  Baptists  in  ...  703 

Underhill,  Dr.,  Visit  to  the  Fast .548 

Underhill,  Mrs.  E.  B.,  death  of 609,  610 

Undeserving  Poor,  the  777 

Upright  Man,  a Buddhist’s  definition  of  an  142 

Van  llusen.  Rev.  Stejihen  and  wife <;.54 

Van  Meier,  Rev.  W.  C.,  in  Rome 741-743 

Vedas,  the 62-63 

the,  and  Caste  88 

Vices  of  Brahminical  Woiship 74-75 

Vicissitudes  of  Missionary  Life 27 

Vinton,  Justus  11.,  Sketch  of 3.55 

Labors  at  Rangoon  3.56 

Kincaid’s  Vindication  of 3.58 

Marriage  of .3.59 

As  a Singer 360 

At  Maul  main 359 

Return  to  America 360 

And  the  “Deputation” 364 

Death  of 364 

Vinton,  Mrs.,  Sketch  of 368 

Her  Work  among  the  Karens 370 

Anecdotes  of .371,  372 

Widowhood  and  death  of 373,  374 

And  the  “Deputation” 374 

Vishnu,  the  Preserver 65 

Voubran,  Jacob 594 

Voudoux,  Religion  of  the 563-.564 

Wade,  Rev.  Jonathan,  Sketch  of 417 

Labors  in  Maulmain  and  Rangoon 418 

His  School  for  Missionaries  at  Hamilton  420 

His  literary  labors 421,  422 

Death  of 422 

Wade,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  arrive  at  Rangoon.  137 

Go  to  Maulmain  with  .Judson L59 

Walking,  Dr.  Judson’s  Habit  of. 301 

.“  Dean  Swift’s 301 

William  Ward,  Sketch  of 51-59 

Sets  the  first  ty  pe  at  berampore 54 

Visits  England 55 

Raises  moneyfor  a College  at  Serampore  .56 

Visits  America 56 

Death  of 57 

Personal  traits  and  work  of 57  59 

Ward,  William,  D.  D.,  of  the  Assam  Mis- 
sion   645 

Ward  and  Whitney,  Messrs,  in  Assam — 640 
Warren,  Rev.  Jonah  G.,  and  Women’s 

Societies 751 

Remarks  about  debt 364-365 

Warren,  Miss  Rizpah,  marries  Mr.  Crock- 
er, and  dies .592 

Wayland,  Dr. , Reminiscences  of 189 

Waylayat,  Ali,  Martyrdom  of 544,  .546 

Welsh  Mission  in  Brittany' 69.3 

Western  Africa,  climate  of .594 

West  Indies,  Missionsin  the 611 

White  Elephant,  the, 473-4-5 


INDEX. 


810 


VV"hlte,*Mr8 408 

Wiberg,  Rev.  Andreas, •Sketch  of 7J7 

Baptism  of 716-7 J8 

His  Labors  in  Sweden 718 

Wight,  Rev.  J K.,  and  wife .524 

Wild  Beasts  of  India 214 

Williams,  Rev.  R.  R 666-668 

Williams,  Rev.  W.  R..  and  Early  Eng- 

lish  Missionaries 189 

Willmarth  and  Willard,  Messrs.,  in 

France  687,  688 

Witchcraft,  African 589,  590 

Withdrawal  of  Missionaries  and  the  “De- 
putation”  364 

Women’s  Foreign  Mission  Societies  180,181,750 


Woman’s  Missions  and  Prophecy 764 

Woman’s  Work  in  Missions 390 

Worship  of  the  Sun  and  Moon 483 

Yates,  Rev.  Matthew  L.,  Sketch  of ..  .519,  .522 

Vice  Consul  at  Shanghai 521 

On  Chinese  Conversions 526 

Yates,  Mrs.,  her  Girl’s  School  in  Shanghai  526 

Yong-Seen-Sang  472,  473 

Yoruba,  the  Religion  of -600-603 

Mission  in .599,  603 

Zenana  Missions 549 

Zenana  Schools 541 

Zenana  Teaching 760 

X13;  2s;  6d. 5,  41,  46 


SUPPLEMENTAEY  INDEX  TO  NEW  MATTER  IN  SECOND  EDITION. 


Adam’s  Footprint 799 

Armstrong,  Rev.  W.  L 807 

Ashmore,  Rev.  Wm.,  D.  D.,  sketch  of 805 

Australian  Mission  in  India 799 

Baldwin,  Rev.  E.  F.,  in  Morocco 796 

Bhamo,  Capture  of  (note) 480-1 

Boggs,  W.  B 807 

Brazilian  and  Mexican  Missions 804 

Brazza,  M.  de,  and  the  Jesuits 795 

British  Baptists  on  the  Congo  ........  ..794 

British  Missions  in  India 798 

British  Mission  on  West  Coast  of  Africa.799 

British  Statistics  802 

Brittany,  British  Mission  in 801 

Burpe,  R.  E.,in  Burmah 806 

Canadian  Baptiste,  Foreign  Work  of 806 

Canadian  Woman’s  Societies 810 

Ceylon,  British  Mission  in 799 

Christ,  the  Name  of 800 

Climate  of  Africa  796 

Congo  Valley, IPortuguese  Claims 795 

Craig,  Mr.  and  Mrs 810 

Crawley,  Rev.  A.  R.  R 806 

Delhi,  Christian  Growth  in 798 

DeWolfe,  Miss 806 

Free  Will  Baptists,  Missions  of 802 

Garos,  Progress  Among  the  798 

Holland,  Seventh  day  Mission  in 803 

Ingalls,  Mrs.,  Anecdote  of 805 


Jacmel,  Bombardment  of 801 

Kabyles,  Mission  to  796 

Lamb,  Mr,  and  Mrs.,  Baptism  of 797 

Luther,  Rev.  R.  M.,  sketch  of 803 

McLaurin,  Rev.  John 808 

Mahometans,  Conversion  of 800 

“ Opposing  Missionai'ies 800 

Maritime  Provinces,  Missionary  Spirit  in 

the  806 

Mtesa,  King  of  Uganda 795 

Music  and  Song  in  Missions 799 

Norris,  Miss  H.  M.,  in  Canada 807 

Norway,  British  Mission  in 802 

Ontario  and  Quebec,  the  work  In 808-9 

Portugal  and  the  Congo  Valley 795 

Sack  of  Bhamo  480-1 

Serampore  College,  change  in 798 

Seventh-day  Baptists,  Missions  of 803 

Simla,  Mission  at  798 

Smith,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  at  Delhi 799 

Taylor,  Rev.  Geo.  B.,  sketch  of 804 

Timpany,  Rev.  A.  V 808-9 

Training  Native  Christians 798 

Ugarda  and  King  Mtesa 7^ 

Vaudoux,  Definition  of 

“ and  Jesuit  Missions /fZUS- 

West  Indies,  British  Mission  in  the 801 

Women’s  Societies  inJJanada 810 


Chas.  A.  Drach  & Co-,  Electrotypers,  St.  Louis. 


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